Dorland's Wax Medium is a cold wax medium often used by watercolor and mixed media artists as a finishing layer. Unlike varnish sprays, Dorland’s Wax is applied by hand using a soft cloth or fingers. It dries to a subtle finish rather than a thick glossy coating, helping preserve the natural feel of watercolor paper.
What Is Dorland’s Wax?
Dorland's Wax Medium is a cold wax medium often used by watercolor and mixed media artists as a finishing layer. Dorland’s Wax Medium is a cold wax medium often used by watercolor and mixed media artists as a finishing layer. Unlike varnish sprays, Dorland’s Wax is applied by hand using a soft cloth or fingers. It dries to a subtle finish rather than a thick glossy coating, helping preserve the natural feel of watercolor paper. Artists often use it because it can: Deepen and enrich watercolor colors slightly Add a soft satin sheen Help protect the paper surface Reduce the need for glass framing in some situations
Before You Begin
Before applying wax, make sure: Your watercolor painting is completely dry The paper is clean and free of dust You test the wax on a practice piece first Wax can slightly darken or intensify colors, especially in darker painted areas, so testing first is always a good idea.
How to Apply Dorland’s Wax
- Use a Small Amount A little goes a long way. Using a soft lint-free cloth, microfiber cloth, or clean fingers, pick up a very small amount of wax.
- Apply Thin, Even Layers Gently rub the wax across the watercolor surface using circular motions. The goal is a very thin coat. Thick applications can become cloudy or uneven. Work slowly and evenly across the painting.
- Let the Wax Dry Allow the artwork to sit and dry for approximately 20-30 minutes for a light haze. Longer if applied more heavily. The surface will begin to develop a soft matte or satin appearance.
Dorland’s Wax is a versatile cold wax medium made from a special blend of pure waxes and damar resin. Used as a protective topcoat for sealing and finishing a variety of media from oil paintings to collage, Dorland’s Wax is especially popular as a varnish for watercolor and gouache paintings. It provides a durable waterproof finish, protecting the artwork from moisture, smudging, dust, and fingerprints, while adding depth to color and allowing for glassless framing and display. Applied with a fine cloth or gloved hand, it is easy to use, and the finish is malleable: leave it matte, or buff with a rag after drying for a uniform satin gloss.
Mix Dorland’s Wax with oil paints or powdered pigments such as Pearl Ex to create heavy-bodied, super matte, and fast-drying colors for “cold wax painting,” unique textures, impasto effects, and for layering and palette knife techniques. By varying the ratio of medium to colorant, you can easily control the transparency or opacity of the color. Add mineral spirits or solvent to thin the viscosity or adjust the dry time. Dorland’s Wax also provides a beautiful finish on wooden objects, such as jewelry or furniture, as well as on metal, polymer clay, ceramics, drawings, photographs and more.
Add a small amount of pigment, dye, oil color, or alcohol ink to tint the medium, or apply it straight for a classy, wax finished look. Dorland’s Wax is a sealant, varnish, and medium, all in one.
Practical Tips and Compatibility
Gives lasting protection to pencil, charcoal and chalk, yet erases easily. Clear, matte fixative is easy to work with. Dries in seconds, doesn’t wrinkle, smudge or smear. In some cases, you may spray a bit of working fixative before applying the wax depending on the media you used on your paper. For example, in certain mixed media pieces, applying wax on top of colored pencil designs may displace some pencil pigments and blur the designs. Dorland’s Wax can provide translucency to oil paints, making them more brilliant.
What Is Dorland’s Wax? Dorland's Wax Medium also used as a final coat on dry paintings, metal sculpture, wood carvings, and antiques. May buff to gloss finish. Dorland’s Wax is a sealant, varnish, and medium, all in one, offering a durable yet flexible surface that preserves texture and depth.
Consider testing on a small practice piece first to gauge color darkening and finish before applying broadly to a final work.
How I use Cold Wax in my work with Nicholas Wilton
Note: If you mix Dorland’s Wax with pigments or colorants, you can tailor the finish from matte to satin, or even glossy, depending on buffing and drying time. The medium also supports a variety of substrates beyond paper, including wood and metal, expanding its versatility for mixed media projects.