Sennelier Egg Tempera

Recently I have been using casein as my main painting medium for plein air, as I have learned about it from James Gurney’s YouTube and Gumroad videos. It was fairly new to me and I quickly fell in love with it. Getting to use the classic medium was such as an accomplishment for me, as I had always wanted to try new mediums.

However, upon reviewing the list of mediums that I have tried, some still seem to be missing and among them was egg tempera.

I have read a lot about it before, especially for the college art appreciation classes I taught. The medium seems to be quite intimidating, as it is reportedly extremely hard to prepare and use. I know that it goes beyond the usual egg yolk plus pigment formula as most books say. Its quick drying nature and the use of egg yolks somehow prevents me from trying it.

One day I was browsing the inventory of a local art supply store (Art Nebula) when I came across a set of Sennelier Egg Tempera. A golden opportunity to try the medium had arrived, and I simply could not let it go. Before I knew it, I had purchased the item and it was now in front of me. Yes, the delivery was really quick!

The set has three primary colors (alizarin crimson, lemon yellow, ultramarine blue) and black and white. I tried to make a triad test and got amazing results. It really seemed transparent but the colors are so rich and color shift seemed minimal after it dried. I used the leftover paint from the palette to paint a happy little rock.

And yes, the paint really smells like eggs, albeit a bit sweet. More like cookies!

One Sunday morning, I decided to take it out for a spin. I decided to paint a nearby grassy area with trees visible from our apartment building.

I used the triad of alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, and lemon yellow and titanium white.

I tried to experiment with transparent washes and opaque layers to learn how this medium works. It felt like gouache, but seems to be more translucent and vivid. I would not recommend very thick applications though, as it seemed to be prone to cracking and chipping off, much like casein. Using small overlappling strokes to create translucent layers, as other artists suggest, seemed to be the best way to use it. The paint also dried rapidly, even faster than casein.

I love the brilliant colors. The vibrance seems reminiscent of varnished acrylic and oil paintings. I love how Sennelier created a portable version of this medium while reportedly staying true to how it was prepared in the old days. Preparing the paint on my own like the old masters did will truly be an entirely different experience, but the excellent, professional quality and portability just can’t be beat.