This painting is a tribute to Indigo, a blue pigment that is made out of the indigo plant (Indigofera tinctoria). It is a very deep blue which was used in fabric dyeing, in particular for jeans, for a long time. This painting shows the granular nature of the pigment as it playfully dissolved and moved around on the gessoed surface.
I make my own paint, in this case indigo pigment with egg tempera, also called tempera. Tempera is made from egg yolk and pigments and is extremely durable. It has a very soft satin shine which I love. I use natural chalk and animal glue to make my own gesso. Gesso is the underlayer which I apply to the panel before painting it. The process of tempera painting on gesso on a wooden panel dates back to before medieval times. It allows for light to be reflected from the white gesso, wich makes a painting seem to light up from within.
Indigo Blue
H 25.8 cm x W 21.4 cm D 3.0 cm (including burgundy red with silver float frame)
Original artwork, hand painted with tempera on gessoed wood board. Tempera is a very strong paint that wil stand the test of time, as medieval icons prove. This art work needs no care other than dusting with a soft lint-free cloth every once in a while. Signed on the back, professionally framend in a burgundy red float frame with silver on the front. Ready to hang and light up your space. Be aware that colors may differ slightly in reality as all monitors differ. As Indigo is a plant based pigment, it is not 100% lightfast. I recommend to hang this artwork outside of direct sunlight.