Come and learn the ancient techniques of egg tempera and gilding to create your own painting on a small gesso panel. The image can be like a traditional icon or something more free and contemporary.
The introductory course comprises of a series of 6 one day workshops - each day comprising of two sessions 10.00 am until 12- 30pm and 1.30pm until 4.00 pm, (with an hour for lunch in between). Please note that 6 sessions will only give a very basic understanding ot the techniques involved, you will then be in a position to decide whether you wish to continue. Should you wish to continue learning more and developing your style and technique, you can continue to attend classes which tend to run on Sunday every two or three weeks.
Venue:
Commercial Square Studios,
2nd Floor Block C,
Leigh Street,
High Wycombe, HP11 2RH.
Date : Next class
September 2008 - dates to be confirmed
Costs:
I will provide a small gessoed panel for you to work on at a cost of between £12 and £16 depending on size.
The fee for the day will be £30.00 for tuition and £6.00 for materials including the use of egg medium/pure pigments, gilding materials (gold leaf and bole), drawing paper, tracing paper and sand paper.
What you should bring along with you:
An apron
Sketchbook/postcards/pictures containing ideas of images you would like to use
Any fine watercolour brushes you may have
A small notebook to take notes on techniques and keeping a log of colour mixing etc – this is very important!
A packed lunch (tea/coffee and biscuits will be provided)
Course Outline
Outline of the first 4 weeks of the course : (this is just a rough idea of what I hope we will cover but it will very much depend on building on previous skills and ability and the pace at which students work). It is important to realise that these techniques are NOT quick fix, the introductory course just stratches the surface of these ancient techniques and the work requires patience and attention. It is possible to continue on from the 6 week course to complete your piece of work, if you have not managed to finish within the 6 workshops which constitute the introductory course.
Week one: Each person will work on the gesso panel provided – first of all we will create the surface on which we will paint and gild by carefully sanding the panel down and burnishing it. I will explain about making gesso panels. We will then prepare the image we wish to transfer onto the panel. Once this is done we will look at some examples of egg tempera painting to determine the approach which best suits your individual style and the image you have chosen.
Week two: Gilding Demonstration using both transfer gold and loose leaf gold, if you are incorporating gilding into your image – the gilding will have to be done first. before painting (this is because the gold leave sticks to the painted tempera surface). Application of Armenian bole in layers and sanding in readiness for the application of gold leaf. Tooling into the bole surface before gilding. Discussion and demonstration of painting techniques.
Week three: Developing painting techniques, with demonstrations of ‘glazing’ and ‘pooling’, together with scratching into the gesso surface to make other marks. Students to progress their images further.
Week Four: Working on producing the finished images - if for any reason you are are a very quick worker – I do have more panels which can be purchased to start another piece.
For students who would like to know how to make gesso panels we could arrange a gesso day – this is a time consuming but highly rewarding task making your own panels. Please note there will be extra costs involved for the materials involved in doing this ( MDF panels if supplied by me, gilder's whiting, muslin and rabbit skin glue) and the extra time involved. It is best if you bring along MDF panels cut to the dimensions you require. You can buy MDF from DIY Stores such as Homebase, they will also cut pieces to size for you. We may also need to work a longer day as panels need to be completed in one day.