I’m trying to develop some glazing techniques to use on egg tempera paintings. I need to slow the drying time down. How should I go about this ?
Egg tempera does not lend itself to “glazing” in the sense of that word as applied to other painting mediums, such as oil paint. Since egg tempera is applied very thinly it is transparent without the need to add medium to lower the pigment volume in the paint film. In fact, egg tempera typically has a very high pigment volume compared to all other solids in the paint film, and attempts to lower this volume significantly results in problems for the paint film due to overbinding the pigment. There are ways to slow the drying time, but as Brian Baade has already commented attempting to interfere with the natural drying rate of egg tempera creates many other problems. George O’Hanlon
I am assuming that you are referencing pure egg yolk tempera paints and not egg-oil tempera emulsions. I am also going to assume that we both mean the same thing when we write glaze; a darker and transparent, or translucent, color applied over a lighter color to create an indirect painting effect. In my experience, difficulties in glazing egg tempera paints are often the result of attempting to glaze broad areas too early in the painting process. A proper ground for pure egg tempera paint is very, very absorbent, so much so that attempts to make broad washes or glazes are extremely difficult without resorting to specialized techniques like the petit lac method or the use of non-traditional application tools like sponges, etc. As the painting progresses and solid layers of tempera paint are built up, the paint stratigraphy becomes less absorbent and glazing becomes easier and easier. Egg-oil emulsions can slow down the setting rate of paints made with them. Small additions of oil do not greatly change the handling properties in the manner you hope for while very large additions really transform the painting medium into something very different. Personally, I do not feel that the benefit is drastic enough to warrant difficulties that it does add. The small additional working time is offset by a real hampering of the quick application and reworking the surface so easy in straight egg tempera. As far as other additions used to slow down the setting/drying rate of egg tempera paint, I would not recommend them. It is generally not advisable to interrupt the natural drying/denaturing of a paint binder in such a manner. Others may have a very different opinion and experience. I will forwarded this tread to some other egg tempera painters who are real experts with the medium for their opinion on your question. They may have very different opinions on the subject.
Hi…we are also wondering why you tagged your question under “Art Conservation Topics” and “Mural Painting”? Are you attempting to restore an egg tempera mural painting?
Koo, great response. It is wonderful to have a tempera master weigh in on this question.
