WAX TEMPERA

Traditional wax tempera for iconography is ideal for working on glue and chalk levkas. The tradition of using this binder dates back to antiquity and was later used in Byzantium and Italy. In ancient treatises on painting it was called “Ceracolla”.

Tempera is easily diluted with water.

No special skills or tools are required for the work.

The advantages of wax tempera compared to egg tempera :

– An icon painted in wax tempera can be coated with any solvent-based varnish without fear of discoloration. The icon does not need to be coated with olive oil, like egg tempera, which allows you to complete the process of creating an icon very quickly and with high quality, without fear of further yellowing of the coating layer.

– Wax tempera paints have excellent glaze properties that exceed those of egg tempera.

– When applied, the paints give a structured brushstroke, which has a slight relief.

– Paints dry quickly, the hardness of the paint layer is far superior to any other paint, which is very important for the preservation of the icon in the future.

– The wax emulsion is completely transparent and does not distort the color of blue and white pigments like egg tempera.

– It has excellent adhesion to all materials, the paint can be applied freely and easily to gilded surfaces without special preparation. This is very handy for writing, ornaments, inscriptions, halos and opushi. The paints are very durable and do not rub off, which is especially important for the preservation of easily traumatized downs, naibs and inscriptions. Before coating an icon, the paints placed on the gilding do not need to be fixed with silk, as they do not rub off.

– The color layer of the wax tempera is perfectly polishable, which is very convenient for polishing the created gold, and the created gold on the wax tempera gives a bright luster.

– The wax tempera binder is stored for a very long time (more than one year in the refrigerator at + 5 C).

Preparation of paints:

Dry pigments are grinded with the wax emulsion on the chimney stove. Add as much emulsion to the pigment as needed. You can add as much water as you think is necessary while you are working, but if too much water is added, also add binder.

Since wax paints are thicker, we recommend the use of a columnar brush or a soft synthetic brush.

It is also recommended to dry each layer well.

It is not recommended to additionally cover the painting layer with a clear binder, the depth of the colors is revealed after covering them with Varnish (You can see and buy such Varnish here).

You can also read more about this technique here http://zharovstudio.com/ru/statyi/tehnika-enkaustiki-v-sovremennoj-praktike-ikonopisaniya