Egg tempera painting - Technique and process of egg tempera artist

Where has the summer gone? I spend the last month creating a set of three large paintings based on the red poppy study below. They turned out fantastic and will be posted soon

Now I want to create a set of paintings that reflect the spring green colors that I painted my glass in the poppy paintings. I spent this morning making paint (yes the entire morning just making paint) The colors I want can not be purchased from any art supply store (I also like making paint, it has a wonderful Zen quality to it.) So I ordered some mica and pearlescent powder that I am mixing with a polymer. I am using a polymer instead of my usual egg yolk because I plan to pour some of my paint on thick which will suspend the pearlescent powder for a fabulous effect.

September 1, 2010
Here I am just starting the painting. It is 12" x 12". If it turns out well I will do a large 30" x 30" painting of it and make a matching one too
The flower is a clematis florida alba plena which I just love for its shades of green and white. I wish I could grow it in Colorado but our winters are just a bit cold for this floral diva.

At this stage I have sketched in the flower and painted a dark green background to contrast with the pearly petals that I am planning to do. I like the way this flower unfolds and seems to offer a new beginning. Something we all need once in a while.

I am inspired by Georgia O'Keefe in this painting. I just watched the movie and love her big up close, feminine flowers

watch this page to see this how this painting turns out

Last painting completed

the idea sketch

July 14, 2010

I am getting ready to start a new painting. I also want to redecorate my living room in a more contemporary style. Currently it is a classic Italian style, which I love, but I just want it to have a more modern feel. I am going to start the decorating process with a painting and then build the rest of the room decor around its colors, shape and mood.

So my painting needs to be more contemporary as well. As always I start with an idea and a sketch. While drinking my morning coffee and sitting at my desk, I came up with an idea for a three panel piece. My original thought was to have a series of poppies in different stages of life and bloom (bud, flower and seed pod) representing the three stages of life: birth, growth and repose .( I love process)
It seems a little too literal to use actual flowers for all three stages, so I think I will just use a poppy for the center panel and use symbolic representations of birth and repose for the other two panels.

July 19, 2010
I decided to do a smaller 20" x 16" painting that encompasses all three panels together before I take on a large artwork of individual panels. I need to see where I am going.
In the picture to the left, I have sketched out the placement of the center poppy and the squares that will represent spring/fall , youth/maturity
I have laid down a wash of yellow/orange egg tempera to start. I intend for this painting to have very intense colors and lots of movement in the brush strokes

July 20, 2010
At this stage I am starting to develop the color tone and intensity of the oranges and reds. I will paint the center poppy in red and add some rich brown color to the background

Poppies are very symbolic. They are know to symbolize beauty, fertility, eternal life and rest as well as being an emblem of remembrance for those who fought and died in World War I.

I have several varieties in poppies in my garden. Some of the new ones are a very deep red, I also like the wild red Tuscany poppies and the orange California ones which reseed themselves in my flowerbed every year

July 22, 2010 I have finished the study painting and am very happy with it. It is exactly what I envisioned. The squares are pieces of beveled glass which I painted on the back with a iridescent spring green and a darker gold/green

Now I have to scale this artwork up to 3 panels that are 18" x 36" each.

These paintings are perfect for those who want to transition from classic to contemporary decor. There is still some semblance of realism in the poppy flower, but then the painting flows into a contemporary style through the colors and use of symbolism and shape.
This poppy painting is for sale here

Last painting finished

Step 1 Underpainting begins:

April 24. 2010

I have just started a new painting of Sanibel island in Florida. My husband and I visit every year and we are working on making our dreams of living there (at least part time) a reality. I figured if I created a beautiful painting of it, my dreams might come true.

My paintings are not created from photographs. Instead, I create of collage in my mind of vignettes and favorite impressions of things that I love about a place. After that I sketch it out and paint it to capture the quintessential spirit of the place.

My quintessential Sanibel Island painting has to have the beach and waves, palm trees, a beautiful sunset sky, and of course birds. One of my favorite things about the island are the birds. So there might be ospreys or herons and plovers and maybe even a cardinal in the sea grape at the front of the painting.

My paintings are created in pure egg tempera made from crushed stone and egg yolk.

In the very first stages of this painting, I have laid down an underpainting of white, yellow pale oranges and a hint of blue mixed with titanium white. Historically if I would have been creating this painting 500 years ago, I would have used lead white, but I don't use the toxic historical pigments for health reasons. I work from light to dark which is the opposite of oil painters.

Step 2 Commit to a Palette of Color

April 29. 2010
In this step, I have chosen my color for the sea based on my initial undercolors of the sky. The little bit of turquoise blue and saffron in the sky become intensified and reflected into the water.

Sky and water should never be created in isolation. For me, they are one and the same

Step 3 develop the spirit of the painting

click picture to see larger image

May 10. 2010
Here I have developed the ocean waves and water a bit more, floating it into the beach sand. Egg tempera is particularly effective for this as it can be translucent and luminous if mixed properly . To get translucent color I use only pure crushed mineral or stone with a bit of egg yolk and water.

I have added a fruiting palm tree and a sea pine with a pair of nesting ospreys.
Next I will work on the sea grape and other plants in the foreground

Step 4

click picture to see larger image

May 18. 2010
I have worked on the foreground of the painting developing the leaves of a sea grape and adding a blue heron, a red cardinal and hibiscus flowers

My plans for the next step are to add window over top of what I have painted thus far

Step 5 add the window

July 1 2010

Its been a while since I posted the progress on this painting. I have been distracted and upset by the disaster in the Gulf and was working on my abstract fleur de lis painting below. I only hope the our beautiful beaches and marshes survive.

I am now working on the window which overlooks the beach

painting is finished

July 2010

The painting is finished! it is now posted for sale here

see all original paintings by artist Linda Paul

About these original works of art
American Artist Linda Paul uses natural crushed stone & earth mixed with a bit of water and egg yolk to make her paint. Blues come from crushed lapis lazuli, greens from malachite & natural green earth found around Verona Italy. She uses fascinating colors which have been "lost" for hundreds of years and new colors which she has discovered in the Rocky Mountains. Her earth ochres come from the ancient open pit mines of Rousillon France. Her artwork is both beautiful and luminous. These Paintings will last for centuries! Read more and see pictures!

Sculpted Bas-Relief:
Works in the bas-relief series combine egg tempera painting with bas-relief sculpture. The works are incredibly textural and engage the viewer in a tactile as well as a visual experience. Her secret plaster recipe is applied to a cradled board, then each element is individually sculpted in relief of up to ½”. When the sculpting is finished, the egg tempera painting begins.

Why Buy Original art? Some people may ask, "why buy original art when you can buy a nice print". Several reasons, simply put, the original is just far more beautiful. Its also one of a kind. This beauty does not translate as well in the digital world. Another reason is that the original captures the soul of the artist, what the artist is feeling when they are creating the piece can tangibly be felt in an original artwork. Of course the original is far more valuable and usually increases in value. You should buy original art because you love it! It will enrich your life.

Artist owns the copyright of all artworks displayed in this online art gallery. Use of artwork is prohibited without written permission from the artist.