The unworldly12th
century monk, Theophilus, was the first to document the wonders of
casein. He is shown here both in his meditative state and at the exact
moment of revelation (artist conception by Paul Damon)
Where has the time gone? It’s already been
two years since our last promotion of “professional paints
from antiquity”! (See Got Casein?) Step back through time with us as
we revisit this popular sale.
The use of casein paint can be
traced back as far as the 12th century, when the monk, Theophilus,
first documented it. Casein is made from soured skim
milk. The curd is separated from the whey, then it
is dried and cleaned. The powdered curd is mixed with an ammonium
compound and water to create a binder for artists’ pigment.
The resulting paint is water soluble, but dries quickly and
permanently to a hard, matte finish. Casein can be applied wash-thin
or impasto-thick.
Shiva Casein Color Chart
Whereas casein uses the curd of soured milk, egg
tempera uses egg yolk as its binder.
Its properties are similar to casein, though it does not lend
itself to impasto techniques, and its dried film is not waterproof.
Egg tempera is used most successfully on a small-scale rigid
surface, and in thin, layered applications as in many religious
panel paintings of the Gothic ages or the modern-era tempera
paintings of Ben Shahn or Andrew Wyeth.
Sennelier Egg Tempera Color Chart
Gouache, as the word is used
today, refers to opaque watercolor. Its opacity
can be achieved through the addition of chalk to an otherwise transparent color by increasing the ratio of
pigment to vehicle in a color formula. Although gouache usage
does not date as far back as casein or egg tempera, it does
share certain properties with them, including water solubility
and a matte finish. Unlike casein or egg tempera, gouache remains water soluble when dry and can be applied to
a flexible surface like paper without danger of cracking.
Wet Paint carries five lines of gouache. Schmincke and M. Graham gouache both produce a fine artists’
grade paint made without whiting. Schmincke also offers a calligrapher’s
gouache with pigmentation ground finely enough for
use with a pen. Winsor & Newton makes a
classic designer color. Holbein Acryla is a
gouache with an acrylic polymer added to produce a waterproof
paint film.
M. Graham Gouache Color Chart
You can purchase many of these products right here by clicking on the above links.
Unless
otherwise noted, all sale prices on this page
valid June 1st thru July 31st, 2003
