Introduction
Egg tempera is one of the oldest painting techniques used by humans. The traditional method, used commonly until the advent of oil painting, required the grinding of dry pigments with water on a marble slab, storing the moistened pigments in closed containers, and then adding egg yolk to these just prior to applying the paint to the support (the panel or paper on which you paint). The technique I will outline here is not only less time consuming than the old method, but will allow you the flexibility and spontaneity of selecting colours as you paint. There is little waste, since you will mix only what you need, and less risk of physical harm while working with sometimes toxic pigments, since the dust of the dry colours will not be raised into the air by vigorous manipulation.
This is not, of course, the only way to paint with egg tempera. The tried and true methods of old still work, and you will find many other egg tempera artists on the internet who work in a different way. You may discover that you prefer to work according to their ways. But this is the approach that I have used for three decades, and it works for me. I’ve probably made every mistake possible, from poorly preparing the ground to accidentally gouging the face of a nearly finished portrait when it fell off my easel. Egg tempera is challenging and time consuming, but since it looks unlike any other medium, it is worth taking the time to learn how to use it. Perhaps one of its most delightful assets is that you can paint over your mistakes. So if you are unsure how to begin, there is no need to worry if it doesn’t look good right away. The fact is that it won’t. It will take many hours before your egg tempera starts to look right. It’s an excellent way to test your patience.
As you learn to use the multitude of pigments that are now regularly available to artists, you will discover that the variety of colours is not only determined by the way they look. Some are opaque; others are transparent. Some dissolve easily in egg yolk and water; others require more patient blending. Some float; others sink. Some feel thick and fat on the brush; others flow thinly. Some colours look nearly identical in their dry state but when mixed with egg yolk and water take on quite remarkably different qualities from each other. Some colours vary considerably in their wet and dry states. Some dry with a matte finish; others dry glossy. You can learn to exploit the various qualities of the pigments, switching between similar colours, taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by the differences in their properties.
Of course, it is possible to create a beautiful painting using only a few basic colours. It is not necessary to purchase sixty or more pigments right off the bat. However, once you have learned the qualities of a basic set, you will likely find yourself drawn to the gorgeous, more exotic and, quite likely, more expensive colours offered by good art suppliers. A virtue of mixing as you go from dry pigments is that it is possible to work with a huge range of colours while taking up very little space on your work table.
This is not, of course, the only way to paint with egg tempera. The tried and true methods of old still work, and you will find many other egg tempera artists on the internet who work in a different way. You may discover that you prefer to work according to their ways. But this is the approach that I have used for three decades, and it works for me. I’ve probably made every mistake possible, from poorly preparing the ground to accidentally gouging the face of a nearly finished portrait when it fell off my easel. Egg tempera is challenging and time consuming, but since it looks unlike any other medium, it is worth taking the time to learn how to use it. Perhaps one of its most delightful assets is that you can paint over your mistakes. So if you are unsure how to begin, there is no need to worry if it doesn’t look good right away. The fact is that it won’t. It will take many hours before your egg tempera starts to look right. It’s an excellent way to test your patience.
As you learn to use the multitude of pigments that are now regularly available to artists, you will discover that the variety of colours is not only determined by the way they look. Some are opaque; others are transparent. Some dissolve easily in egg yolk and water; others require more patient blending. Some float; others sink. Some feel thick and fat on the brush; others flow thinly. Some colours look nearly identical in their dry state but when mixed with egg yolk and water take on quite remarkably different qualities from each other. Some colours vary considerably in their wet and dry states. Some dry with a matte finish; others dry glossy. You can learn to exploit the various qualities of the pigments, switching between similar colours, taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by the differences in their properties.
Of course, it is possible to create a beautiful painting using only a few basic colours. It is not necessary to purchase sixty or more pigments right off the bat. However, once you have learned the qualities of a basic set, you will likely find yourself drawn to the gorgeous, more exotic and, quite likely, more expensive colours offered by good art suppliers. A virtue of mixing as you go from dry pigments is that it is possible to work with a huge range of colours while taking up very little space on your work table.