Ancient
Egyptian Art Lesson
Create
an Ancient Egyptian Painting
Step
4 - Painting the Background
You
are now ready to start the painting. You
can use poster paint or any thickly mixed watercolor
medium.
We
have used a yellow ochre poster paint for the background
as this sandy color is often associated with Ancient
Egyptian images.
The
paint was mixed quite thickly with a little water (to
the consistency of double-cream) and applied neatly
around the head and hieroglyphs.
The
borders are deliberately painted more loosely to simulate
the edge of an aging piece of papyrus or a decaying
mural.
Step
5 - Painting the Figure and Hieroglyphs
To
complete the painting, carefully fill in the details
of the figure and hieroglyphs using a range of appropriate
colors.
Strong
primary colors (red, yellow and blue) and secondary
colours (green, orange and purple), in combination with
black and white, were often used in Ancient Egyptian
painting.
Note
how the rough edge of painting has been continued through
the color of the tunic.
Please note that any areas that you wish to remain white,
such as the whites of the eyes, must be painted with
white paint. It is very easy to miss these when you
are working on white paper.
Do
not worry if you sometimes paint over a section of black
line. It will not ruin the overall effect.
Let
all the paint dry before you start the next stage.
Step
6 - Inking over the Image
This
is the scary part. Using black Indian ink, paint over
the entire picture. The
aim is to lay a skin of Indian ink on top of the painted
image.
Next,
leave it for several hours until it is completely dry.
Do
not worry when your image disappears under the black
ink. It
will reappear during the next stage.
Note:
Try to cover you picture in a single coat. Use soft,
even brushstrokes to liberally apply the ink. Continued
brushing over one area will start to dissolve the paint
underneath and, once dry, you will find it impossible
to remove the ink from that area.
Step
7 - The Inked Image
Once
your picture is completely covered with Indian ink,
leave it aside to dry, at least for several hours but
preferably until the next day.
When
you are sure that your paper is bone dry, hold the picture
at opposite corners and carefully run it under a hot
water tap.
The
Indian ink will begin to flake off and some of the thicker
paint will wash away.
The
colours will pale slightly and some patches of ink will
remain .stuck to the painting.
Lay
the finished picture on a flat surface and absorb any
excess water with paper towels - then leave it to dry.
The
final effect will reveal the mouldy texture of an Ancient
Egyptian parchment or wall painting.
Step
8 - The Finished Painting
This
is the kind of image that should appear at the end of
the Paper Batik process.
All the areas where the charcoal drawing was exposed
or any unpainted patches should have absorbed the ink.
The
painted areas should look more translucent and weathered.
Sometimes
all the Indian ink does not wash off but this is not
a problem. Patches may remain where the paint has been
too thinly applied. However, these patches often add
to the perished effect of the image.
Summary
The
artistic technique used to create the mouldy time-worn
effect in this painting of an Egyptian head is called
Paper Batik.
The art materials you will need to produce this are
a charcoal pencil or stick, a heavy grade paper, a paintbrush
with poster paint or watercolour, and a bottle of Indian
ink.
Have
fun and we hope it works out well for you!
ANCIENT
EGYPTIAN GODS |
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| ANCIENT
EGYPTIAN CROWNS |
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