If the exhibit room at Guild School was anything to go by, some of the class projects that were on offer would throw new exiting challenges at the students. Although some are more experienced then others, it would mean we would be pushed and guided to go beyond our boundaries. And some classes did, but not all were that intense. Because if it wasn't on the subject of techniques or skills, it was also about having fun and just enjoying the creation of something new.
One of the classes i took was an introduction to painting miniatures in egg tempera. In my teens I've drawn a lot, and some of it was quite detailed but I'd never painted in miniature. So i was very excited to take on this class. The first day was mostly spend with tackling the recipe for making egg-tempera paints and getting to know the properties of this medium. We also started the first of 5 still live paintings. The rest of the week we tried to finish one each day and, under the wonderful guidance of our teacher Brooke Rothshank, every one succeeded.
I've come to really enjoy this technique and the possibilities it has. Making the paint is "as easy as breaking an egg", and once you get the hang of it you can play with varying translucent and opaque layers. On top of that I'm also fortunate to live next to the only working windmill in the world that still produces pigments for artists and painters; verfmolen De Kat (paintmill The Cat). Beside pigments they sell loads of other accessories needed and associated with decorative arts. So no excuse for me on the front of supplies :)
Brooke also offered blank frames to go with our paintings and i gladly made use of it. Once I got home I've painted them black with a golden rim and it really sets them off. Now they looked like real paintings! I'm very proud of my first attempt at miniature painting, but also see loads of room for improvement. So when other projects are finished I'll definitely spend more time on it and practice some more.
Hope you all have a good start of the week,
Oh, I love your paintings, how exciting to learn something new! Practice makes perfect of course, so I look forward to see some new paintings from you in the future.
ReplyDeleteLeaving comments with word verification is really getting more difficult by the day, I couldn't figure the first one out at all :(
Thank you Elga, it sure is fun to learn new things. But i really need to practice on this! You already have had you fair share of practice on your new lathe-skills. I remember you even had a blister here and there? Hope your hands are much better now!
DeleteAs for the word verification... Oeps! Thought it was turned off? It's such a nuisance, i'll have a look right away
Oh you did a great job! How fun, they're beautiful---
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda, i've found it wonderful to see 'm evolve under my hands. Painting is so different to carving and your work has crossed my mind while i was at it. Cos I really admire how you combine the two together. Amazing what paint (ie you) can do
DeleteYou certianly have a talent for this as well. The paintings are wonderful! What an interesting class!!!
ReplyDeleteIt is a really old technique, even as far back as the Roman time. It was the invention of oil paints that sort of made it go to the background. I never had heard from it before, but very interesting indeed. And fun too. Cos Brooke suggested that if one wanted to speed up drying time of the paint one could use a blow drier. When she demonstrated it, the class room got filled with the smell of breakfast (scrambled eggs:))
DeleteHi Debora!
ReplyDeleteYour paintings are lovely!
A great addition to your collection, and evidence of the range of skills you master. Very well done!
Hope the eggs were salmonella free though ;)
Groetjes,
Gee
Tus pinturas son grandiosas.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo
GRACIAS por no tener palabra de verificación
WOW, Debora! I am Very impressed! Your paintings are so detailed and Beautifully precise!!! I need to learn this technique..... I have been hearing about it for years and never tried it! Lucky you to take that class!
ReplyDeleteJe mag inderdaad trots zijn op je prachtige miniatuur schilderijtjes.
ReplyDeleteGroetjes Xandra
It is my dream too to attend a school like IGMA in an idyllic location like Maine...what bliss, what happiness...but the standards are intimidating! All of your work is incredible!
ReplyDeleteI am so curious about this egg tempera paints..my 1st question is why? Translucency? Love your paintings, Debora.
I guess the first and best property of this type of paint is it is totally organic. If the pigments you choose to use are organic as well of course. But there is loads of choice in that sector. Secondly you can choose yourself whether you want to paint with a translucent or an opaque pigment/color. Using translucent you can build up layers and layers, to create depth, or use opaque to suggest body, any effect you are after. I guess that that variety in the paint also makes is fun to play with.
DeleteBut actually i don't really know as I'm a complete novice on the field of painting so i can't compare it to the properties of -let's say- oil paints, gouache or water colors. The standard acrylic paints that we all use so often in our craft is just no comparison. That is opaque and synthetic and has a real flat appearance. I've found these egg tempera paints to be very vibrant and crisp, and you can spend as much time on a painting as you like. Building up layers and adding detail if you dilute your paint with water so you can make the tiniest of paint strokes.
Final thing i'd like to say is; don't feel intimidated by all you've seen of Guild School, feel inspired by it, i say! I do hope you will one day be able to go there Sans, if you have the chance do try to make it cos it is such a boost.
Your paintings are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I love all of them and I dream about Castine
ReplyDeleteHi Debora, I allready told you at Castine that your paintings looked great!
ReplyDeleteYour pictures of them with the fullsized models are very nice as well.
So will we soon see more paintings on your blog?
Ooh and ofcourse I enjoyed sharing the same class with you, it was a lot of fun!
Jeffry
Your still life work is wonderful. I think the apple is my favourite...it looks like you could just pluck it from the table and bite into it =0)
ReplyDeleteWonderful!! I love the painting with a Candle. You have made an excellent work!
ReplyDeleteYour paintings are wonderful! Great work, you're a real talent at this! Hannah
ReplyDelete