"Painting as an art medium has a tradition that extends far back into prehistory. It was employed to depict images and symbols, usually of a religious nature, and to record events pertaining to daily life." (The History of Tempera, Pauline Albenda, 1970). The word "tempera" is taken from the Latin word "temperare" and is made by mixing ground pigments with whole eggs or egg yolks thinned with water. The effect created by this medium is the ability to create a clear, almost opaque painting, which we will see in Andrew Wyeth's "Scuba."

Findings

There are many advantages to using Egg Tempera. Not only is it non-toxic, since the paint is a mixture of ground pigments and egg wash, it won't change color or become opaque over the years. Its biggest advantage is the colors are absolute. They are clear, bright, and pure. This enables the artist to paint in...