"Cold Wax" is a medium composed mainly of beeswax with a small amount of solvent and other ingredients to create a paste-like consistency. The medium is used with oil paint for pigmentation to a soft paste suitable for knife application. It can be thinned to brush consistency by dissolving it in a small amount of mineral spirits. As the solvent dissipates the medium hardens leaving the paint encapsulated within the wax substrate. The wax adds body, transparency and depth when compared with traditional oil medium.