Second version of "Green Jar & Lemons

This is the midway version of this painting. Some of the darks have dropped out and will need to be reinforced. After careful thought, I wiped out the day's work on the silver creamer. The highlights were too high and the modeling looked too grayed -out to my eye. Sometimes the best thing is to wait a few days and come back with a fresh eye. 

"Green Jar & Lemons"

egg tempera under painting on linen, 16 x 20 inches.

This is a preparatory underpainting. It has been painted entirely with egg tempera on a prepared tempera ground. Egg tempera thins with water and will not adhere to acrylic  or oil gesso priming.  The ground used for this painting is a traditional tempera sizing, consisting of rabbit skin glue, whiting, and titanium white pigment. Tempera requires a firm surface, such as wood or masonite. While working in this medium, you can change the composition as much as is required. When the final version is satisfactory, brush with a thin  coat of shellac to isolate the underpainting and finish with oils. 

Future updates to follow.....