Brian Keller

Egg tempera paint is an ancient process of hand making paint by mixing pure pigment powder with a blend of egg yolk and water, called the medium. Egg yolk is the sticky binding agent, and water is the thinner. This process pre-dates oil paint by hundreds of years, and was used to create the great frescos of Italy, like the Sistine Chapel.I employ egg tempera because of its handling properties. Because it dries in seconds, creates fine, delicate brushwork, and doesn’t smear, it is the perfect paint for realistic illusions. I strive to give the viewer a sense of being there and the precision and clarity I can get with egg tempera allows me to create those illusions.