It’s very different from oil in this respect, so if you’re used to oil painting techniques, tempera will require some adjustment. Tempera also requires thin layers of paint. But if it’s your first time using tempera, I’d recommend a wooden board or panel primed with gesso. They might do some extra priming or have a super secret technique. Of course, there are artists who make tempera on paper work. Even painting on canvas can result in cracks and flakes. Painting on paper spells nearly certain doom for your painting unless you’re intentionally looking for cracks. If you apply tempera to a thin, flexible material, you face a high chance of flaking and cracking. To prevent cracking, you need to choose the right painting surface and monitor your paint’s thickness. When it dries, tempera paint can feel brittle and chalky. I remember crinkling the paper on purpose to get the paint to crack. To be honest, I thought this was pretty cool as a kid. If you fooled around with tempera paints in your youth, you might remember how the paint would get kind of dusty as it dried and start to crack. But it has another challenge that you’ll need to address. Only create as much paint as you’ll need for that day, otherwise, your homemade tempera paint will start to smell.īesides being perishable, tempera paint may be starting to sound pretty good. The only drawback is that you can’t make large batches.

The Society of Tempera Painters has a quick guide to get you started. You’ll need an egg, powdered pigments, and water. The ingredients are very simple ingredients and, with the exception of pigments, you can find them all at home. If you have any interest in creating your own paints, tempera is a perfect choice. Nor it does turn more transparent over time, something I didn’t even know could happen to paintings. The color doesn’t change as it dries, like acrylic.

Tempera doesn’t yellow over time like oil. If the color changing properties of acrylic frustrate you, you’ll appreciate tempera, which has no notable color changes in its lifespan. Each layer of paint needs time to dry and cure before you apply more paint on top. You won’t have the luxury of spending as long as you want to perfect your shades and tints like with oils.Įven though tempera dries quickly, the process for layering paint is more like oil. You’ll also need to get used to mixing your colors quickly. Achieving a smooth, blended look can be tricky. Tempera paint dries quickly, posing the same conveniences and challenges of acrylic painting. I’ll get into that later, but first I’ll focus on the benefits of using the original “ egg tempera ” paint. Much of the confusion around tempera paint comes from the variety of paints labeled “tempera.” Most people know tempera as a kids’ poster paint.

(I’m sure there are differences, but I’m not an art historian so these details are beyond me.) The original tempera paints are available today as “egg tempera.” Egg tempera imitates the original egg yolk-based paint that the masters used. Thomas Hart Benton – Homestead (tempera and oil).Francis Picabia – Machines Turn Quickly.Raphael – Adoration of the Magi (Oddi altarpiece).You should also avoid putting used paint back into its original container since it’s already been exposed to air. Like any paint, it’s best to store tempera in a cool, dry place and make sure the lid or cap is always secured. Once all the paint solvent has dissolved and only the coating or pigment is left, the paint is cured. Once the paint has cured, tempera lasts for a very long time. Just as it’s easy to tell when an egg has gone bad, you’ll know if your tempera paint has spoiled from the smell.įortunately, only liquid tempera is perishable. Organic material may be non-toxic, but this also means it will spoil over time. But to keep the paint non-toxic, manufacturers still stick with organic material. Today, tempera paint manufacturers often substitute egg yolk for other glutinous mediums. In the past, painters used egg yolk as the medium, which is why you might have heard of “egg tempura.”Įgg yolk-based paint dries into a matte sheen. Tempera is a permanent, water-soluble paint mixed with an organic medium. Affiliate links will never affect the price you pay. Oil paints hadn’t been invented yet.įYI, this post includes affiliate links to Blick Art supplies, which just means that if you make a purchase through a Blick link in this post, I’ll receive a small commission. Frescos (think of the Sistine Chapel) can also incorporate tempera paint. Monks in the Middle Ages used tempera paint for illustrated manuscripts like the Book of Kells. Despite being lesser known today, tempera has a longer history than oil or acrylic paints.