Jacob Lawrence
Jacob Lawrence was an American painter known for vivid narrative series about Black life and history, especially The Migration Series, created with quick-drying tempera on hardboard panels.
Paint Type
Casein Paint
Casein paint is a water-based paint that uses casein, a milk protein, as its binder. It dries quickly to a matte film and becomes increasingly water-resistant as it cures.
Casein paint surface compatibility
Casein paint works best on rigid, porous supports. Because a cured casein film is relatively brittle, flexible supports such as stretched canvas are generally avoided.
| Surface | Compatibility | Preparation | Primer or ground | Finish | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Painting Board | Excellent when rigid, porous, and properly prepared | Use a clean, dry, dimensionally stable board and smooth the surface as needed. | Use a casein-compatible ground or casein gesso when a prepared painting surface is wanted. | Allow the paint to cure fully before optional polishing or another compatible protective treatment. | — |
| Wood Panel | Excellent on stable porous wood with suitable preparation | Use clean, dry, rigid wood and remove dust, grease, wax, or unstable existing finish. | Prime with a casein-compatible binder or ground when needed to control absorbency and adhesion. | Let the casein film cure thoroughly before adding any optional compatible finish. | — |
Sources: Jack Richeson Casein Emulsion, Natural Pigments casein paint guidance, and Natural Earth Paint casein paint recipe.
Painters who used casein paint
Explore painters in the PaintZeal reference who worked with casein paint or casein tempera.
Paul Klee
Paul Klee was a Swiss-born German artist and Bauhaus teacher whose highly experimental work combined color, geometry, symbols, humor, music, and observations of nature.
James Gurney
James Gurney is an American painter, illustrator, and author known for imaginative realism, outdoor sketching, and extensive work in casein, gouache, watercolor, and oil.
Bernard Perlin
Bernard Perlin was an American painter and illustrator whose figurative work included casein paintings on rigid supports as well as wartime and editorial art.
Mark Tobey
Mark Tobey was an American painter known for atmospheric abstractions built from dense networks of gestural marks and for working in casein, tempera, and other media.
Carroll Dunham
Carroll Dunham is an American painter whose work has moved between abstraction and cartoon-like figuration while using materials that include synthetic polymer paint, casein, and urethane paint.
Casein paint articles
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