Page 434 - (DK) The Ultimate Visual Dictionary 2nd Ed.

THE VISUAL AR TS

Tempera MATERIALS FOR GILDING

Parchment for Brush
THE TERM TEMPERA is applied to any paint protecting gold
leaf from drafts Bowl
in which pigment is tempered (mixed) with
containing
a water-based binding medium—usually diluted bole
egg yolk. Egg tempera is applied to a
smooth surface such as vellum (for
illuminated manuscripts) or more
ILLUMINATED commonly to hardwood panels prepared
MANUSCRIPT
with gesso—a mixture of chalk and size Gold leaf
(glue). Hog hair brushes are used to apply the gesso.
A layer of gesso grosso (coarse gesso) is followed by
Gilder’s knife
successive layers of gesso sotile (fine gesso) that are
sanded between coats to provide a smooth, yet absorbent Gilder’s tip
for picking
ground. The paint is applied with fine sable brushes up gold leaf
in thin layers, using light brushstrokes. Tempera
dries quickly to form a tough skin with a satin
Gilder’s cushion
sheen. The luminous white surface of the gesso
Surface
combined with the overlaid paint produces the Gold leaf smoothed and prepared
brilliant crispness and rich colors particular to polished with a burnisher with gesso
this medium. Egg tempera paintings are
frequently gilded with gold. Leaves of finely
Gold leaf applied in
beaten gold are applied to a bole (reddish- overlapping layers
brown clay) base and polished by burnishing.

Bole brushed
on to gesso
Burnisher
MATERIALS FOR TEMPERA PANEL PAINTING
Agate tip

Yolk EXAMPLES OF BRUSHES
SABLE SABLE
FLAT HOG BRUSH BRUSH
MORTAR AND HAIR BRUSH SIZE 6 SIZE 1
GESSO PESTLE
EGG
Mortar
White
SIZE (GLUE)
Pestle for
crushing
Lip
and
grinding
pigments

EGG YOLK BINDING MEDIUM

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