Painting: Tempera
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- INTRODUCTION: Egg tempera is one of the oldest mediums in painting. It consists of dry pigment, water and egg yolk. These pigments are not only used in tempera, but can be used for fresco, encaustic and watercolor paints as well. Tempera was used all over the world: for the icons of the Russian and Greek churches, for panels of Italian painters, for Islamic manuscripts, and even for modern American painters. |
16th c Islamic Ottoman Applied Arts |
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- HISTORY OF TEMPERA: Tempera paint is the most common medium used by Muslims artists to illuminate manuscripts and documents because of their delicacy. Because of its accuracy in detailed painting, tempera was the chosen medium for artists when adorning their manuscript. In the religion Islam, it is not allowed to show human figures; so instead, most Muslim artists decorated their books with paint, layered them with gold and used bold calligraphic or Arabic writing. Muslim artists were free to decorate and paint many other forms, which gave rise to a great variety of surface based designs. These surface decorations started to appear on architecture, woven materials, and patterned textiles. In most cases, these images relate to the narrative painting tradition where the illustrations give visual aid and help provide the theme. Traditional Persian paintings that date back to the 1400's and 1500's were often highly stylized with colorful and idealistic images. Miniature paintings were full of brilliant tones often set against a gold background. These illustrated books of art, with myths and legends became a favorite for miniature painters. The customary painting tended to portray enchanted worlds where everything is perfect. Artists used painting to illustrate only secular subjects such as hunting scenes, fairy tales, legends, and life at the royal court. So as not to break Islamic law, religious scenes are not shown. In the modern paintings, however, artists have moved away from idealistic work to a more realistic representation. The trend now is to portray ordinary people and everyday life instead. |
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Mongol Painting Mongol Anonymous Fatih Album |
Ibn Hitai Ibn El-Bauvab (active 16th c.) Primary |
Tempera was widely used in Europe, but mostly associated with Italian panel paintings from the 13 th to the 15 th century. The Tuscan painter Cennino Cennini documented the techniques of these Italian paintings in the late 14th century . He described the techniques in such detail that his documented manual still remains the single most important source that painters consult. A different type of tempera paint was introduced where small amounts of dried oil is added to the tempera. Artists such as Pesellino, Botticelli, and Crivelli were noted to sometimes use this method of tempera painting. This process, which created an enriching tempera medium, is called tempera grassa, or fatty tempera. Slightly more blending effects can be produced with tempera grassa, but the drying properties follow more closely with pure tempera paint rather than oil paint. When paints with an oil base were introduced, tempera painting gradually lost its prominence as the preferred medium for major works of art. In the end of the nineteenth century, tempera painting returned as the chosen medium for huge murals such as Jose Orozco and Diego Rivera. Also, in 1901, the Society of Tempera Painters was established. Among the more recent artists to use egg tempera are Ben Shahn, Andrew Wyeth, Mark Tobey, and Robert Vickery.
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15th c Italian Renaissance Painting, Francesco Pesellino
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Ideal Portrait of Simonetta Vespucci. c. 1480 Painting |
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Rivera, Diego. San Francisco Art Institute Mural |
Ben Shahn Sacco-Vanzetti. Mural. Detail. 1967 |
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Tempera paint is created by grinding dry powdered pigments into egg yolk. This is used as the binding agent. Tempera is normally applied in thin opaque or transparent layers, and when it is completely dried, it has a smooth matte look. Egg tempera dries first by the evaporation of the water which is then followed by the setting of the egg proteins to a hardened and eventually, waterproof film. Because of the water evaporation, considerable volume of the paint is lost and therefore, cannot be applied in thick layers. Thick layers will result in cracking and flaking of the paint. In more modern and recent times, tempera paints have been used by some manufactures as ordinary poster paint, which is a cheap form of gouache paint, but gouache paint has nothing to do with egg tempera.
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Egg tempera is unique in its appearance and characteristics. The flow off the brush makes tempera paints perfect for detailed work. It dries almost immediately and does not lift off, making it very easy to work with. Some major qualities of egg tempera are its quick drying effects, its textured effects, and its luminosity. Some disadvantages are the inability to create impasto, difficulties in blending, and its production of light colors compared with other paints. Underpainting is an important part of egg tempera. Each layer that is applied is affected by the former layer, and it becomes richer when more layers are applied. One proven method is to alternate layers of cool colors along with warm colors. To deepen the tone of color, it might be necessary to mix together dark pigments, such as black, which will make the colors appear duller. This dull and muddied look gives it a more naturalistic effect. |
15th c Italian Renaissance Painting |
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HOW TO MAKE EGG TEMPERA (A STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS) "To know how to paint is not the same thing as to paint well, but in order to paint well it is necessary to know how to paint." - Albert Christ - Janer, 1946 What is Egg Tempera? The paint consists of dry pigments, water, and egg yolk. These three ingredients produce: • Insoluble film that can be painted over, • Paint which dries automatically in a matter of seconds, to which more paint can be applied almost right away. • And paint that sticks to the panel especially well, but only if painted in thin layers. (Thick layers will crack and fall off.) Step By Step Procedure: |
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1. Crack open an egg, and separate the yolk from the rest of the white. Roll the yolk back and forth to remove the remaining white. Then pierce the yolk sac and allow it to drain into a clean jar or container. |
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2. Add about 1 teaspoon of water to make the egg yolk binder. |
(One may notice the yellow of the yolk may initially affect the colors) Making the Paint: Most tempera painters prepare their pigments into a paste form. Some pigments are gritty and require more grinding. There is not one specific way of making paint with egg tempera, it is a matter of preference on how much water is needed. |
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1. Put dry pigment onto a palette. |
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2. Add an equal amount of the egg medium and mix well. |
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3. Add small amounts of water at a time to dilute the paint to your liking. |
GROUNDS, SUPPORTS, AND TOOLS: The absorbency of the ground is critical to how the paint will work. Egg tempera should be used with a firm, non-flexing support because it hardens quickly. Gesso panels are considered the best ground on which to paint. A good gesso panel is composed of chalk and rabbitskin glue. Below is a brief list of supplies one may need while working with tempera.
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• Easel • Grained wood like poplar, basswood, or plywood • Hardboard masonite or MDF • Acid free, heavy weight paper • Sable brush for detailed work • Housepainter brushes ranging in size from a half inch to four inches • Palette knife • Sponge • Tissue, rags • Cheesecloth • Sandpaper and razor blades • Good lighting • Clear acetate or tracing paper (new page) |
- PIGMENTS: Pigments are classified into three categories: • Highly Toxic - materials that will cause severe illness or death from a single exposure of a small amount • Toxic - materials that may lead to the same results as above, but require larger amounts or lengthier exposure. May also cause less severe illnesses. • Slightly Toxic - materials that may cause temporary illness or irritation, but if continued overdose occurs, more severe results may occur. Various Pigment Color Descriptions:
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