what's the difference between paint & tempura paint?

Discussion in 'The Toddler Years(1-3)' started by naomi02, Oct 6, 2008.

  1. naomi02

    naomi02 Well-Known Member

    I was looking at some washable paints for the kids & there's just regular paint & there's tempura. What's the difference?
     
  2. rensejk

    rensejk Well-Known Member

    DH is an art teacher, so I called him up and here's what he said:

    Tempera paint is just a type of paint. He uses it at school. It's a powdered pigment mixed with water. It's really washable and when it dries it has a dry, powdery feel to it. It used to have egg whites in it but he's not sure if that's still the case.

    Acrylic paints and latex paints have a plastic binder, so they are more permanent and have a more "flexible" feel when they dry. Binder is a term that refers to whatever it is that holds your pigments together. Egg white is the traditional binder for tempera. (Eggs are the traditional "binders" in baking, too.)

    He said for really small kids like ours he would just use a flower-water-food coloring mixture in case they eat it.

    Hope you are now as thoroughly confused as I am!
     
  3. naomi02

    naomi02 Well-Known Member

    Thanks, that helps! So sounds like maybe the tempura is what I want, since it's more washable.
     
  4. dfaut

    dfaut 30,000-Post Club

    I buy the tempera too! (Tempura is a food thing :p ) The paint is tempera..... FYI
     
  5. twoin2005

    twoin2005 Well-Known Member

    Yeah, but even washable tempera needs to be treated and washed ASAP.

    We have some washable Crayola paints. They aren't tempera, but they work well.
     
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