EGG TEMPERA

 

Egg tempera is not a popular medium among contemporary artists. Yet it is one of the most beautiful and durable of media, with unsurpassed luminosity. One of the oldest painting techniques, tempera was widely used by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. The Byzantines were among the first to use an egg binder. It was employed by all artists, prior to the invention of oil painting in the 15th century.

In the mid-19th century a translation into English of Cennini’s (1370-1440) Trattato della Pittura renewed some interest in the medium, though one might say its modest revival dates after World War II. A great deal of credit for popularizing egg tempera in modern times has been given to the masters Andrew Wyeth and Robert Vickrey.

In Vickrey’s book New Techniques in Egg Tempera, Robert Vickrey writes:

"Egg tempera is a simple, cheap, easy-to-use technique that produces gorgeous effects – sounds terrific, doesn’t it? Yet nobody seems to know it. Its real possibilities have been obscured by stuffy, up-tight academicians who have filled the literature with strict proscriptions on what you can and cannot do with the medium."

 

Many artists are intimidated by what is written – following Cennini’s description – about the technique: laborious preparation, detailed ink drawing, underpainting, crosshatching, etc. Instead of following the technique employed five centuries ago, modern artist have devised much easier and quicker painting methods. They proved that the medium can be managed successfully with some degree of flexibility and that the technique does not have to be slow and tedious.

Tempera is an emulsion in which dry pigments are mixed with an emulsifying agent with bind and adhesive properties. The emulsifier may be a natural substance such as animal glue, casein, or egg yolk. Natural emulsions dry rapidly and with time become insoluble in water. The overlay of semi-opaque paints gives tempera painting their characteristic luminous quality. Tempera allows one to paint fine details but demands a more delicate application than most other paints. Each stroke is laid down quickly and precisely and should dry to the touch in four to five seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PREPARATION OF EGG TEMPERA

 

· Eggs used must be extremely fresh

· Crack the egg and drain off the egg white. It is the yolk that is the binder

· Place the yolk on a paper towel, puncture the sac and allow the contents to drain off the towel into a small glass. Try to avoid as much of the sac as possible

· Mix the yolk with water in approximate 1:1 ratio. Stir to the consistency of medium cream. Add 1 drop of vinegar. This is your medium.

· Mix a powdered tempera with water until a creamy consistency is achieved. The tempera can be capped and stored until needed. BUT the medium must be used within 24 hours.

· Mix a small amount of the tempera with the medium in a 1:1 ratio. ENJOY