What Is the Difference Between Oil Paint and Tempera?

Oil painting has been in use for many years, but it was until the 15 century when it was introduced in Europe by Jan van Eyck. Before traditional oil paint became famous, artists used egg tempera paint, a mixture of pigments and egg yolk. So, what is the difference between oil paint and tempera?

The main difference between oil paint and tempera is that tempera dries much faster than oil paint. Oil paint is made by mixing oil and pigments, whereas tempera is made by mixing pigments with egg yolk. Just like oil paint, tempera paints can also create beautiful rich colors.

About Artists and Tempera

Artists who use tempera paints usually find it difficult to get fine details because it dries quickly, leaving you with dull and faded images. That is when oil paint was introduced, and it changed all that. Oil paint is made by mixing linseed oil with pigments which provides consistency.

Artists can easily paint small details and even fix their paintings when using oil paint because oil paint dries slowly. After introducing oil paint, many artists stopped using tempera paints and started mixing their own oil paint. The only problem with oil paint is that it’s time-consuming.

Oil paint was difficult to store after it was mixed, making it difficult for artists to travel with their paint. That led to the introduction of paint tubes in 1841. An American artist by the name of John G. Rand was the brain behind the idea. The tubes were tight and could hold for long.

Today, oil paint is the most popular medium used by many artists because of its wide colors. Tempera was good initially, but oil paint is much better. With tempera, you could not place layers of color, and it was not easy to use. This means oil paints are here to stay. So, What Is the Difference Between Oil Paint and Tempera? Let’s dive further into these materials.

Can You Mix Tempera with Oil Paint?

Yes, oil paint can be mixed with tempera paint, and the old masters employed this. The advantage of mixing the two is that it dries quickly, and you can make sharp strokes. The only problem is that your piece will remain dull and unattractive.

Tempera should only be used for underpainting, followed by oil paint. Oil paint will provide you with a bright shine because of the smooth transition of colors. Egg tempera can be mixed with water, followed by wet oil paint. The Van Eyck brothers introduced this technique.

Unfortunately, the mixing of tempera and oil paint was only used in the 15th century. The method required a profound knowledge of paints and their properties combined with the artist’s patience. This method has fallen into oblivion since then.

What Binders Are Used with Tempera and Oil Paint?

Binders are very vital when it comes to paints. The type of paint will determine which binder you will use. Oil paint, for example, uses linseed oil as its binder, while tempera uses egg yolk. Watercolors, on the other hand, use water as their main binder.

Are There Allergens in Tempera Paints?

Tempera paints do not contain gluten, latex, peanuts, eggs, soy, tee nuts, and dairy. Most tempera paint brands will list all the allergens that the paint contains. Always ensure that you check the label because some manufacturers do not disclose all ingredients.

Is Tempera Paint Toxic?

Compared to any other professional artist paint, tempera paints are the safest. Many tempera paints have a nontoxic certification which means they are free from allergens. To be on the safe side, always ensure that you read the guidelines provided by the manufacturer.

Can Oil Paint Withstand Sunlight?

Most oil paints will do well just well under the sun with no traces of fading. When using oil paint on canvas, you need to be cautious because sunlight damages canvas but not through oil paint. Many oil paintings will fade over time when exposed to direct sunlight.

Does Oil Paint Fade?

The same way UV rays are dangerous to human skin, they can also cause serious damage to oil paintings, resulting in fading. You should never leave your oil painting outdoors where there is unfiltered sunlight. Direct sunlight will dampen all the intricate details of your oil paint.

How Can I Protect My Oil Paint from Fading?

Place It in Open Space

If you want to keep your painting safe and prevent it from fading, you need to keep it in an open space. Make sure that there is enough airflow that allows your artwork to breathe. Closed surroundings will provide poor airflow, which will result in moisture developing.

Avoid Extreme Heat

Always make sure that your oil paint is never left exposed to direct heat and sunlight. Humidity, extreme heat, and dryness will cause your piece to fade. Never leave your painting next to fireplaces, heating vents, air conditioners, and over radiators.

Clean Your Artwork

Cleaning your artwork periodically will prevent it from fading. Dusting and cleaning using a soft feather duster will give your art a prolonged life. If left for so long, Dust will eventually stick to the oil paint, making it look faded and clouded.

Apply Varnish

Dirt, soot, and dust can damage your oil painting, and that is why you need to put a final varnish on it. A well-varnished painting will ensure that you have a uniform texture and a neutral transition. It is always recommended to look for a professional artist to help you out.

What Is Tempera Used For?

Tempera paints can be used for creating craft projects, painting windows, classroom projects, posters, theatre props, and color mixing exercises. In schools, children can use tempera paint to draw on construction paper and poster boards. Any absorbent surface can work well with tempera paint.

Tempera painting has for many years been a medium with desirable qualities. It is non-toxic, inexpensive, and has bright, pure colors making it the best for children to use during art projects. Skilled artists always prefer using egg tempera because it resembles Renaissance frescoes.

Can Tempera Paint Be Used on Canvas?

While it is possible to use tempera paint on canvas, the paint will eventually crack or fade. Tempera paint will remain water-soluble even when it dries, which means water can damage the surface of the painting. The best paints to use on canvas are oil paints and acrylics.

After using tempera paints, it is always advisable to clean your brushes immediately with soap and water. Tempera paint dries quickly, so you should close the container cap tightly when you are done using it. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly after using tempera paint.

How Long Does Tempera Paint Take to Dry?

Tempera paints take between 5 to 10 minutes to dry up completely, but it depends on the weather condition and how thick the paint is. The absorption rate of the painting surface will also speed up the process. Air circulation, humidity, and temperature levels will also determine the drying time.

What is Egg Tempera?

Egg tempera is a combination of eggs and pigments. The yolk of the egg is the one used as a binder to hold the paint together. Professional artists are the ones who use egg tempera, and they usually make it themselves. It is very rare to find egg tempera in your regular art supply store.

Egg tempera is a traditional painting medium, and some of the paintings can be found in museums dating back to the 1600s. Tempera can still be found today, but many artists prefer using other painting mediums such as acrylics, oils, and watercolor.

What Is Tempera Paint Made From?

Tempera paint ingredients vary depending on the brand. It is a combination of calcium carbonate, water, preservatives, and non-toxic pigments. The binder used in tempera paint can either be cellulose or starch. Any paint is a combination of pigments and a binder.

Binders usually come in powder form, and they act like glue to hold pigments together. The binder is what makes pigments stick on either paper or canvas. Gum Arabic is the binder used in Watercolor and gouache, but many people prefer using starch and cellulose because they are affordable.

How Can You Thicken Tempera Paint?

Tempera painting has been used in art classes and schools for many years because it is easy to work with and non-toxic. Because it is water-based, cleaning up is very quick, and you can use soap and water. Initially, tempera was mixed with egg yolks forming egg tempera.

Today, tempera paint can be made by mixing it with water. Tempera can be used either in powder, liquid, or cake form. Always be careful when mixing powdered tempera because if it is too thin, it will damage the paper. There are several ways of thickening tempera, and they include,

Use Cornstarch

Tempera paint can be thickened using cornstarch, and you will need the following things. Half cup of cold water, saucepan, wooden spoon, four cups of boiled water, half cup of cornstarch, and powdered or liquid tempera paint.

Start by stirring together half a cup of cold water and a half cup of cornstarch. Add the four cups of boiling water to the mixture and boil it for one minute on medium heat. Add one teaspoon of tempera powder to each half cup of cornstarch mixture per color.

Use Flour and Salt

Flour and salt can also be used to thicken tempera, and you will need to have a pinch of salt, tempera powder, saucepan, one cup flour, and two cups of water. Make sure that flour is thoroughly mixed with water before you start.

Heat the water and flour mixture for 5 minutes and stop every 30 seconds until the consistency thickens. Add enough powdered tempera and a pinch of salt until the color density is achieved. Store the mixture in the fridge in a covered container.

Add Sand

Sand can be added to liquid tempera to make it thick and textured. You will need a mixing bowl, liquid tempera, and sand. Start by pouring liquid tempera in a bowl, then add sand while stirring until you get a thick creamy mixture. Always store the mixture while painting. 

Use Wallpaper and Starch Paste

Mixing wallpaper paste and starch will ensure that your tempera paint is well thickened. You will need to have liquid starch, a wooden spoon, a mixing bowl, one teaspoon of wallpaper paste, and a quarter cup of tempera paint.

Start by mixing the powdered tempera with one cup of wallpaper paste in a mixing bowl. Add liquid starch in small amounts until the paint becomes creamy and consistent. Storing the paint in a covered container will keep it fresh for a few days.

Oil Paint Solvents

An artist needs to be very patient when dealing with oil paint because it takes forever to dry. There are many solvents that you can use to thin oil paint, and they include turpentine, linseed, odorless mineral spirits, essential oils such as safflower oil. Mineral spirits are petroleum-based solvents.

It is always recommended that when you are thinning oil paint, you should use natural oils because they are less toxic and natural compared with industrial ones. If you plan to use oil paint, always ensure that you are working in a well-ventilated room.

Natural Oil Paint Thinners

Natural oils are categorized into three different oils: drying oils, essential oils, and non-drying oils. When using oil paints, you should not use non-drying oils such as vegetable and olive oils. If you use them, your painting will never dry.

The best oils to use are drying oils, including linseed, safflower, and walnut oils. Most oil paints are made from combining pigment particles and linseed oil. The rule of thumb for oil painting is that you should start with thin or lean colors.

Sources

• Never Underestimate the Power of a Paint Tube