XD Wax Medium is a 50-50 blend of damar gum and USP Beeswax. XD Wax Medium gets its name from the eXtra Damar that we add to make it. Our original wax medium is a blend of 1 part damar to 6 parts USP beeswax, so it is no surprise that it behaves differently.

Damar gum in its raw form is a hardened tree sap that is transparent, hard, shiny and has a higher melting point that beeswax. Adding damar gum to beeswax imparts all of these qualities to the beeswax making it the excellent choice for making a wax medium. The higher the ratio of damar to beeswax, the more these attributes will be seen. XD wax medium has a thicker consistency when liquefied, is more flexible, shinier, harder and more translucent than regular wax medium.

Why do we call it damar gum?

Damar is harvested from trees and is actually a gum, or the sap that has begun to harden, it has been misnamed a resin for years. That is why the addition of more damar increases flexibility.

What are some uses for XD wax medium?

We recommend using XD wax medium as a paint extender, especially if you want to extend heavily for glossy, transparent glazes. Used as a top coat on smooth surfaces, it yeilds a hard, glossy finish with incredible transparency when applied thinly.

XD is also a suitable medium to use as a protective coat over watercolor or gouache, thus eliminating the need for the art work to be put behind glass.

Probably the most exciting way of using XD is as a boullion for making your own wax blend in a simple and easy way.

Follow the guidelines below to make wax medium in the proportions you enjoy working with the most. No filtering needed.

Damar Gum to USP Beeswax Ratio

• 1:2 - melt together 1 ounce cake of XD to 1/2 ounce beeswax
• 1:3 - melt together 1 ounce cake of XD to 1 ounce beeswax
• 1:4 - melt together 1 ounce cake of XD to 1 1/2 ounce beeswax
• 1:5 - melt together 1 ounce cake of XD to 2 ounce beeswax
• 1:6 - melt together 1 ounce cake of XD to 2 1/2 ounce beeswax (but why bother, since this is our ratio)
• 1:7 - melt together 1 ounce cake of XD to 3 ounce beeswax

Melt these two ingredients together at proper working temperatures below 200F. After the XD and beeswax are completely melted, blend well and your wax medium is ready to use. Follow the ratio proportions to make larger quantities as needed. You will save a lot of time making your medium this way.