Tempera Paint – Studio Exploration
Brands & Quality
Tempera paint – regardless of the price, the quality is relatively low. Tempera paint in comparison to acrylic paint = has more binder, less color pigment, is thinner and is more fluid.
It would only make sense to purchase low costing tempera paint and utilize it in lessons for younger students.
Lowest Quality
- Crayola Tempera Paint
- Color Splash! Washable Tempera Paint
- Colorations Simply Washable Tempera
Low Quality
- Blick Student Grade Tempera
Age Appropriateness
Similar to crayons, tempera paint is more of a stepping stone and transition into artmaking. This medium would not be appropriate for older, more experienced students, instead it is more appropriate for younger students. 1st grade – 3rd grade.
Additional Resources to Consider
As with any painting medium, what should be considered:
- Paint brushes: it only makes sense to use low quality paintbrushes with plastic handles and thick bristles.
Paint palettes: Anything from cheap reusable plastic palettes to paper plates to cardboard could work. Water cups Surface: paper, wood, cardboard, canvas – the surface should not be high quality or expensive
Clean up methods:
- Smocks or aprons
- Cleaning supplies
- Disposal of paint
Safety:
- What precautions should be taken?
- Toxicity level: every medium is different, it is always smart to read the labels and do your best to instill a safe environment for the students. Not all tempera paint is nontoxic and children should never digest the medium.
Limitations
Tempera paint is not a high enough quality paint to make long-lasting artwork.
Gesso, mediums and varnishes should never be used with tempera paint.
Blending and layering colors is very difficult due to the thin nature of the paint.
Strengths
- Easy cleanup: Tempera paint is thin because it is washable so it is very easy to clean up.
- Low cost: good way for students to explore a paint medium
- Easy and exciting for kids
- Acts very similar to acrylic paint, but is a lot cheaper
- Tempura can blend and be manipulated like acrylic paint
- Projects that incorporate acrylic paint can be substituted for tempura when working with kids
- Tempera paint is a good introduction to acrylic paint.
Tempera paint techniques
Paint Pour: Tempera vs. Acrylic
Fun Activity
Personal Comfort Level
I am very comfortable with paint, but I do not remember the last time I used tempera paint. It is very low quality though it wasn’t as bad as I expected. This is a good medium for kids and serves as an introduction to paint. However, even though tempera paint is usable, I would not want to incorporate this in a lesson plan for middle school or high school students.
