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Product Description
An unabridged reprint of the 1936 work. It is the text book on all aspects of Tempura painting.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Daniel Thompson's book was written in the 1930's and was based on the earlier writings of Cenini( C16th?), and because of this, it has been held up as the definitive book on painting with egg tempera. It isn't. What it does do, however, is desribe a methodology that had it's roots in the Renaissance. Mr Thompson describes how to make the correct grounds for this type of painting and the unique properties of this paint (good and bad). There is also some useful information on gilding. Where the book is not so accurate is in the emphasis on a monochrome underpainting. Modern analysis of early renaissance paintings show that very few had such an underpainting. Mr Thompson's directions would also have you believe that the medium is inflexible and only a highly systematic and controlled approach will work. This is too dogmatic and a weakness of the book. Overall, though it is a marvelous description of how to paint with egg tempera, and considering the price, a bargain. If you are interested in egg tempera, get this book and also Robert Vickrey's "New techniques in Egg Tempera" (Watson Guptill). This book gives a good overview to a much more improvised method and has lots of colour pictures (unlike the Thompson book). It is out of print but easy to find via Abebooks. Get them both.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book takes you back to basic fundamentals, such as - which colours are best in this medium and then advances step by step to an advanced level
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
66 of 66 people found the following review helpful
Everything You Wanted to Know About Tempera...
2 Jan 2002
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
There are not many books available on tempera painting mainly because few artists these days have either the time or the patience to grind their own pigments and mix them into a binder. For anyone who does have such an interest egg tempera is a fascinating and beautiful medium to learn. Anyone who has ever tried to scrape off dried egg yolk from a plate will soon realize how incredibly durable a binder it makes for a painting medium. The Practice of Tempera Painting covers a lot of subjects in-depth. Everything from preparing the surface, pigment to egg to water ratios, discussions of various pigments to actual instructions for the traditional hatching and cross-hatching brushstroke technique is shown.
The only section readers today might want to supplement is reading up on a more up-to-date book on pigments. Many of the pigments discussed in Thompson's book, while still available, are now known to present health risks. Modern pigments that are safer and just as lightfast (in some cases even more lightfast) are now available that Thompson and painters of the 1930's didn't have. Other than that one caveat this book is a great introduction to egg tempera painting.
59 of 59 people found the following review helpful
Invaluable Book!
15 Aug 2000
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This excellent introduction to egg tempera is invaluable to oil painters as well. Thompson's writing is filled with humor and wit, making the book very readable.
I was delighted to discover that, unlike so many books about painting techniques, Thompson's is clear and thorough without being a condescending "how to" manual. It also avoids being mired in footnotes and tedious tangential detail. It is obvious that he speaks from the perspectives of both painter and scholar. The only drawback is that the reproductions are in black and white, but as this was standard when the volume was written it is forgivable.
This book will prove informative for artists, teachers, and museum professionals (I am all three) who are in search of solid information on tempera painting. Look no further and enjoy the read!
32 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Good intro to a traditional technique
14 July 2005
Format:Paperback
This is, as the title promises, a very good foundation for any artist interested doing traditional egg tempera painting, or for any art lover who wants to know more about the medium itself. It covers everything from mixing gesso accoording to traditional recipes, to framing and care of the finished work. For me, though, that's the least of it.
First, it's an incredible reference on the tools and techniques of water gilding. It limits itself to gilding as it works with tempera painting and frames, but is exhaustive within that scope. It discusses everything from the laying the bole ground to burnishing, then tinting the finish. Although this emphasizes traditional tools and materials, the author isn't afraid to use modern aids, like rubber cement masks. By the way, anyone who wants to use scrapers to smooth the gesso ground, as this author suggests, should consult a woodworker's guide for directions on sharpening the scraper. A little extra effort up front makes a world of difference in the scraper's performance.
Second, it's a fascinating historical document. Although the book was written in the early 20th century, most of its recipes go back to medieval times, maybe earlier. Therein lies a potential problem, though. Back then people were a bit less careful about pigments like lead white and mercury-based vermilion. Since egg tempera doesn't keep well in wet form, the artist must use many pigments in their hazardous dry form. The practitioner should review the safety of pigments and techniques very carefully before trying the directions in this book.
Still, it's interesting to read about the daily practice of art, including the artist's relationship to a pigment supplier, from a time so different from our own. The recipes, too, have an antiquated sound. I'm not sure I've ever seen sandarac, for example, let alone the range of colors all identified as "vermilion."
This isn't just history, though. It needs some adjustment for modern safety and materials, but it's a very practical guide to everything there is to know about the many techniques in tempera painting.
//wiredweird
First, it's an incredible reference on the tools and techniques of water gilding. It limits itself to gilding as it works with tempera painting and frames, but is exhaustive within that scope. It discusses everything from the laying the bole ground to burnishing, then tinting the finish. Although this emphasizes traditional tools and materials, the author isn't afraid to use modern aids, like rubber cement masks. By the way, anyone who wants to use scrapers to smooth the gesso ground, as this author suggests, should consult a woodworker's guide for directions on sharpening the scraper. A little extra effort up front makes a world of difference in the scraper's performance.
Second, it's a fascinating historical document. Although the book was written in the early 20th century, most of its recipes go back to medieval times, maybe earlier. Therein lies a potential problem, though. Back then people were a bit less careful about pigments like lead white and mercury-based vermilion. Since egg tempera doesn't keep well in wet form, the artist must use many pigments in their hazardous dry form. The practitioner should review the safety of pigments and techniques very carefully before trying the directions in this book.
Still, it's interesting to read about the daily practice of art, including the artist's relationship to a pigment supplier, from a time so different from our own. The recipes, too, have an antiquated sound. I'm not sure I've ever seen sandarac, for example, let alone the range of colors all identified as "vermilion."
This isn't just history, though. It needs some adjustment for modern safety and materials, but it's a very practical guide to everything there is to know about the many techniques in tempera painting.
//wiredweird
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