Experiment 1. ’Female Shadows’ in ‘Distemper’
Stage 1. Following 93.v with a glue-based medium

Materials Needed:

Wooden stretcher

Unbleached, unprimed linen canvas

Large staple gun and staples

Rabbit skin glue

Water

Charcoal sticks

Pattern of female face (Image on paper to trace through)

Pigments: Bistre, sap green, ochre; asphaltum, red lake, umber, lead white, chalk white.

Possible asphalt alternatives from Ms.? Calcite, feldspar

Pigments for flesh (carnation) layers
Tools Needed

Sponge.

Paintbrush (ideally two, one for glue one for egg)

Heat source (hot plate)

Pan to heat water in

Glass cylinder/ measuring beaker for rabbit skin glue

Thermometer to measure temperature of glue

Small metal cylinder to keep hot water in (bain marie), for keeping glue warm when in use

Small glass measuring beaker to hold glue/pigment mixture, to put inside metal cylinder

Second small cylinder (ideally glass but can be metal) for keeping extra water in

Glass plate and glass muller for grinding pigments together in water

Metal spatula.

Sharp pencil to ‘trace’ through underdrawing
Workstation Setup

On one of the worktops, preferably near to the hot plate.

Need sufficient space to put down stretched canvas for painting, and to keep the glass plate and muller next to it. I estimate needing about 60cm of workspace along the bench, plus use of hotplate and area around it.
Outline of your Experiment
First female face, shadows according to 93v suggestions

Apply preparatory size layer of rabbit skin glue, untoned, to the canvas.

Allow to dry.

Take pattern and apply charcoal to the back of it.

Trace the face with a sharp pencil onto the canvas to fill approx 1/4 of the canvas.

Heat rabbit skin glue to approximately 60 degrees centigrade (check).

Meanwhile, grind estimated quantities of bistre, sap green, and ochre together with water to achieve shadow colour for women in distemper. Recall this advice from Ms at 64V_5 ‘Distemper - It is necessary that distempered colors are kept darker while you distemper them, because they become lighter when they dry. But oil colours remain the same colors.’

One glue has heated, mix pigment mixture with the glue until it seems sufficiently bound to use as a paint. The author-practitioner advises, at 64v_3 ‘All colours that lack body in oil also lack body in distemper. In distemper they even sink to the bottom. Distempered colours [Les couleurs a destrempe] want to be fat, which you can tell when they stick to the palette after being distempered in oil.’ Does this help at all, in figuring out which consistency to aim for? What does the author mean by fat? Here is a perfect example of the use of the word ‘destrempe’ as a verb, but also seemingly as a descriptive term for a medium.

Keep the glue and pigment mixture in a small glass measuring cylinder, inside the small metal cylinder filled with boiling water, to keep it warm at all times.

Wet the back of the canvas with a sponge.

Use paintbrush to apply the paint to the canvas, creating the overall shadow layer beneath the skin. There are many notes in the Ms. about how to apply paint layers. See notes on tools and application methods. It appears from the 93v recipe that the shadow layer should be a unified layer, and only the later shadows should be done with hatching.

Keep wetting the back of the canvas with the sponge so it remains damp at all times.

Keep the brush wet at all times.

Once the shadow layer has been applied, allow to dry.

[Further research needed to specify how to carry out flesh layers of face).
Second female face, shadows according to 66r_2 suggestions

As above, but use asphaltum, red lake, and umber.
Hazard statements from MSDS for Various Materials
Material 1 - Rabbit Skin Glue
Not harmful.
Material 2 - Bistre

Hazard designation - none
Material 3 - Asphaltum

This material does not require classification and labelling as hazardous according to CLP/GHS nor subject to classification according to EC lists.

Therefore there is no hazard designation.

However the following advice is given by Kremer MSDS, suggesting some special measures:

Description of the First Aid Measures

After inhalation: Supply fresh air. If required give artificial respiration. In case of

complaints consult a physician.

After skin contact:Wash with soap and rinse with plenty of water.

Remove contaminated clothing.

After eye contact:Rinse open eyes with plenty of water. In case of discomfort seek medical help.

After ingestion: Rinse mouth with plenty of water.

General information: No special measures required.

Possible symptoms: Cough, nausea, both acute and delayed.

Special hazards: In case of fire: formation of carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
Material 4 Sap Green

Hazard designation - none.
Material 5 - Light Ochre

This material does not require classification and labelling as hazardous according to CLP/GHS nor subject to classification according to EC lists.
Material 6 - Umber, greenish

This product is not classified as hazardous according to the CLP/GHS Directive.

The material is not subject to classification according to EC lists.
Material 7 - Red lake

Need to find out about which specific red lake pigments have been made in order to collect MSDS information.