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Recipe: Egg Tempera with Dammar and Linseed Oil

The word Tempera comes from Latin „temperare“ and means “to make mild” or “to control” which is probably referring to the fact that tempera paint combines materials which are usually unmixable. Mixing agents or emulsifier are used in order to blend resin, oil and water-dilutable colors without the use of odorous solvents. Tempera paint can be used for nuanced art work since it is hardly runny. The dry paint is water-resistant.

Processing

Crack a fresh egg and fill it into a glass with a screw cap. Step 1#60: Crack a fresh egg and fill it into a glass with a screw cap.
Fill the empty shells of the egg with linseed oil (the equal measure as the egg) and add it to the egg. Step 2#103: Fill the empty shells of the egg with linseed oil (the equal measure as the egg) and add it to the egg.
Now shake everything well until the fluid becomes a smooth emulsion. Step 3#68: Now shake everything well until the fluid becomes a smooth emulsion.
Then fill the egg shells with dammar varnish and add this to the mixture in the jar. Step 4#84: Then fill the egg shells with dammar varnish and add this to the mixture in the jar.
Now shake it again until it forms a homogeneous emulsion. Fill the egg shells with demineralized water, add it to the emulsion and shake it again thoroughly. Step 5#157: Now shake it again until it forms a homogeneous emulsion. Fill the egg shells with demineralized water, add it to the emulsion and shake it again thoroughly.
In a mortar or on a plate, stir the pigment of your choice into the egg tempera (binder) and grind until the fluid has a viscosity like yogurt. Step 6#143: In a mortar or on a plate, stir the pigment of your choice into the egg tempera (binder) and grind until the fluid has a viscosity like yogurt.
Now the paint is ready to use; add a little water if necessary. Step 7#63: Now the paint is ready to use; add a little water if necessary.

Ingredients

1 part(s) Linseed Oil, from Sweden (#73020)
Alternative:
Kremer Linseed Oil Varnish (#73100)
Linseed Oil, cold-pressed (#73054)
Linseed Oil, varnish oil (#73300)
1 part(s) Dammar Varnish Glossy, UV Stabilized (#79300)
1 part(s) Water (#65000)
1 part(s) Fresh egg
Glass with a screw cap
mortar and pestle, or medium size glass muller and glass palette
Pigment

Note

If you use Linseed Oil Varnish (#73100), the paint will dry faster than paint made with cold-pressed linseed oil. For egg tempera, you should only use distilled or demineralized water. Tap water can cause flocculation of the mixture. Boiling the water before use will prolong the stability of the paint. As a preservative, you can add a drop of Clove Oil (#73700).

We assume no liability for the processing instructions described above. In any case, we recommend the production and evaluation of sample surfaces.

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