Ambrose Logo

 

Egg Tempera

What is Egg Tempera?

 

 

Tempera \ 'tem-p&-r&   process of painting in which an albuminous medium (as egg yolk) is  employed as a vehicle instead of oil.

History
Egg tempera is one of the oldest painting mediums. Works by 12th century Byzantine painters survive today. Much of what is known about the Old Master's techniques in egg tempera was recorded in a book by Italian painter Cennino D'Andrea Cennini in the 15th century. And eventually translated into English by Yale University professor, Daniel Thompson Jr. in 1933. This time-proven method is the one I use today.

.

In order for paint to adhere to a surface, a binding medium containing an emulsion is necessary. Very simply, an emulsion is a mixture of water and oil. The naturally occurring emulsion within the egg creates a stable medium. The egg is prepared by separating the yolk from the white. The yolk sac is punctured and drained into a glass bowl, then mixed with one part distilled water and strained through a cheese cloth.

Painting Process
To mix the paint I use pigments with intriguing names, such as Bohemian Green Earth and Pompeii Red. The pigments are mined from the native earth of France, Italy and Cyprus. The very same mines that once supplied the Old Masters of the Renaissance Period. The pigments are ground Into a fine paste in distilled water and mixed with the egg medium on the palette until the desired consistency is reached. Then it is applied to a prepared gessoed panel. As the paint is worked, the egg emulsion dries instantly to the touch, forming an elastic skin. Over time, it becomes an extremely hard, water-resistant, enamel-like surface, capable of being polished to a satin finish.