The paint and the panic

I knew the panic would set in at some point.
I just didn't think it would be so close to the start....

 I wasn't finished with the drawing but felt anxious to get painting...so I began by mixing the dry pigment with the egg yolk and distilled water, straight...no mixing of colors -just to see how egg tempera felt, moved, laid.

First thought...Is this worth it?
This is a lot of work, and a huge mess!

Then that haunting voice in my head, "Don't be lazy....Make the effort, you are supposed to be learning something new. Grow why don't you!"

I decided cups were the way to go, and NOT my glass pallet. I realized that unlike doing fresco, I didn't need the muller to blend the pigment, the brush was enough to "stir" it together.

 I have NEVER been a very neat and tidy artist, which is surprising for someone with a printmaking degree...but messy comes naturally! :-)

The white looks yellow, from the yolk. But once laid on the painting, it was white enough. :-)

But!!!!!!!! I didn't buy any red pigment, the closest I had was this burnt umber. Being me and extremely impatient, I started painting anyway...yes the part that should be RED! I know, I know...but I did. I know I will have to go over it, but that's ok, this is just a test...

I like it! A lot, and yet I don't. 
It does blend really nicely on the panel. That was a big plus!

-Everything I read said it wouldn't, or at least that I would have to cross hatch to blend layers and layers. (Not a huge fan of cross hatching...I know it has it's place, but I wasn't excited about cross hatching an entire 4 x 5 ft painting).

I could easily see how the layers effected one another, and had a very "oily" quality about them, but the paint dries so fast that it's a lot like acrylic (well, more gouache actually - flat, and a bit dull - con!).
I can see why the great masters applied oil on top of egg tempera, and I suppose I might too, the dull isn't pretty, isn't powerful, isn't special. 

Sorry Steve....but your yolk isn't as illuminating as I had hoped! (Probably because I haven't layered the paint...)

:-)

Layering of paint is NOT how I normally work. I'm an out of the tube and quick to make a mark type...this is definitely going to slow me down and make me think while I paint....I wonder how that's going to work out???
:-)