Website design By BotEap.com1. What is it?

Website design By BotEap.comTempera is a type of painting medium consisting of a colored pigment mixed with a binder, usually an emulsion of water and egg yolk. This type of paint medium dries very quickly and is very durable. Tempera painting simply refers to paintings made with this type of medium. The artist will first grind the pigment into a powder, then place a small amount of it on a palette. Next, the artist will add a few drops of distilled water to the pigment. The egg yolk binder is then added in small amounts until the solution is as clear as the artist wants it to be. The amount of binder required depends on the pigment being used. When painting, the consistency of the paint must be maintained and this can be done simply by adding more water to the paint.

Website design By BotEap.com2. When was it used?

Website design By BotEap.comTempera paintings appear to have originated in classical times. There are references to this type of painting in Latin, Greek and ancient Egyptian literature. Numerous important works of art are said to have been made using this medium, so it seems that it was quite popular with artists of the time. Some examples of tempera painting from antiquity survive, such as the ‘Severan Tondo’, which is a portrait of Septimus Severus, the Roman Emperor. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, tempera gradually overtook encaustic as the primary painting medium. Encaustic painting is the technique of adding heated beeswax to colored pigments. Tempera painting became very popular throughout Europe and Asia and was favored by many of the best artists. However, with the advent of oil painting in the 16th century, tempera gradually became less popular, although it is still favored by some and enjoys revivals from time to time.

Website design By BotEap.com3. What are some of its properties?

Website design By BotEap.comOne of the main properties of tempera paint is that it is not a flexible painting medium. What this means is that it must be applied to solid surfaces; wood paneling was commonly used, for example. If applied to a softer surface, such as canvas, it will eventually crack. This painting medium dries very quickly and colors stay the same over time. Tempera paint cannot be applied in really thick layers, so it cannot produce the same richness of color as oil paints. Artists have to work with tempera fairly quickly, as once it has been prepared it cannot be stored and must be used up.