In teaching painting, we adhere to the principle that working with each material is able to teach and reveal to the student its own distinct properties. Ours includes assignments for all basic painting materials. But we suggest starting with still life in tempera best paint for learning.

It makes sense to start learning with tempera paints for the following reasons:

• This is the easiest and most versatile material to study;
• It has many properties that are convenient for the initial learning of painting;
• A wide variety of colors are available;

What are tempera paints.

concept "Tempera" represents the principle of creating a paint material, not the actual name of the paint.

When they say that tempera is the most ancient material for painting and was used even by the Egyptians when painting sarcophagi (3600 BC), this does not mean that the ancient Egyptian artists painted their monumental works using paints from tubes, otherwise, that the process of creating colors and the method of painting was the same as now, and has not changed for thousands of years. Only the original ingredients have changed.

Tempera technique is a mixture of colorful pigment with binder. Therefore, the Italian word tempera comes from the Latin temperare, What means "to mix". The binder is a natural or artificial emulsion. The emulsion, in turn, consists, in most cases, of two or three immiscible liquids, for example: water - oil - glue. To obtain tempera paints, natural emulsions were previously used: milk, yolk, tree and plant sap.

Currently, two types of tempera paints are widely used, these are PVA tempera and wax-oil tempera, casein-oil tempera is less common.

Tempera PVA (polyvinyl acetate)

The most popular and widespread type of tempera paints is tempera PVA. The composition of this paint includes a mixture of PVA emulsion, synthetic resin, stabilizers and pigment.
This paint has a number of distinctive properties that make it convenient for teaching painting.
Universal Scenic Layer Thickness. In the process of learning, you need to try various techniques applying paint, it can be transparent glazing or dense, even backgrounds and, of course, voluminous, almost embossed strokes. Unlike other types, PVA tempera allows you to work in any of the above techniques, combine a variety of techniques in one work without losing properties.

You can rewrite the same place. This is a very handy feature for both beginners and experienced artists. In the work on a painting, there are often complex stages and difficult details that cannot be done the first time. Polyvinyl acetate tempera is ideal for such occasions. Easily overlaps, does not blur or peel off the previous layer, does not roll or deform the base. Other paints, especially watercolor, practically do not make it possible to rewrite individual fragments many times.
Any basis. PVA tempera can be written on almost any dry and clean surface. In addition to classic primed canvases, tempera fits perfectly on all kinds of paper, thick cardboard, glued hardboard, plasters, concrete, wood, glass, and laminated surfaces. It adheres firmly to all surfaces and does not lose its visual properties, which is very important in arts and crafts.

Wax oil tempera.

Wax-oil tempera is next in popularity and ease of use. This paint has the most complex composition. In addition to high-quality pigments, it includes certain compositions of vegetable oils, distilled water, natural beeswax, resin and a number of additives and additives.
Due to such a complex composition, wax-oil tempera has amazing pictorial properties. Juicy, bright colors, when superimposed on each other, form spectacular color combinations, in each color you can feel the rich depth and texture of the paint. The presence of wax and resin preserve the mobility and elasticity of the paint, thanks to which it is possible to rewrite or complete individual fragments.
An important feature of wax-oil tempera is that after drying, the color of the paints does not change, retains the greatest saturation and tone compared to other water-soluble paints (with gouache), tolerates external influences, such as bright light, air humidity.

Casein oil tempera.

Last on the list is casein oil tempera, the most whimsical and demanding type of tempera.
This is a water-soluble paint, where the main binder is casein, obtained from cow's milk in the process of distillation and separation. Also, the composition of the paint includes bleached linseed oil and an antiseptic phenol, which protects the paint from premature molding.
A feature of this type of tempera paint is that specially prepared bases, primed canvases, cardboards, and special paper. It is better to avoid saturated volume strokes of large thickness; when dried, these places may crack or even peel off. Highly great importance for the properties of casein-oil tempera has a release date. The shelf life of this type of tempera is 6 months, after this time the pigment begins to coagulate and the emulsion begins to separate, sometimes manufacturers warn about this, but in very small print.
It is better not to work with expired paint, after drying the paint layer peels off, lumps, flaking are formed, and for different colors this process occurs in different ways.

Pros and cons of tempera paints.

During art education, preparation for universities, when creating their own decorative works, the main, extremely beneficial features tempera paints, as well as some features are revealed, knowing about which, you can avoid them.
The advantages include fast drying, sometimes it is very important for subsequent processing or transportation, those who have come across oil paints will understand what is meant; opportunity to apply different types letters, from juicy pasty strokes to thin glazes, you can prescribe the same place several times without waiting for the bottom layer to dry completely. After drying, tempera form hard, water-insoluble layer and adheres firmly to the surface. Tempera tolerates changes in temperature, humidity and being under bright light better than other painterly colors.

An important feature when working with tempera paints, especially PVA tempera: you should keep the brushes in a jar of water so that the paint residue does not dry out and spoil the brush. If the brush is still dry, then you can hold it in a 70-75% solution of ethyl alcohol.
In one still life, it is better not to use or mix different types of tempera paints in order to avoid folding or delamination.

Regardless of the type of tempera, after complete drying, the work can be varnished. This will return the saturated color to the paints, and also protect the surface of the painting from mechanical damage and premature fading of the paints.

We recommend that you start painting with tempera, even if you have never tried working with this paint before. On ours, we will be happy to help you understand, master and make the first creative work.
For more information about classes, please call: 8 903 669-80-89 and 8 903 669-49-59 , or email us: [email protected]

Tempera paints appeared more than 3 thousand years ago and remained the most popular until the 15th century, when oil paints began to prevail among painters. Byzantine and Slavic masters used tempera, Egyptian sarcophagi were also painted with it. In the 19th century, after disappointment in some properties of oil, tempera began to be actively used again in art. Pictures, handicraft works and, in particular, icons painted with tempera paints were covered with varnish or drying oil to preserve their color. When it came to paintings, they wrote in tempera on primed wooden boards. The walls were also painted with tempera. Many churches and cathedrals in Russia were painted with her in the 15th-17th centuries.

Icon painted with tempera paints

Tempera paints are made on the basis of dry pigments, the binder for which are natural and artificial emulsions: chicken eggs, oils and glue, polymers. Today, tempera is made industrially, using an emulsion of casein, a protein obtained by curdling milk; polyvinyl acetate or PVA, the same glue; as well as on the basis of acrylic (acrylic tempera), or in the fourth way - on the basis of a wax-oil composition.

"The Last Supper" by Leonardo was written in tempera

Modern tempera paints velvety and matte, do not need varnishing. The peculiarity of artistic tempera paints is that they can be painted using different techniques - glazing, a thin layer or thickly applying paint.

Painting by Svyatoslav Roerich "Spiritual Art". Canvas, tempera. 1934

The advantages of modern tempera paints, of course, is the durability of the tone. When dried, the volume of the paint layer practically does not change, unlike oil paints, for which the process of changing the volume can last a certain amount of time. However, tempera dries quickly and this must be taken into account when working with it.

One of the best tempera paints sold in Russia is tempera "", manufactured by the St. Petersburg Plant Artistic colors"Neva palette". The palette includes all primary colors and is sold as

In distant times (in the XV-XVI centuries) in Italy under the word tempera”(derived from the Latin“ temperare ”- to connect) meant a binder of paints in general and, in particular, glue of animal and vegetable origin. In Italy of that time, it was more often given a narrower meaning: tempera meant a binder of paints, which mainly included an egg. In the scientific literature on painting technique in our time, it is customary to call tempera a binder of paints, consisting of a natural or artificial emulsion; that is why it is also called "emulsion tempera", in contrast to the glue painting, which often appropriates the name tempera.

Before the development of oil paints I. Van Eykom(XV century) medieval egg tempera was one of the most popular and widespread types of painting in Europe, but starting from that time, it gradually loses its significance, and little by little interest in it completely and everywhere dries up. The only exceptions are Russia and Greece, where, along with the latest methods of painting, this ancient technique is currently being used. In Greece it is used for church painting, but in our country it is used for various artistic purposes, and painting acquires a stylized ornamental character, which testifies once again that the style of painting is largely due to its technique.

In the second half of the 19th century, the disappointment that came in later oil painting, served as the beginning of the search for new binders for paints, and the forgotten tempera, whose well-preserved works speak eloquently for themselves, arouses interest again. But the obsolete technique could no longer fully satisfy the demands of later artists, and therefore significant modifications are introduced into it: from tempera with natural emulsion, it is transformed into tempera with artificial emulsion. Tempera in this updated and modified form soon gains a strong position for itself and quickly spreads in Europe.

In Russian art, unfortunately, the new tempera has not yet been given due importance. Our schools of painting, ignoring the technique of painting, educated their students routinely - exclusively on oil painting.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the new types of painting technique that arose in the West did not receive proper application and development among us, and that the appearance of works performed by one or another method of painting, which was established in the West, was due to our painters simply by chance. And here it was not without misunderstandings: for example, tempera paints were often painted with us like gouache! Paints were used in this case only factory-made, which in most cases belong to the gum arabic tempera, that is, they belong to the worst type of tempera. For Russian artists, the latest tempera is thus a little-used technique. Meanwhile, it has very serious advantages and in many respects great advantages over ordinary oil painting and, moreover, it best meets the needs of painting of our time.

egg tempera

The binder of egg tempera is an artificial emulsion, which includes egg, oil and oil or turpentine varnish.

There are many recipes for this kind of tempera, and the possibility of compiling new recipes is, one might say, unlimited; it is enough only when compiling them to observe a certain regularity in the proportion of substances that make up the tempera.

The yolk of an egg and a whole egg are able to emulsify an equal volume of oil and a much smaller amount of varnish. Such a proportion for oil and varnish in relation to the egg is the maximum for the emulsion.

In practice, therefore, it is recommended to take them in a slightly smaller amount, since with an excess of oil, and even more so varnish as a substance more alien to the egg, the emulsion can more easily break up. In addition, too “fat” tempera approaches oil painting in its properties and therefore begins to acquire the disadvantages of the latter - the ability to turn yellow and darken, while at the same time not having the advantages of oil painting - the long mobility of its colors.

Until the 15th century, tempera was the most common and popular medium for painting. In Russia, egg tempera was used in iconography, wall painting, as well as in folk crafts ( Palekh, Mstera and etc.). In its manufacture, chicken yolk was used as the main binder. The pigment was triturated in an emulsion of yolk with water, adding kvass, vinegar or wine. The paints obtained in this way did not allow working in the impasto painting technique, therefore, in the process of work, they were applied gradually, in many layers and in a certain order. Drying, they lightened somewhat in tone and a matte surface was obtained. The basis for painting was wooden boards, primed with a layer of gesso*. After completion of the work, the entire surface was covered with a thin film of drying oil or oil varnish. Egg tempera is still used in icon painting.
Tempera paints are widely used in Russia in wall painting. Many of the Russian churches in Moscow, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and other cities were painted by them in the 15th-17th centuries. When painting the walls, the best types of tempera were egg, made on one yolk, and casein tempera. At the same time, paints were made in small volumes, since the binder must be fresh.
Quite often, the walls were painted with paint prepared on a whole egg, i.e. both yolk and protein were used as a binder. This tempera was inferior to egg tempera in density, but its external qualities suited the fresco, so it was also used for retouching frescoes.

Casein tempera

Casein solutions, obtained in one way or another, form emulsions with oil and resins, which not only are not inferior in quality to the egg emulsions described above, but in many respects surpass them.

Casein solutions for emulsification are obtained from dry casein powder using borax, soda, ammonium carbonate, sodium phosphate, sodium hydroxide, caustic potash, and finally caustic lime. Casein in the form of cottage cheese also gives solutions, but its dosage is difficult.

The most appropriate casein solvents are: borax, soda, ammonium carbonate and sodium phosphate.

Like an egg, casein solution, which has the same consistency as an egg, emulsifies an equal volume of oil and a smaller amount of varnish.

Such a relationship of these components of the emulsion is a well-known norm, which should not be left when compiling recipes for casein tempera.

Gum arabic tempera

In addition to egg and casein, which are best material for the preparation of tempera, they also use vegetable glue for this purpose, mainly gum arabic, dextrin and cherry, as well as glue and other fruit trees.

This tempera is much inferior in quality to egg and casein tempera, but due to its inherent lightness of tone, some artists like it. It has a low adhesion ability, so it does not stick to oily soil and rolls off it. In the gum arabic tempera, the paints are devoid of a paste similar to egg and casein tempera paste, and therefore they are not suitable for pasty painting, since, moreover, they easily crack. Gum arabic tempera, on the other hand, does not deteriorate as quickly as egg tempera, which is why it is popular in the factory production of paints.

Gum arabic solution and in general a solution of vegetable glue has a weak emulsifying power and therefore, when compiling an emulsion, no more than 1/2 - 1/3 of the volume of oil is taken per 1 volume of gum arabic solution. It is useful to introduce a small amount (1/12-1/15 part of the volume) of glycerin into this emulsion.

Modern tempera

The binder of modern tempera consists of an artificial emulsion.

The time of discovery of this new paint substance, which gained such popularity in modern painting, is currently difficult to reconstruct with accuracy. In any case, an artificial emulsion consisting of butter and egg was already known in the Middle Ages, but it was used only for medical and cosmetic purposes. There is also evidence that in the Middle Ages in Spain they used an emulsion in painting, consisting of a solution of casein and oil. Vasari, speaking of tempera, reports that the artist Baldovinetti wrote in tempera from egg yolk with oil varnish, but immediately adds that the tempera of this composition was not in general use. All of these historical data clearly indicate that modern tempera originated in ancient times, but at the same time did not receive proper evaluation and development in its time. The development of tempera with artificial emulsion is observed only at the latest time.

The success of modern tempera cannot be explained by the dissatisfaction and weariness towards oil seen in later painters alone; on the contrary, it is a consequence of its undoubted merits, before which oil painting, which is common in our time, succumbs.

Drawing a parallel between medieval and modern tempera, it is impossible not to notice that all the advantages will be on the side of the latter. The binder of modern tempera (in its best forms) has greater strength than that of the same old tempera, since it contains, in addition to egg or casein, oils and resins. Painting made with yolk tempera needs varnish to fix its colors, since it can dissolve with water for a long time, while modern tempera, which includes oils that dry out quickly, becomes insoluble in the very short term and therefore does not need varnish if the latter is of no interest to the artist. The technique of medieval yolk tempera, intended mainly for easel painting with its watery colors and special techniques, is too outdated for our time and can hardly satisfy any of the modern painters, while the new tempera, due to its composition, does not need special techniques, providing the painter has complete freedom in this respect and fully corresponds to the modern style of painting.

Advantages and disadvantages of tempera

Positive properties of tempera

1) In contrast to oil painting and old tempera, the new tempera does not require a certain system for painting from the painter, giving him complete freedom in this respect, which he can use without any damage to the strength of the painting.

2) Tempera paints covered with varnish are superior in beauty to those of ordinary oil painting.

3) Tempera painting, executed with paints not weighed down with excess oil, does not darken, does not turn yellow, and does not change its tone at all over time.

4) The drying process of tempera paints is quite different from the drying process of oil paints. Tempera paints decrease in volume only in the first period of their drying, remaining unchanged in the future, while in oil painting the change in the volume of the paint layer continues indefinitely, which adversely affects the strength of the painting.

The most important disadvantages of tempera

1) the speed of drying paints and

2) change in tone when the paints dry.

1. * gesso- (Greek λευκός white, light, clear) - in icon painting, the name of the soil, which is a chalk or gypsum (alabaster) powder mixed with animal or fish glue. It is applied in several layers on a specially prepared board. At the same time, the preservation of gesso is the better, the thinner and more uniform the applied layers were. Sanded after drying. AT Ancient Russia levkas was polished with horsetail stalks; modern icon painters use sandpaper for this purpose.

Chased gesso- gesso, covered with gold leaf and processed with an ornament made by embossing.

Levkasit- prime the icon board.

Often, a special master, a gesso (levkaschik), was engaged in the preparation of an icon board for icon painting.

In murals, gesso is a tempera primer made from slaked lime with filler.

In modern the art world gesso is also called a synthetic material used in the manufacture of baguettes.

In construction, gesso often denotes a high quality wall finish.

2. * Gold leaf (tinsel)- the thinnest (usually about 100 nm) sheets of gold or gold-silver bimetal (double), which are usually used for decorative purposes. Potalia name sheets of other metals or alloys that imitate gold (for example, copper with zinc or aluminum, which are painted with a transparent yellow varnish after being applied to the product), or chemical compounds like tin sulfide (SnS2), which is used in the composition of paints that imitate gilding. The first mention of gold leaf refers to the period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties of China. The history of gold leaf production in the Long Tan area of ​​Nanjing goes back about 1,700 years.

3. * Coin- melee weapons, which is a warhead in the form of a beak, fixed with an eyelet on the handle. The name comes from the Old Russian word "chasing", which was synonymous with the word "ax". Since the ruble in Ancient Russia was half a chopped ingot - the hryvnia, the process of creating rubles began to be called chasing. For more accurate cutting of the hryvnia, a special chisel was used, which also received the name "coin."

Artistic tempera polyvinyl acetate paints from the Nevskaya Palitra plant are made on the basis of high-quality organic and inorganic pigments and polyvinyl acetate dispersion. Tempera paints are a traditional material for painting, as well as for decorative and design work. Easily applied to paper, cardboard, wood, canvas. When dried, the paint forms an elastic, opaque and indelible layer.

"Master Class"

Tempera polyvinyl acetate paints "Master Class" is intended for easel and monumental painting, as well as decorative and design works on various surfaces. Tempera paints "Master Class" are suspensions of pigments and fillers in polyvinyl acetate dispersion with various additives. They are easily applied to paper, cardboard, wood. When dried, they form an elastic, opaque, indelible film. The palette of tempera paints "Master Class" consists of 23 bright intense colors.

Tempera paints "Master Class" are available in 46 ml tubes, as well as in sets of 10 colors in 46 ml tubes and 12 colors in 18 ml tubes.

Natural (whole egg yolk diluted with water, plant juices, rarely - only in frescoes - oil) or artificial (drying oils in an aqueous solution of glue, polymers). Tempera painting is diverse in terms of techniques and texture, it includes both writing in a thin layer, glazing, and thick impasto writing.

Tempera paints are one of the oldest. Before the invention and distribution of oil paints until the XV-XVII centuries. tempera paints were the main material of easel painting. The history of the use of tempera paints has more than 3 thousand years. Thus, the famous paintings of the sarcophagi of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs are made with tempera paints. Tempera was mainly easel painting by Byzantine masters. In Russia, the technique of tempera writing was predominant in art until the end of the 17th century.

Currently, two types of tempera are produced industrially: casein-oil (the binder is an aqueous solution of casein with additives) and polyvinyl acetate (PVA, the binder is an emulsion of synthetic polyvinyl acetate resin). Tempera based on PVA is easier to use, diluted with water, does not turn yellow, but its significant drawback is that it tends to crack over time. In this regard, the durability of restoration work performed with PVA tempera always raises serious doubts. When dry, the tempera changes tone and color, the surface of works made in this technique is matte. Dried paint is water resistant, which is why tempera is also used in mural painting. The distribution network offers a wide range of dry pigments for self-preparation of tempera paints from them; tempera, prepared by the artist himself using simple technologies, immediately before using it in his work, is the highest quality and most durable paint material, which is confirmed by centuries of practice.

Tempera on gesso on a wooden base using natural pigments is a traditional icon-painting technique where it is used cooked on yolk or a mixture of yolk with boiled butter or oil varnish. The technique of ancient Russian icon painters found its continuation in the work of masters lacquer miniature(Palekh, Mstyora, Kholuy). Wall paintings have been made on moistened plaster (lime) with tempera since ancient times.

Literature

• Isakson A. Learn to write in tempera // Artist. 1961, No. 1. S.54-56.
• Filatov VV Russian easel tempera painting. Technique and restoration. M., Art, 1961.
• Laktionov A., Winner A. Russian tempera painting // Artist. 1961, No. 12. P.26.
• encyclopedic Dictionary young artist/ Comp. N. I. Platonova, V. D. Sinyukov. - M .: Pedagogy, 1983. - S. 196, 379-380. - 416 p. - 500,000 copies.

Links

• Recipes for the preparation of natural tempera paints from minerals

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Synonyms:

See what "Tempera" is in other dictionaries:

- (Italian tempera, from temperare to mix paints), painting with paints, the binder in which are emulsions of water and egg yolk, as well as vegetable or animal glue diluted in water, mixed with oil (or with ... ... Art Encyclopedia

- (it.). 1) everything that is included in the liquid picturesque colors. 2) a special kind of painting. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. TEMPERA, it., from tempera, any liquid mixture for dry paints. A type of painting with paints, ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- [tamper], tempera, female, as well as non-cl. (ital. tempera) (painting). 1. Mineral paints, grated on egg yolk, liquid glue, honey and other emulsions, use. in painting before the invention of oil paints and again come into use in the latest ... ... Dictionary Ushakov

- (Italian tempera), painting with paints, the binder of which is natural emulsions (whole egg, yolk, plant juices) or artificial (aqueous solution of glue with oil, etc.) ... Modern Encyclopedia Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

tempera- tempera. Pronounced [tempera] ... Dictionary of pronunciation and stress difficulties in modern Russian

tempera- For many centuries in Russia, icons were painted using the technique of yolk tempera (egg tempera or simply tempera). In general, TEMPERA is painting with paints in which the film-forming substance is most often an emulsion of egg yolk in water; ... ... Dictionary of Painting and Restoration