Mussel Shells to Hold Tempera

[scottawms]

I was watching Hilton Brown's DVD "Breaking Eggs Making Paint". I really like the narrow blue and white mussel shells he uses to hold pigment. Not because he uses them, but because one would tuck nicely into my left palm to hold pigment as I paint. The small palettes I have feel too large and clumsy to hold so I leave them laying on a table. Where can I buy these shells on the internet? I found several companies that sell sea shells (say that three times fast) but they either don't stock them at all or are out of the blue and white variety. Any suggestions on a company or art supplier that actually stocks them? Thanks.

BTW, these companies carry other mussel shells but they are larger and wider. I want something an inch or two long and narrow in width.

Scott

[eggart]

I've often cooked muscles just like that for dinner. You can usually pick up a bag of them in a good seafood dept. of a upper-end grocery store. If you don't want to eat them you'll still have to steam them to clean them I think, but they shouldn't be hard to get. Btw, what did you think of the video? Is it very informative?

[artsyiconophile]

The video is definitely most useful. The directions are very clear and it really helps to be able watch the process.

[scottawms]

I've often cooked muscles just like that for dinner. You can usually pick up a bag of them in a good seafood dept. of a upper-end grocery store. If you don't want to eat them you'll still have to steam them to clean them I think, but they shouldn't be hard to get. Btw, what did you think of the video? Is it very informative?

Thanks for the suggestion of buying mussels at a seafood store. Had not thought of that.

I think the DVD is worth the $24.95. It's a good beginner introduction to panel/canvas preparation, proper creation of gesso, gilding plus most of the other aspects of painting in tempera. Hilton Brown's presentation is dry and his approach is that of a historian who is recreating, with modern materials, the approaches outlined by Cennini in "The Craftsman's Handbook". Most of the lectures take place in what appears to be a lab setting, not a studio. You do get to see the materials and techniques of tempera presented accurately. This DVD was made in conjunction with the "Milk and Eggs" exhibit at the Brandywine Museum several years ago. The excellent catalog from that show also details tempera/casein technique and material preparations. But nothing beats seeing someone prepare a panel, gesso and bole etc. in real time. I'm glad I ordered it. BTW, his interview with Andrew Wyeth was short and not terribly informative but you do get to hear Wyeth talk a little about his approach to tempera.

Scott

[raphaelarts]

Thanks for the insight on the DVD. I was thinking of getting my wife to buy the DVD for me as a Christmas present ;-)

I wanted to know a bit more about it. I have been reading the book from Daniel Thompson and have done some work on my own and it would be great if I could "visually" compare what I have done with someone elses, without having to attend a workshop (for now at least)

Does the DVD show the progress of building a painting from beginning to end. You have already mentioned the preparation of the support with the gesso. Also the application of the bole for gold leafing. Is guilding shown with directions and instructions? Also what about the preparation of the colors, tempering and application of the hues?

What is the work completed in the DVD. Is it a copy from a tempera master or is it a modern original piece?

[scottawms]

Does the DVD show the progress of building a painting from beginning to end. You have already mentioned the preparation of the support with the gesso. Also the application of the bole for gold leafing. Is guilding shown with directions and instructions? Also what about the preparation of the colors, tempering and application of the hues?

What is the work completed in the DVD. Is it a copy from a tempera master or is it a modern original piece?

Hilton Brown recreates a portion of a 14th century portrait by Simone Martini. He pretty much shows the process from start to finish although a couple of steps are skipped for time's sake (eg. the actual creation of the black ink underpainting).

Brown shows the application of bole, burnishing the bole, and application of gold leaf using a water process (basically rewetting the bole, section by section, with water and ethyl alcohol). Since the bole uses rabbit skin glue, it becomes sticky when rewet. You see the tools of the gilder, the pad, knife, brush and packets of gold foil. He uses his breath to flatten the gold leaf on the pad, slices it, picks it up with the gilder's brush and applies it to the moistened bole. He then burnishes the gold leaf with an agate burnisher. You get to see the tools and the actual application of the gold. Then he shows how to stamp simple designs into the gold.

Brown demonstrates how to mull pigments and water to form a paste. He shows how to separate, dry and puncture egg yolks. He mixes up several pigments with egg and transfers the paint to mussel shells for painting. He talks about brushes suitable for egg tempera. For his portrait recreation, there is an ink underpainting already completed over which he applies opaque tempera and glazes. To my eye, his painting style is heavy-handed but he is a historian so he's attempting to demonstrate a process. You do get to see the pigment application sequence he goes through to recreate the portrait

His DVD is pretty much a how to. At several points he gives you actual measurements to use for different things (creating gesso etc.). Just bear in mind he is showing the viewer how one might re-create the processes of Cennini using modern materials. He uses poplar panels because that was the recommendation of Cennini. He uses gypsum in his gesso, rather than marble dust or other materials again because of Cennini. He doesn't touch on alternate ways to do things (eg. using MDF or masonite panels).

Scott

[jpohl]

every time I visit this forum I learn something new. Thanks everyone.. i'm adding this to my wish list... it's amazing to see how many artists have dvds these days. I guess it's so easy to do. If any of the senior members are not camera shy, perhaps they should also make one. hint hint. :smile: