Introduction to Silverpoint and Egg Tempera

Renaissance artists used silver wire to create delicate underdrawings in panel paintings as well as fine, finished drawings. Join artist E E Kono in this 3 day workshop to explore the materials and techniques she uses to create egg tempera paintings. Artists have historically learned through copying master paintings. It is the simplest way to learn how to translate the visual world into a compelling image. Each student will work from a high-resolution print of old master painting/drawings to create silverpoint renderings on specially prepared papers. We will then transfer and render a specifically chosen image onto a 5”x7” tempura primed panel and begin the process of building an underpainting in egg tempera. The class covers the essentials of developing silverpoint rendering, image transfer, pigments, making paint, a variety of brushwork as well as historical context. This workshop is partially supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.