CarolM5397 wrote:
>
> "How do you feel about calling both tempera and gouache "opaque
> watercolor" ? I've seen this at more and more museums/galleries
> lately. Your feedback will be appreciated.
> Thank you, Deborah Cohen"
>
> It's likely, IMHO, that"opaque watercolor" may be used because it can be hard to see the difference between tempera and gouache; "opaque
> watercolor" is, at least, not untrue.

The term "tempera" sometimes is used to refer to opaque watercolor, but
it can also mean egg tempera, a different medium from gouache or
watercolor.  Egg tempera forms a surface that does not redissolve, can
be glazed to create rich tonal effects similar to those in oil painting,
and is actually made by the artist from dry pigments and egg yolks.
Ralph Mayer's classic reference on artist's materials and techniques may
be of some help in trying to figure out how best to describe what you
have.

--Helen Glazer
Exhibitions Director
Goucher College, Baltimore, MD USA
[log in to unmask]