FRED WESSEL

Egg Tempera Paintings

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Becca (Sundial)

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Biography
Paintings & Drawings
Technique
Workshops & Events
Links
Contact

  • La Mia Gioia (My Joy)

  • Step 1

    The silverpoint drawing of Becca holding the sundial.
  • Step 2

    Beginnings of the drawing with India ink.
  • Step 3

    Washes of India ink were applied to the model’s face, hair, and dress.
  • Step 4

    Red clay “bole” mixed with rabbit skin glue was applied in the areas of the panel that would be covered with gold leaf.
  • Step 5

    The bole was dampened with “gilders liquor” and the rectangular sheets of gold leaf were applied.
  • Step 6

    Details showing areas covered with terre verde and verdaccio green colors.
  • Step 7

    Details of the painting after the bright reds – or “apples in the cheeks” – were painted in.
  • Step 8

    The skin areas were glazed with thin layers of translucent pink flesh tones made from cadmium red, raw siena and titanium white.
  • Step 9

    A detail of the head with greens and “apples” softened further with pink fleshtones.
  • Step 10

    The tempera portion of the painting is finished.
  • Step 11

    Wessel spent the next three weeks inscribing a detail of a map of constellations by J. Flamsteed, obtained from his friend, Felice Stoppa of Milan, into the gold leaf.
  • Step 12

    The finished Becca (Sundial), 2006, egg tempera with gold and palladium leaf, collection of Dr. and Mrs. Joe Gretzula.

Biography

  • Artist’s Statement
  • Résumé
  • Exhibition Notes
  • Articles & Interviews

Paintings & Drawings

  • Constellations
  • Figures
  • Flowers
  • Still Life
  • Drawings

Technique

  • La Mia Gioia (My Joy)
  • Becca (Sundial)
  • Felice Stoppa (Celestial Art)

Gallery Affiliations

  • ACA Galleries
  • R. Michelson Gallery
Copyright ©2001 – 2021 Fred Wessel. All Rights Reserved.