Egg Tempera Painting Book
"...one of the most concise and useful books on the art of egg tempera painting... should be on the bookshelf of every serious artist."

"I can't tell you how wonderful your manual is. I'm in the process of re-reading and highlighting passages as I write this... I found your writing to be exceptionally easy to read and helpful with respect to clarifying many of the issues which remained unclear to me about tempera technique. You seemed to have anticipated most of the questions I would ask and have answered them. The wealth of resource information you offer is incredible."

"I've read many writings on egg tempera over the years, and yours is not only complete, but is simple and direct so that I believe the greenest beginner in this medium could learn from it."

"Your book is beautifully presented, addresses the most important issues of ground and painting, and is just wonderful... it is precisely the guidance I have sought."

"...a treasure trove of wonderful egg tempera information."

"The best book on tempera I've found so far."

"I wanted to thank you for your fabulous book! It is simply wonderful, it was easy to follow but left nothing out, answering all the questions I was so desperately looking for... I couldn't put it down!"
Egg Tempera Painting by Koo Schadler

Book Cover ImageEgg Tempera Painting, A Comprehensive Guide is the most in-depth book available on egg tempera. Available in both digital and print form, with 100s of illustration in color. Suitable for both beginners and advanced artists. The book includes:

  • Detailed instructions for making true gesso panels from scratch.
  • In-depth look at pigments, and how to use them safely.
  • Different ways to work in egg tempera including brushwork, sponging, glazing, scumbling, petit lacs, and much more.
  • How to paint smooth transitions in egg tempera.
  • Various options for finishing a tempera painting, including oil painting on top and varnishing.
  • A look at the many misconceptions surrounding egg tempera, and how to overcome those limitations to bring the medium into the modern era.
  • And much more, see Table of Contents.

Egg Tempera Painting, A Comprehensive Guide is based on the book Koo has sold for many years, with substantial changes as of December, 2021:

  • 120 pages of new content (nearly 300 pages total).
  • Old text updated and/or expanded upon.
  • 100+ new illustrations, including of paintings in development.
  • All images now in color.
  • Many new chapters and appendices.

The book is self-published, printed by Kindle Direct Publishing.

 


  1. Introduction: What is Egg Tempera Painting?
  2. History of Egg Tempera Painting
  3. Materials for Egg Tempera
  4. Gesso (including Recipe, Instructions, Problems and Solutions)
  5. Painting with Egg Tempera
  6. Painting a Portrait in Egg Tempera
  7. Finishing an Egg Tempera Painting
  8. Appendices
    • Pigment Characteristics
    • Particulars of My Palette
    • Suggested Pallettes and Prices
    • Brushes
    • Tempering
    • Lifting, Digging Holes, Making Repairs
    • Egg Tempera Painting Chart
    • Egg Tempera Misconceptions & The Renaissance
    • Luminosity & Glazes
    • Tempera Grassa
    • Cadmiums in Traditional Painting
    • Luminosity
    • Toxicity
    • The Transition from Oil to Tempera
    • Applying Cloth to a Panel
    • Applying Gold Leaf Lines & Basic Gilding
    • Impasto Paint and Egg Tempera
    • Polyptychs
    • Aluminum Panels
    • Material Sources and Suppliers
    • Recommended Reading
    • Other Resources
  9. List of Paintings
  10. About the Author

Thanks to all my readers. With this new book I look forward to sharing more of egg tempera.

~ Koo

All images and text on this website are copyright © 2019 Koo Schadler. All rights reserved.
For authorization to reproduce any of the images or text, please contact the artist.