[MR] Period Paint with Eggs?

[nodecaf at nodecaf.com]

Greetings - 

Using egg tempera with children may prove a bit on the frustrating side, both because of the skill needed in media preparation and the speed of the medium drying. Daniel Smith Artist Supply Co has very decent online instructions for making & using egg tempera. http://www.danielsmith.com/content--id-105

A period alternative (with less chance of salmonella contamination) would be milk based paints. Although typically used for painting of interior spaces (wall washes, etc), it would still give you the pigment mixing lesson and hands on experience you seek. Milk paints can also be sloshed around by little hands with big brushes (unlike the tiny brushes needed for egg tempera) and has longer open period before drying. An easy online recipe for milk paints may be found here: http://www.grouprecipes.com/66121/milk-paint-master-formula.html

If I may recommend, for anyone interested in traditional paint / artist formals, pick up a copy of The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques by Ralph Mayer. It will give you more information that you can ever use. 

LA / Tsura 
Bright Hills 





Greetings!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  I am looking for a simple and easy
recipe for the base of period paint using eggs and water.  I am in need of
this for Children's Activities at the Tournament of Friends this weekend.
(Our pigment will be kool-aid mix... I promise no red kool-aid.)

If you have a simple recipe you would like to share with me please contact
me offline at:  elisabeth.hansler at gmail.com

Thank you in advance for your help and assistance with this!

-- Eme