Discussing More Art Terms©

This week we have two good questions. Question number 1 asks, “What is Egg Tempera painting?”

Egg tempera painting is a process that uses egg yolk to bind pigments. Usually the artist manufactures the paints him or herself by mixing finely ground pigment, water and diluted egg yolk.

However you can use normal watercolor paints and egg yolk. I like to use water color paints in a tube and I use a hypodermic syringe to pull the egg yolk out of the cracked egg avoiding the whites. Then I can add the yolk into my color as I need it. The paint mixture has to be constantly adjusted to maintain a balance between a "greasy" and "watery" consistency by adjusting the amount of water and yolk. As tempera dries, the artist will add more water to preserve the consistency and to balance the thickening of the yolk on contact with air. This makes for a permanent fast-drying painting. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples from the 1st centuries AD still exist. Egg tempera was a primary method of painting until after 1500 when it was superseded by the invention of oil painting. A paint which is commonly called tempera (although it is not) consisting of pigment and glue size is commonly used and referred to by some manufacturers in America as poster paint.

Egg tempera paint must be painted with thin layers. Impastos will crack. Beyond that, you can do sponging, spattering, crosshatching, washes, glazes, scumbling, even airbrushing is possible though airbrushing is not recommended. Egg tempera dries within a few minutes when painted thinly. If you lay out very wet washes on a horizontal panel it will take longer. After a week, egg tempera will be dry enough to paint over vigorously and after a few months it will be almost impossible to budge the underpainting.

Question number 2 asks, “What is a painting knife?”

Painting knives or palette knives are small spatulas for laying on paint and they have wooden handles and the metal ends are in various sizes. You can even buy cheap plastic ones though I do not recommend them when are are trying to do a professional painting, but they are good for mixing paint. These knives are used with oil paints and heavy body acrylic paints.

Generally palette knives are used for mixing paints. However, many artist’s complete whole paintings just using a palette knife.

May the creative force be with you.



Arlene Wright-Correll