Using Oil and Cold Wax to Build a Small Graffiti Wall

Cold wax medium made it easy to add a small weathered grafitti wall to my painting.

Step 1 Underpainting
I did an underpainting using transparent colors. The transparent colors soak into the paper so that if you scratch in later, you can reveal that color. I put Gamblin Asphaltam on the bottom. All of the paint is applied 50/50 oil paint mixed with cold wax.

Step 2 Mark Making
I was originally going to make the bottom area a beach so I added yellow ochre paint. I  covered that with a grey in a medium value. I let the grey set up overnight. The next day, I scratched into the paint with a bamboo skewer and made marks with black and red Marabu art crayons. I learned about these from Pamela Caughey. The resources page on her website an excellent source for discovering new tools.

Steps 3 & 4 Texture and Reductive Technique
I applied a lighter paint, with a squeegee, using a very light touch to encourage texture. The art crayon bled through beautifully. I added more texture with crumpled tissue paper and more marks with the skewer. I drizzled Gamsol on the wall using the oiler boiler bottle in the picture below. I tried to drizzle in shapes that were suggestive of graffiti. I wiped the gamsol off with a squeegee, revealing the darker grey from the previous layer. The Oiler Boiler set is also featured on Pamela Caughey's resource page.

Step 5 Finished Painting
I applied a tiny bit of of the light purple pink from the sky to the top of the wall to try and unify it with the rest of the paining. I also added a darker bluer grey under the plants to suggest shadow. That's it! I can't wait to do more of these!