Landslide 2016

11x14

Egg Tempera on Chalk Gesso Board

The Story behind the colour

Every Christmas, my father would drag out his old box of tempera powder paints to turn our large living room windows into a Christmas wonderland. He only worked with primary Red, Yellow & Blue along with a green, white and black. Yep that’s it, only 6 colours. This tradition was originally started by my Grandfather.

We would spend an entire Saturday or Sunday listening to Christmas music while painting Reindeers, Santa’s, Christmas Trees and even Bells! Anything that resembled Christmas was created with this water soluble powder. Years later, my father handed me this old decrepit cardboard box filled with paint supplies and Christmas spirits. The time had passed to carry on his and his father’s tradition but knew one day, I would make good use of his 6 cans of tempera paints.

Fast forward over 20 years, but reverse back to the Medieval and Early Renaissance period, 1500. During the Renaissance period, powdered pigments (such as clay, parsley, herbs) were mixed with egg yolk to create egg tempera. It is noted that every surviving panel painted by Michelangelo was from egg tempera.

While mixing the egg tempera (with only 6 colour choices) will be a challenge to give effect to the art I am envisioning, greater detail was had with the sizing, ground and chalk like priming of the hardboard as noted below in step by step process.

Project Meaning:

After scrolling the captions below, I assume you now know what the "Landslide" project is all about. "If you see my reflection in the snow-covered Hills, will the Landslide bring you down?" One of my all time favourite Fleetwood Mac songs.

While most of my previous art creations have been summer sunrises, sunsets, hummingbirds, etc., thought was given to create a wintry scene of a snow covered mountain and of course, with approval of the subject photo's owner to use as a guide..

Surface Preparation - Part I, 1/9/16: Rabbit Skin Glue

Masonite hardboard preparation underway. Key was to mix the rabbit skin granules with distilled water the night before. After setting for 24 hours, application of the substance was applied to the board. In a double boiler set up with the glue reaching not more than 127° Fahrenheit, one coat was applied to the front while waiting 24 hours to brush on a layer to the underside. While this process only needs one coat on both sides of the board, it requires 24 hours to dry per side. "Patience is a virtue!"

Surface Prep - Part II, 1/11/16: Marble Gesso

Similar to Part I, Step 1, with double boiler, Marble dust, already prepared Rabbit Skin Glue along with a Titanium dry pigment were mixed together in a very old glass mason jar and warmed to 127° Fahrenheit. While 6 coats have already been applied to the underside, 3 coats in one evening were applied to the smooth finish side. After waiting 24 hours to dry, a light sand will follow with another 3 more coats. This too will dry another evening followed with another sand then adding 3 more final coats. A extra fine sand will complete the surface preparation and will need to cure for about a week before a spot of medium can be added!

Not quite sure where I inherited my patience or if it's something I've learned to grow old with. Good things come to those who wait!

Egg Medium Mix

While separating the yolk of an organic egg onto a paper towel, care was taken in piercing the membrane to only allow the yolk to fall into a mixing jar. After the success of yolk extraction, an equal part of distilled water (10 ml or 2 tsp) was gently stirred (not shaken) into the jar to create an egg medium. Ready to have at the board!

Egg Mixing Video

Part III, The Sketch:

The egg medium is blended using 2 Primary coloured temperas. Blue being the main with a few small strokes of Primary Red. The addition of Secondary green mixed with neutral black and achromatic white, created most blends of other neutral, secondary and tertiary colours. So in a nut shell and considering all temperas a "colour", blue, red, green, white and black (5 colours in total) have been the chosen hues of this creation.

While thin layers are applied at a time, the drying of the tempera is fairly quick but not too much is applied in one sitting. It is best to detail with a slightly darker shade followed with a white tempera blend then a gentle stroke of dark for fine finishing. Detailing the sketch with a "00" sable hair brush is so calming and rewarding.