Which painting technique uses an egg yolk as binder?

• A. Oil painting
• B. Acrylic
• C. Fresco
• D. Egg tempera

Answer: (D)

Egg tempera centers on mixing pigments with egg yolk as the binding agent. The yolk’s proteins hold pigment particles together as the paint dries, producing very fine, precise brushwork and a luminous, matte finish. It dries quickly, which means artists layer many thin coats and work with sharp edges and crisp details. This technique was popular for panel paintings before oil painting became dominant, and it’s typically used on a prepared wooden panel with a smooth gesso ground.

Other methods use different binders: oil painting relies on drying oils like linseed oil, acrylic uses synthetic polymer binders, and fresco involves pigments suspended in water applied to wet lime plaster, not egg yolk.