This daily weblog by Dinotopia creator James Gurney is for illustrators, plein-air painters, sketchers, comic artists, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find practical studio tips, insights into the making of the Dinotopia books, and first-hand reports from art schools and museums.
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And thanks to Keita Hopkinson for telling me about this video. Michael John Angel, who has the atelier in Florence, was a student of Annigoni, and is passing on much of his knowledge.
I remember when I was in high school art class years ago a few tempera paint containers went bad smelling like rotten eggs. Pretty horrible. Maybe it was because they didn't combine them with white wine? Haha!
It's probably better to use readymade tube paints before trying to make your own egg tempera. Badly mixed paints may not work right and end up discouraging those wanting to work in egg tempera.
I think what Annigoni is making is an egg/oil emulsion. There are other recipes and techniques. Seems to me that I have seen on the internet an old American Artist magazine article showing step by step his process. His portraits are pretty amazing.
Colin Adams sent me this and asked me to post it: "I'm an illustrator, maker, and avid reader of your blog. I just watched the Tempera recipe video, and noticed that the ratio the announcer mentioned didn't look like what he was actually doing. As he filled the cylinder, it was supposed to be six parts egg yolk, to one part oil (and one part varnish, which means he pre-mixed the varnish and oil to use that much in the film). But as you can see in the attached screen grab from the end of his pour, it's a bit more than two parts, if that is the mix. If it was just oil, than the recipe would be very different once he mixed it all."
very intresting. i love the vintage feel of the film. I dont use traditonal medium and i have never used temprea. does the egg cause the painting to "rot". it seems like it would brown and smell over time.
Youngstudios- No, it wouldn't "rot" any more than dried blood would rot. Many old (pre 1500) masters used this method, and as soon as it dries, along with the oil, it oxidizes. If you have ever seen an egg broken on the sidewalk, you will see that it forms a hard "glue" in a few days.
17 comments:
Wonderful!
I'd like to try that!
wow, thanks for digging up that video ! Answered some of my questions about tempera for sure
hey James, I quoted you in my blog, hope that's alright! http://www.myspace.com/rookievisions/blog
I read your blog daily, terrific stuff
Ruuhkis, thanks, that's fine.
And thanks to Keita Hopkinson for telling me about this video. Michael John Angel, who has the atelier in Florence, was a student of Annigoni, and is passing on much of his knowledge.
Oops, wasn't thinking and accidentally deleted the original comment.
Very interesting in that most instruction on egg tempura shows separating the yoke from the skin of the yoke.
I remember when I was in high school art class years ago a few tempera paint containers went bad smelling like rotten eggs. Pretty horrible. Maybe it was because they didn't combine them with white wine? Haha!
mmmm cadmium!
It's probably better to use readymade tube paints before trying to make your own egg tempera. Badly mixed paints may not work right and end up discouraging those wanting to work in egg tempera.
This is very strange. I was just looking for egg tempera recipes a couple of days ago. I feel like my mind is being read.
Was that stand oil that PA mixed w/ the eggs?
I think what Annigoni is making is an egg/oil emulsion. There are other recipes and techniques. Seems to me that I have seen on the internet an old American Artist magazine article showing step by step his process. His portraits are pretty amazing.
Colin Adams sent me this and asked me to post it:
"I'm an illustrator, maker, and avid reader of your blog. I just watched the Tempera recipe video, and noticed that the ratio the announcer mentioned didn't look like what he was actually doing. As he filled the cylinder, it was supposed to be six parts egg yolk, to one part oil (and one part varnish, which means he pre-mixed the varnish and oil to use that much in the film). But as you can see in the attached screen grab from the end of his pour, it's a bit more than two parts, if that is the mix. If it was just oil, than the recipe would be very different once he mixed it all."
Fascinating. Does anybody know where one can watch the rest of this video (if it exists somewhere on cyber space)? I searched around but to no avail.
Tino, try the British Pathe site, which has viewable clips of old newsreel footage, and apparently a lot of stuff on Annigoni:
http://www.britishpathe.com/results.php?search=annigoni
very intresting.
i love the vintage feel of the film.
I dont use traditonal medium and i have never used temprea. does the egg cause the painting to "rot". it seems like it would brown and smell over time.
very neat find. james.
Youngstudios-
No, it wouldn't "rot" any more than dried blood would rot. Many old (pre 1500) masters used this method, and as soon as it dries, along with the oil, it oxidizes. If you have ever seen an egg broken on the sidewalk, you will see that it forms a hard "glue" in a few days.
--Colin
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