Pulverizing chalk into powder and pouring in egg yolk is not something I generally condone especially when it requires rocks in the house. But today we were trying our hand at making our own egg tempra paints like Giotto di Bondone. Learn more about this 13th/14th century painter and enjoy a slideshow of his extensive works at: giottodibondone.org
We used:
plastic bowls (disposable)
paintbrushes
1 egg yolk only
2 teaspoons of water
rocks we found outside (round are best)
pastel chalks/berries
Each child picked a color and ground a small bit of pastel chalk into their respective bowls. I mixed the egg yolk with 2 teaspoons of water (until frothy). This liquid mixture was spooned into each child's bowl. They each mixed with a paintbrush until the consistency was thin and smooth. We painted.
What I learned:
"Smooth" here is actually a euphemism for lumpy. ;) Also, our rocks were a bit dirty and some of them had an element of sparkle that mixed with the paint and gave those colors a glittery quality. The dried paint was shiny and very sturdy. I did try mixing blackberries into paint. I did not grind them well and the color came out a sort of swamp-water-latte with clumps. Giotto's paintings are full of vibrant color and smooth consistency. He must've had a pestle and an assistant!
Thanks to "Discovering Great Artists" by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga for the great idea.
