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"Kumquats
on a Scarf",
egg tempera, 5"x 7" © by Loretta
Cuda
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Known in ancient Egypt, egg tempera is one of the
earliest painting techniques. It became one of the two most used techniques
(fresco was the other) in Europe from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance,
where it flourished under artists such as, Fra Angelico, Ghirlandaio and
Botticelli.
Egg tempera painting consists of powdered pigments, egg yolk and
water. The pigments are
ground with water to form a paste, and then mixed with dilute egg yolk. The yolk, like the oil in oil painting, is what binds the
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pigments to a surface. The
surface used in egg tempera is usually a panel of wood or hardboard, coated
with multiple layers of traditional, homemade gesso (rabbit skin glue and
whiting) sanded to an ivory smooth finish. Egg
tempera paint is generally applied in very thin, often transparent layers of
pure color. It dries to the touch
within seconds. Therefore many,
many layers (as much as 30 to 40) are applied in order to build up an image. The ultimate effect of dozens of translucent layers of interacting
colors is rich and luminous.
Traditional egg tempera painting does require some old
fashioned craftsmanship. Panels
and paints are created from scratch for each painting and the technique,
while in moments spontaneous, is also deliberate and systematic, requiring
considerably more time to execute than other techniques. The egg tempera process deters some artists, but others enjoy the
workmanship involved.
Comparing egg tempera to oil paint there are some
notable differences. For example: thick, impasto layers are not possible; blending is not possible
because of egg tempera’s quick drying nature; there is a linear quality,
rather than a painterly one also due to its fast drying; detail is easier than
with oil. With all these benefits and drawbacks, perhaps, as I was, you will
be seduced by its many charms, and explosion of color.
Paraphrased with permission from, "Egg Tempera
Painting", 1998 by Koo Schadler
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