2. Definition
• Painting is the practice of applying
paint to a surface (support) such
as paper, canvas or a wall.
3.
4. Media
• Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast drying painting medium
consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium
• Fresco is a painting, done on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes
from the Italian word affresco which derives from the adjective fresco ("fresh"), which
has Latin origins.
• Pastel is an artistic expression which involves the application of soft colors by
painting with soft crayons wrapped in paper. Ideally, this results in a soft and delicate
painting, although a modern school involves bolder applications. The procedure and
materials sometimes make it difficult for the artist to fix mistakes, but the medium can
be a forgiving one under most circumstances.
5. Techniques
• An impasto is when a thicker layer of paint is laid onto the canvas with brush or knife
which gives the painting physical dimensionality. You will definitely see the strokes of
the brush or palette knife used.
• Grisaille - painting technique by which an image is executed entirely in shades of gray
and usually severely modeled to create the illusion of sculpture, especially relief.
• Sfumato is the Italian term for a technique which overlays translucent layers of colour
to create perceptions of depth, volume and form. In particular, it refers to the blending
of colours or tones so subtly that there is no perceptible transition.
6. Task /HW
• Use photoshop filter options and
transform an image through at least 6
filters among the suggested techniques
and media:
• Impasto, wash, glaze, grisaille, scumble,
pointilism, sfumato, sumi-e, gouache, ink,
pastel, tempera, encaustic, watercolor, fresco,
spray
• Write your comment in the workbook
11. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio: The Calling of Saint Matthew
1599-1600; oil on canvas; 10' 7 1/2" X 11' 2"
Contarelli Chapel, Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome
12. Read and comment
Leonardo’s writing. Can
you use Leonardo’s text
in the context of this
painting?
"The painter must keep ten things in
mind to ensure the success of his work
‐ namely, light, shadow, colour,
volume, form, placing, distance,
proximity movement and repose."
"In composi>ons with figures, the
characters must differ in complexion,
age, colour, aAtude, corpulence, build,
fat, thin, tall, short, proud, courteous,
old, young, strong and muscular, weak
and with few muscles, happy,
melancholic, with curly or straight hair,
short or long; ‐ with alert or vulgar
movements; ‐ and vary the costumes
and colours and all other things
necessary for this composi>on. It is a
cardinal sin for the painter to create
faces that look alike, and the repe>>on
of gestures is also a great fault."
13. Resources:
• Mark Harden’s Artchive: http://
www.artchive.com/index.html
• The Online Encyclopedia and Dictionary
http://www.fact-archive.com/encyclopedia/
• Web Gallery of art, image collection, virtual
museum: http://
www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/p/pietro/
cortona/index.html
