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.
Painter
Mark Tobey
Mark Tobey was an American painter known for abstract compositions built from dense networks of gestural marks and for working in casein, tempera, and other media.
Related: Paul Klee · Jackson Pollock
Mark Tobey quick facts
Review key details about Mark Tobey's life, career, abstract practice, white-writing style, major periods, and the casein, tempera, and gestural methods shaping his work.
| Born | 1890 · Centerville, Wisconsin, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died | 1976 · Basel, Switzerland |
| Nationality | American |
| Paint media | Casein paint · Tempera |
| Common subjects | Abstract fields, calligraphic marks, light, natural rhythms, spiritual themes, and urban energy |
| Known for | Allover compositions whose layered marks spread attention across the entire painted field rather than a single focal point |
Sources: Museum of Modern Art, MoMA: Edge of August, and MoMA: Wild Field.
Paint types used
See the paint types documented in Tobey's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining each medium's properties, uses, and working characteristics.
Traditional Tempera
Traditional tempera is an artist paint made by combining pigment with an emulsion binder. Egg yolk is the best-known traditional binder, but the broader tempera category can include other emulsion recipes, so a museum record that says only “tempera” does not always identify the exact binder.
Surface types used
See the surface types documented in Tobey's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining how each support behaves and is prepared for painting.
Paper
Paper is an absorbent sheet material made primarily from cellulose fibers. Its weight, sizing, surface texture, and wet strength determine how much paint it can accept before buckling, pilling, bleeding, or warping.
Painting Board
Painting board is a rigid artist support made from hardboard, wood, or another stable panel material. It may be sold raw or prepared with a medium-specific ground layer.