Temperamaali

Temperamaali, commonly called tempera paint in English, is a painting medium in which finely ground pigments are dispersed in a water-soluble binder, most often egg yolk. The term tempera derives from Latin temperāre, meaning to mix or blend. In Finnish usage, temperamaali refers to this traditional technique.

Traditional egg tempera uses egg yolk as the binding medium, sometimes diluted with water and a small amount of gum arabic to improve flow. The pigment-and-binder mixture is prepared fresh for each painting. Tempera dries quickly, forming a hard, matte film that dries without visible brush strokes and is difficult to re-work.

Supports are typically rigid surfaces such as wooden panels coated with a multilayer gesso ground. Because of the rapid drying, artists build up thin, precise layers and fine detail rather than broad color fields. The technique favors controlled brushwork and has a characteristic luminous, clean color.

Historically, tempera was the predominant painting method in Europe during the medieval and early Renaissance periods, before oil painting became dominant. It is still used by some artists and conservators for traditional effects and for icon painting in various Christian traditions. Modern tempera may be prepared with traditional binder or with alternative emulsions, but the term commonly refers to the egg-based method.

Conservation and safety: because the binder includes egg, the paint is handled with standard studio hygiene and the surface protected from humidity. When properly prepared and sealed with a varnish or protective layer, tempera works can be highly stable and long-lasting.