What is tempera painting?
Tempera (sometimes known as egg tempera) superceded the encaustic method, and was itself superceded by oil paints. Derived from the Latin word temperare, meaning ‘to mix in proportion’, tempera contains a binding agent composed of a mixture of water, egg yolks or whole eggs. For more, see: Tempera Painting. Q. What are the advantages of using oil paints? Oil paint (typically a mixture of pigments and vegetable oils like linseed, walnut, poppyseed) is used mainly for its flexibility and depth of colour. It can be applied in many different ways, from thin glazes to thick impasto, and being very slow to dry, artists can continue working oils for much longer than other types of paint. Oils also produce greater richness and tonal variety of colour. For more, see: Oil Painting: History & Artists. For a review of the basic types of painting, their history and examples of famous painters, see: Fine Art Painting. Q. What are the benefits of using watercolours? Watercolours are cheaper, easier (
