Once Upon a Time there was an Artist Named Garry Sanipass…

Egg tempera isn’t bought. It’s conjured. The recipe is older than oils, older than acrylics, as old as monks in candlelight.

You’ll need a vessel—glass, small, test-tube-like. Something worthy of holding gold. Crack an egg under a slow trickle of water, let it fall into your palm. Rock the yolk gently back and forth while the stream carries away the whites. Save them if you wish; alchemy wastes nothing.

Now cradle the yolk in one hand and pierce it with the other. Watch as the golden heart spills into your waiting vial. This is the binder: the soul of the paint.

Next comes water. You may choose distilled water, clear and clean. Or water drawn from a hidden spring. Or, if you’re feeling whimsical, the tears of an elf. Whatever your source, mix it in equal measure with the yolk.

To guard against decay, add a drop or two of vinegar—otherwise, in a few days, your creation will reek of rot. Seal your vial and shake it like a sorcerer mixing a potion.

Now awaken the colors. Pigments from the wild, or ground by your own mortar and pestle, or even store-bought powders if that’s your path. Mix them with your yolk potion, and with a brush lay them down on true gesso panels.

That’s it. You’ve summoned egg tempera. Not bought, not borrowed—made. Ancient, luminous, and alive.

Materials You’ll Need

• 1 fresh egg
• A small glass vial or test tube
• Distilled (or clean) water
• Vinegar (optional, for preservation)
• Pigments (store-bought or hand-ground)
• A small brush
• Panels prepared with true gesso (more on that another time)

Steps

1. Separate the Yolk
   • Crack the egg under gently running water into your palm.
   • Roll the yolk back and forth until the egg white washes away. You can save the whites or discard them.
2. Extract the Binder
   • Holding the yolk gently, puncture it with your other hand.
   • Let the liquid yolk pour into your vial, leaving the membrane behind.
3. Mix With Water
   • Add an equal amount of water (1:1 ratio).
   • Distilled water is best, but spring or even tap water works fine.
4. Preserve the Mixture
   • Add 1–2 drops of vinegar to prevent spoilage.
   • Seal the vial and shake well until fully blended.
5. Add Pigments
   • Mix your yolk-water binder with pigment.
   • Adjust pigment amounts until the mixture feels right to your brush.
6. Paint
   • Use a fine brush and paint over a surface prepared with true gesso.
   • Work in thin, layered strokes—egg tempera dries fast.