Tempera paint is an ancient painting medium that predates oil painting and is still used by painting enthusiasts. Acrylic paint is a recent invention, originally marketed as an exterior house paint. Both have the ability to produce fine works of art, depending on the skill levels of the artists who wield them. Tempera is available as a manufactured item which is not based on perishable eggs, but is also made by artists using the ancient egg techniques predating Europe's Dark Ages.
Composition
Tempera paint consists of a mixture of ground pigments, egg yolk and water. The egg yolk is completely separated from the white and transferred to a container, where it is mixed with a teaspoon of water. Because some pigments are gritty, some artists mix water into the pigments and grind them down to a paste, then mix equal parts of the egg mixture with equal parts of pigment. Acrylic paint is made from a complex chemical reaction producing an emulsion, (one liquid suspended equally though another), from resin and then mixed with pigment.
Drying/Finish
Acrylic paints dry quickly, depending on how much water is mixed in with the paint. Tempera paints also dry quickly. When acrylic paints dry, they dry into a glossy rubber compound that is waterproof. Acrylic paint can dry smooth or textured, depending on how the artists applies the paint. Tempera paint dries into a smooth, matte finish because it forces the painter to add smooth glazes to reach the desired tone.
Application
Acrylic paints are very versatile, depending on the amount of water and the composition of the paint. Acrylics are available in opaque, semi-transparent and transparent colors, which allows them to be used in thick chunks of paint, or allows the delicate layering process similar to watercolor painting. Tempera painting is inflexible. The paint must be applied in layers that cross-hatch, to develop into an opaque color. Acrylic paints can be applied to any surface, as long as Acrylic Gesso is applied, where tempera paint only adheres to solid surfaces.
History
Tempera painting is the oldest known form of painting, dating back thousands of years to Ancient Egypt, where it has been found on the sarcophagi decorations and portraits of the mummies. The Byzantine monks used egg tempera to decorate their manuscripts, and every painter in Europe used tempera until oil painting techniques were developed in the 16th century. Acrylic paint is a recent invention of the 1950s, originating as exterior house paint, but growing into artist quality colors by the 1960s.
Pigments
Tempera painters who make their own paint have a higher possibility of absorbing the toxic metals that are in the pigments or breathing the dust. They must order their dry, powdered pigments ahead of time to mix into their fresh batches of egg, which only lasts for the painting session. If the powdered pigments are not turned into a paste or handled with care, the dust can get into the lungs or the heavy metals can be absorbed into the skin. Acrylic painters do not handle their paints in the pre-manufactured form, so they are less likely to encounter health problems.
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