How to make and use traditional gesso.

Stretching paper.

By the end of the session students will have prepared 6 timber panels with 2 colours of gesso. These panels will be worked on, with a variety of media, over the following sessions. Each student will also stretch a sheet of paper in preparation for the next week.

Session 2: Egg Tempera + Gesso + Gesso Paper

How to make and use egg tempera.

Finishing gesso panels.

Gesso on paper.

Students are introduced to egg tempera using pigment and egg yolk. The gesso panels from the previous session are sanded and polished in preparation for tempera painting. Stretched paper from last week is painted with gesso.

Egg tempera painting continues.

How to make and use computer-cut vinyl stencils.

How to glue paper to panels.

Students continue practice and experimentation with egg tempera. Students will also make a computer-cut stencil from an image of their own choice then apply and use it in combination with egg tempera. The last task is to glue gesso paper to a panel using an archivally sound glue.

Egg tempera painting continues.

How to make and use encaustic paint.

Other applications for vinyl cutting.

Students are introduced to encaustic painting (wax-based paint applied with heat). They will also continue work on their egg tempera paintings. Further vinyl cutting applications will be explored by cutting into gesso to create inlays etc..

Continuation of all processes.

Students use the last 2 sessions to develop the new skills aquired in the previous 4 classes. Some participants may want to work across all areas covered by the course while others may wish to concentrate on one particular process. All materials and tools from the earlier sessions remain available for use during these last 2 classes. At the conclusion of the course each student will have "completed" 8 gesso panels in a variety of media.