| This activity was developed for National Chemistry Week, 2001 with the theme "Celebrating Chemistry and Art". In the activity students make egg tempera paint using household materials, much as artists have done for centuries. The technique is demonstrated in this QuickTime movie. Parts of 2-3 class periods are required to complete the activity. The online supplement can be used to extend the activity for several additional periods.
Pigment, in this case a charcoal briquette that has previously been broken up with a hammer and ground into powder, is added to a mortar. Some water is added and the powder and water are ground into a thick, smooth paste.
An egg is broken. The yolk is separated from the white by pouring the yolk back and forth between the two egg shell halves. The egg white is allowed to drain into a waste container.
The egg yolk is rolled on a paper towel to remove any remaining egg white or other solid clinging to its surface. The yolk sac is then punctured with a toothpick and the yolk is allowed to drain onto a watch glass.
Some of the pigment paste is scraped onto a pallet using a rubber scraper. Using a clean paint brush an amount of egg yolk approximately equal to the amount of pigment paste is transferred to the pallet. The egg yolk and pigment paste are mixed thoroughly to make black egg tempera paint.
A piece of plywood was previously painted with white acrylic gesso. The artist begins to apply the black egg tempera paint in an abstract design, using water to thin the paint as needed. A close-up of the painted surface is shown.
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