Ideally, tempera paint is a painting medium loved by artists due to its permanent and fast-drying quality. Also known as egg tempera, it consists of colored pigments mixed with binding agents. Tempera paint is exceptionally versatile. Over time, it has also become very popular among sophisticated artists.
We have researched the market to come up with the best Tempera Paint available. We want to save you from the stress of making random purchases. Take a look at our top picks and go for the most suitable for your artistic wants and needs.
Our Recommendations
- Chroma 2 Washable Tempera Paint – Best Overall
- Chroma Chromatemp Artists’ Tempera Paint – Best For Posters
- Crayola Premier Tempera – Best Budget-Friendly Tempera Paint
- Blick Premium Grade Tempera – Best In Viscosity
- Jazz Gloss Tempera – Best For Murals
- Sargent Art Tempera Paint Daubers – Best For Kids
Chroma 2 Washable Tempera Paint
This washable paint is perfect for painting and paper printing. It is also excellent on canvas, cardboard, plaster, and clay among many other media. This paint gives a strong, vivid color. It also works best with silk screening. When used on an equally appropriate surface, Chroma 2 Washable Tempera Paint gives a very beautiful creamy consistency.
This paint is highly recommended for classroom colorful projects. Its color mixing ability puts this tempera paint at a great advantage. Because of its washable nature, this paint is ideal for young artists. It can easily wash away using regular soap and water. It can safely be removed from fabrics.
While some paints can be weak and lackluster, this paint is both intense and opaque. Chroma 2 Washable has been certified non-toxic and very safe to use. It is budget-friendly and comes in a wide range of classic colors.
Pros
- It is budget-friendly.
- It is versatile.
- It is washable with simple soap and is not stubborn in fabrics.
- It gives a perfect consistency.
- It can work with a variety of media.
- It works well with silk.
- It is strong, intense, and opaque.
- It is non-toxic.
- It comes in different colors.
Cons
- It has low pigment.
- It is not good for painting layers.
- It spoils fast and can grow molds.
- It has an odor.
Chroma Chromatemp Artists’ Tempera Paint
This high-quality artists’ tempera paint is water-based and mixable. When combined, it creates a stunning color palette. It is perfect for school projects, posters, and signs, among many others. It is ready to use straight from the shop and it has been certified as non-toxic.
What makes this tempera paint more outstanding as compared to others is the fact that it contains rich pigments that will not separate or settle at the bottom of the bottle. It is freeze-thaw stable and it works well on paper, cardboard, and paper mache. It can easily be cleaned from any surface with simple soap and water.
Chroma Chromatemp Artists’ Paint comes in fluorescent bright colors and pearlescent transparent colors. These colors are smooth when dry. It is also lustrous and is non-flaking.
Pros
- It contains rich pigments.
- It is non-toxic.
- It can be cleaned with regular soap and water.
- It does not settle or separate in the bottle.
- It is freeze-thaw stable.
- It is non-flaking.
- It dries to a smooth lustrous finish.
- It is of high quality.
- It is ready to use straight from the shop.
Cons
- It is not good for painting layers.
Crayola Premier Tempera
This top-grade liquid tempera is water-soluble and non-toxic. It comes in a convenient squeeze bottle. The flip-top cap is designed to allow you to flip the cap open and squeeze the paint out. Crayola Premier Tempera has a variety of assorted brilliant opaque colors.
Crayola Premier Tempera flows easily out of the bottle and covers the surface well and consistently. This creamy consistency dries to a velvety matte finish. It comes at great prices in its 16oz plastic squeeze bottle.
Pros
- It is water-soluble.
- It is non-toxic.
- It has a flip-top cap.
- It comes in a wide variety of assorted colors.
- It covers the surface evenly.
- It dries to a velvety finish.
- It is budget-friendly.
Cons
- It collects mold.
- The smell it emits is unpleasant.
Blick Premium Grade Tempera
This is one of the top-notch tempera paints available in the market today. It has a consistent, thick viscosity that stirs up before it converts back to its original viscosity. This tempera paint is designed to easily flow out of the container.
Blick Premium Grade Tempera is both sag and drip-free. When applied on a paper, the paper remains in constant shape without sagging or dripping. It is highly concentrated with high-quality pigments.
Its brilliant, mixable colors have remarkable strength. This tempera paint is lightfast, and it does not flake, chip, or crack on a surface. It can easily be washed away with regular soap and water. It leaves no stubborn surface stains. It is freeze-thaw stable and it comes in a range of beautiful colors.
Pros
- It has a thick, consistent viscosity.
- It easily flows out of the container.
- It is sag-free and drip-free.
- It has a high concentration of good-quality pigments.
- It has remarkable color strength.
- It is lightfast.
- It does not flake, chip, or crack.
- It can be washed off with regular soap and water.
- It is freeze-thaw stable.
- It comes in a range of colors.
Cons
- The colors are watery and not thick.
- The colors are not as bright.
Jazz Gloss Tempera
This classy paint dries into a glossy enamel. Unlike the traditional tempera paints, Jazz Gloss Tempera resembles everything enamel. However, despite its enamel feel and appearance, this tempera paint is absolutely washable with water and regular soap regardless of whether it is still wet or dried out.
Jazz Gloss Tempera’s opaque gloss finish makes it an excellent paint for lettering, murals among other creative arts that require tempera paints. Its colors are inter-mixable. If you are creative enough, you can easily play with its wide range of beautiful colors.
Because of its water-soluble nature, use acrylic sprays or varnish for a durable waterproof finish. This fun-to-work with paint is non-toxic. They are securely contained in 16oz squeeze bottles. This is perfect for maintaining freshness as you can easily seal the plastic containers.
Pros
- It is washable with water and soap.
- Its colors are inter-mixable.
- It is non-toxic.
- It is easy to keep fresh because of the resealable bottles.
- The squeeze bottles are easy to use.
- It comes in many colors.
- It works well with acrylic spray and varnish.
- The price is right.
Cons
- It is water-soluble and can easily be washed away..
- The colors are not so thick.
Sargent Art Tempera Paint Daubers
This high-quality tempera paint is contained in yet another creative squeeze bottle. This non-toxic AP-compliant tempera paint is suitable for kids.
This brilliant, opaque colored tempera paint allows your art-loving kids to cover a large area thanks to its rounded felt tip. The colors can easily be washed off from any surface. Plus, the 30ml bottles are disposable.
Pros
- It is non-toxic, and an AP-compliant product.
- It is quality tempera paint.
- It comes in brilliant, opaque colors.
- It is easy to use because of the felt tip bottle.
- It can be washed off any surface with ease.
- The bottles are disposable.
- It comes in three formulations.
Cons
- It is very transparent, with less pigment.
- It is on the pricey side.
- It is not durable as it can easily be washed off.
- It cannot be used for serious painting.
Conclusion
There are a lot of things to learn when you are relatively new to tempera painting. Tempera paints can be used on a wide range of surfaces.
Some of the most important techniques you can use with these paints are the following:
- Double Loading allows you to add more than one color on your painting brush. Doing so helps you come up with very interesting effects that you might not achieve by mixing the colors first or using one color after another.
- Scratching allows you to layer two colors after the first color dries up.
- Smoothing is ideal to be used in large paint areas.
In conclusion, if you are a beginner grappling with what to buy and what not to buy, it is our intent that the information above will point you in the right creative direction.