Media

Question 1

Paint

Answer 1

paints are a mixture of pigments

Question 2

binder

Answer 2

Holds paint together

Question 3

Solvent

Answer 3

water, or
petrochemical distillate for oil based paints that makes the pigment/binder solution liquid, helps it penetrate
surfaces, and then dries off.

Question 4

Fresco

Answer 4

ancient technique of painting on lime (calcium hydroxide) plaster, usually on walls, ceilings, etc. Also known as true (buon) or wet fresco. The pigments are mixed with water, and when applied become
chemically bound to the freshly laid plaster. Frescos are opaque (sometimes chalky) in appearance, are hard to
blend colors, are durable, dry quickly, and cannot be changed once applied.

Question 5

Fresco secco

Answer 5

also ancient, painting fresco on top of dried plaster; is not as durable, more likely to flake off.

Question 6

Tempera

Answer 6

ancient painting technique using pigment mixed with egg yolk as a binder (also called egg
tempera), or glue or casein (milk/cheese protein). Tempera was usually painted on wood panels, is opaque,
dries quickly, is hard to blend colors, and is usually delicate in appearance.

Question 7

Lapis lazuli

Answer 7

an intense blue mineral, was discovered (from Afghanistan). This was as expensive as gold leaf, and
expensive late Medieval tempera paintings are often decorated with these 2 costly materials.

Question 8

Encaustic

Answer 8

an ancient technique, uses heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added. Appears waxy.

Question 9

Oil painting

Answer 9

uses drying oils (linseed oil or other) as a binder for pigments. Rose to prominence in northern
Europe in the 15th century and is now standard medium for painting on canvas (some oil paintings were on
wood panels or metal plates). Unlike fresco, which dries quickly, or tempera, which dries very quickly, oil paint
is workable much longer. Unlike frescoes or tempera, oil paintings can be opaque, translucent, or almost
transparent (glazes), with warm, glowing tones or thin, almost transparent layers on top of one another.

Question 10

Steps of oil painting

Answer 10

In traditional oil paintings, the canvas is pulled tight over a stretcher. The frame is different than the stretcher,
and is designed as much to protect the painting as to show it off-frames take a beating! The raw canvas is
prepared with a ground or primer (usually gesso) before any paint is applied.