As a further exploration of abstraction and the figure, I recently added the study of cold wax and oil paint to the mix. Cold wax medium is a mixture of beeswax in a solvent, creating a semi-solid paste that is then mixed with oil paint before applying it with brayers, squeegees, and/or palette knives. Supports are usually wooden or gesso panels, as the wax will crack once dried if applied to a flexible canvas. This medium is applied without heat (which is why it is called cold wax vs encaustic) and allows for striking textures and layering not possible with straight oil paint.