Egg Tempera - Painting Process

Panel preparation should be completed first. As already mentioned, panels were usually wood. Extant examples of panels and altarpieces consist of alternating fabric and gesso layers. Restoration has disclosed some layers to be damask brocades. Layers are often polished/sanded to an ivory-like surface. This is a preferred finish for egg tempera.

Usually preparatory drawings or studies are done in advance. Once the panel is ready the drawing is rendered onto the panel. The preferred method of rendering is with metal point, typically silver point. This is because this method does not bleed or smear. Artists must be confident to use metal point as it is not erasable either.

Once the drawing is completed it is often outlined with ink. This strengthens the lines making painting easier. Because the artist must begin with powdered pigment and grind it into the medium it is important to take precaution. Two forms of exposure can occur during this preparation. First, inhalation can occur when working with powdered pigments. Secondly, pigments can be absorbed through the skin if one is clumsy when mixing paints. Filters can prevent or reduce inhalation dangers. Plastic gloves or liquid gloves can protect against absorption through the skin.

One suggestion for beginners is to make a pigment mud by simply adding water to the pigment. Other elements required for this medium is egg yolk and a few drops of oil. The yolk and white of a single egg must be separated. Next, the membrane of the yolk is lanced and the yolk itself drained. The membrane can then be discarded and the egg white used for a meal. The ratio of egg to water is critical as an imbalance will weaken the paint. As a general rule equal parts of pigment, egg and water. An aromatic oil is used to extend the viscosity of the paint and to cover the smell of egg. With religious icons often sacred oils are added, such as rosemary oil. All components are placed upon a glass palette and ground together with a muller.

Skin tone is usually first rendered in terre verte. This is a green tone pigment. Consecutive layers of skin tone are layered over this color sufficiently thin to allow the color to show from underneath.

 Not all pigments mix with water. Lead white for example beads water off. Vodka can be used to replace the water at the same ratio mentioned above.

Properly tempered paint will produce a dried paint surface that has a slight sheen when held at an angle to the light. This is a telltale way to determine proper handling of the paint medium.

Once the painting is finished it can be polished to a sheen using a scrap piece of silk. Testing this process between each painting session will ensure a proper mix. If the mix is wrong then a full sitting will be removed when attempting to polish the painting.