PAINTING

Painting is the art of creating meaningful

effects on a flat surface by the use of
pigments.
Different mediums are used in painting.
These mediums are applied to wet plaster,
canvas, wood, or paper.
Techniques Related to Painting
1. Encaustic
Encaustic is one of the early mediums used
by Egyptians for painting portraits on
mummy cases. This is done by applying wax
colors fixed wit heat. Painting with wax
produces lustre and radiance, making subjects
appear at their best in portraits.
2. Fresco
Fresco is a painting method done on a moist plaster
surface with colors ground in water or a limewater
mixture. Fresco must be done quickly because it is an
exacting medium- the moment the paint is applied to the
surface, the color dry into the plaster and the painting
becomes an integral part of the wall. Example of a
fresco painting is Michelangelo's The creation of Adam
in the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
3.Tempera
Tempera paints are mineral pigments mixed
with egg yolk or egg white and ore. This egg-
based emulsion binds the pigments to the
surface. Tempera is characterized by its film-
forming properties and rapid drying rate. It
requires a more deliberate technique because it
does not possess the flexibility of oil.
Tempera was one of the favorite mediums of
many painters before oil was adopted
throughout the Middle Ages and early
Renaissance. It was usually done on wooden
panel made very smooth with plaster called
“gesso” (chalk and gum) this medium dry
quickly and corrections are difficult to make.
Thus, the artist must be precise and exact in
his work.
Birth of Venus
Author
Sandro Botticelli (Firenze 1445 - 1510)
Date
1485 ca.
Museum
The Uffizi
Collection
Painting
Location
Room 10-14
Technique
Tempera on canvas
Size
172.5 x 278.5 cm
Inventory
Inv. 1890 no. 878
Known as the “Birth of Venus”, the
composition actually shows the goddess
of love and beauty arriving on land, on
the island of Cyprus, born of the sea spray
and blown there by the winds, Zephyr
and, perhaps, Aura. The goddess is
standing on a giant scallop shell, as pure
and as perfect as a pearl.
4. Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of putting together small
pieces of colored stones or glass called
“Tesserae” to create an image. The tesserae are
most often cut into squares and glued on a
surface with plaster or cement. Mosaic is
usually classified as painting, although, the
medium used is not strictly pigment
5. Oil Painting
Oil painting is one of the most expensive art
activities today because of the prohibitive cost of
materials. It is the heaviest of painting mediums. In
oil painting, pigments are mixed with linseed oil
and applied to canvass. One good quality of oil
paint as a medium is its flexibility. Painting done in
oil appears glossy and lasts long.
6. Water Color
Water color is difficult to handle
because producing warm and rich tones
using this medium proves to be a
challenge. Water color pigments invite
brilliance and a variety of hues. Simple
and clear spontaneity is its principal
essence.
An example of a technique used by artist to
make the color less luminous is the method
of gouache. The gouache is done by
mixing zinc white with the regular
watercolor paints to tone them down,
giving the appearance of sobriety suitable
for dramatic purposes.