Egg Tempera painting predates oil painting as a professional painting medium. It's as old as the Egyptians, becoming most famous during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and has now become very popular today.
It has very unique characteristics: it produces a crisp, luminous, almost linear effect that’s quite different from oil. It's glossy, versatile, and long lasting. Using egg yolk as the binder, this ancient technique makes a water-soluble paint that dries quickly, allowing for over-painting with more tempera or other mediums. Dozens of layers can be quickly applied in a single session yet the medium also allows for meticulous brushwork and fine, linear details. If you have never tried it, we thoroughly recommend the experience! Ideal for use on gessoed wood panels and other hard surfaces but also does well on medium to heavy weight paper.
Ingredients:
- Egg Yolk
- Water
- Earth & Mineral Pigments
Prep Time: 5 minutes per color
Step 1: Separate the yolk from the white: Break open an egg, cleanly separating the yolk from the white. Keeping the yolk whole, dry it by passing it back and forth in the palms of your hands, drying the palm with each pass (or roll it back and forth on a paper towel).
Step 2: Remove yolk from the sack: Hold the yolk over a dish or jar with your thumb and forefinger, and pierce the sack to allow the contents to flow out. Discard the empty sac.
Step 3: Mix with pigments. Mix yolk with earth pigments (start with 1:1 and then add more yolk as needed), and use water to thin the paint. You can mix in a bowl stirring thoroughly with a paint brush or on a glass palette with a palette knife.
Storage: Egg tempera paint is best used fresh and does not store well once mixed, but a drop of white vinegar or clove oil will extend the shelf life. Keep the paint in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days or until it starts to smell bad.
It's best to paint on a non-flexible support.
Other Techniques
Most paint recipes have multiple versions with different techniques in each - egg tempera is no different. Here is another common technique for mixing egg tempera paint - you decide which you like best!
Place a small amount of the pigment on a glass pallet and add a few drops of distilled water and mix with a pallet knife to form a smooth paste. Mix egg yolk and pigment paste in a one-to-one ratio, adjusting as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Thin the paint with a small amount of water to suit your style.
More of a visual learner? Check out our video tutorial here!
Interested in more recipes featuring Natural Earth Paint products? Visit our Recipes page!
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