MITRA Forum Question Details

When I want to transfer a drawing, I generally create the drawing full sized and working out all of the compositional problems on a separate piece of opaque paper. When I am happy with the composition, I use tracing paper and only trace my final important outlines and perhaps regions of shadow. I will then turn this drawing on tracing paper over and rub charcoal on the reverse. This is placed over the panel face up and secured with artists’ tape. I redraw those lines using transferring the composition to the panel.

The pounced cartoon method is certainly fine, but I see no reason to go through all of the effort UNLESS you intend on making multiples. It is the preferred method if that is the case. Certainly it is also fine to simply work out the composition directly on the ground using charcoal. This was probably the most common method used by the Old Masters, especially if they were only making a single image of the composition.

I would caution against the wax paper method as it is likely leaving water repelling wax which may cause paint delamination in the future. This may have worked fine but I see no reason to chance it when the method I outline works perfectly fine.

​​Hi Aude,

There are many ways to transfer a drawing onto a panel for egg tempera; which to choose depends on your working method and visual goals (i.e. are you going to work thinly or use covering, opaque paint?  Apply a few layers or dozens?  Work with hatching marks or want more smooth, atmospheric blending? Etc.).  So it's complicated...  I'll give just a few suggestions, with the understanding that there's always more one could say!

It's is perfectly fine to draw directly onto a true gesso panel, freehand, using a graphite pencil, charcoal, metalpoint stylus and/or ink.  However tempera is most often a slow, somewhat methodical medium that is built up in many, many layers.  It can be challenging (although certainly possible) to make dramatic changes or corrections along the way.  For this reason most tempera artists, like Brian (and myself) fully work out an image on a separate piece of paper.  

You can transfer directly from an original drawing. Or, to preserve an original image, place tracing paper over it, gently mark the significant lines, then use the traced image for transferring, as does Brian.  A third option, my preference, is to make a photocopy of the original drawing and use that copy for transferring. 

There are several options for transferring.  You can rub the back of the tracing or photocopy (whichever you prefer) with a graphite pencil; or, rub powdered pigment on the back using a bit of cheesecloth.  My preference is to use transfer paper.  It must be wax-free and not water resistant, as tempera paint beads up and doesn't adhere to waxy lines.  I mostly use my own, homemade transfer papers (see attached instructions).  Earth pigment transfer papers (umbers in particular) work well as the colors are neither too chromatic nor strongly tinting.  You could also use a commerical brand, such as Saral (tho' be aware that the Saral colors are quite strong and chromatic, and thus harder to cover over with paint).  

You can fix the trasnferred​ drawing in place with a much thinned layer of egg yolk medium (1 part yolk to 8 or 10 parts water).  Generally it's best to sponge (verus brush) on this 'fixative', so you don't smear the drawing.  

Or, you can seal and reinstate the drawing with India ink. This ink under drawing stays present for the first many layers of a tempera painting, to guide you as you develop the image. India ink is water resistant and won't lift when paint is applied, yet the percentage of shellac in the ink is small enough that it doesn't interfere with tempera paint adhering (as long as the ink is applied in thin layers; do not apply a substantial, fully covering layer of India ink – tempera paint is apt to bead up and not adhere well on top).  A black ink can be difficult to overcome given the transparency of tempera; I recommend a light brown walnut, bister, or sepia colored ink.  

However you do not need to either seal or apply ink to a transferred image – you can (as I do) just dive in and paint directly on top of a transferred drawing.   

The degree to which any of these options (drawing directly on the panel, transferring a drawing with commerical or homemade transfer paper, resinstaing a drawing with india ink) show through a painting depends on how thin/thick you work, the degree of transparency/opacity in your paint, and how many layers you build.  Tempera can be handled like watercolor, built up more like oils, or any step in between.  If you work thinnly, keep your transfer very light and use a relatively  weak transfer color (such as umber).  If you build up lots of layers and opacity, a stronger transfer and/or ink underdrawing is a great guide for the first dozen layers.  Experince will show you what works best for you and your visual goals.​

Koo

Koo Schadler Transfer Paper.pdf

​Thanks so much, Koo. Actually the photocopy method is what most of my students use. I guess I neglected to mention it because I had "Old Masters" in my head.

​​​Yes, the Old Masters can certainly get in one's head.  As I expect you would agree, I think they would have enjoyed many of our conveniences...I love the story of a Florentine client sending a drawing of his wife north, so Memling could do a portrait of her without having to travel to Florence; my guess is he would have been happy with a photograph. (-:

​Hi Aude,

No worries about the isopropyl alcohol; nearly any high percentage alcohol works.  I've updated my book to include 190 proof grain, isopropyl, etc. - they all work.  

​Koo