I believe, moreover, that acquaintance with a technique from the past which points to solutions of some problems which exist today will advance the pursuit of the ideal methods for our time. They have continued to paint in tempera or returned to painting in oil with no feeling that their submission had cost them any personal liberty, and with some gain in clarity and power. If he wants to sketch, and feel his way, and capitalize happy accidents, it will be no good to him. If he wants to catch the essence of some passing moment in his painting, some instantaneous effect of atmosphere or expression, to suggest some elusive, indescribable effect, Cennino's mantle will hang heavy on his shoulders. If he has a well-defined pictorial idea, he may do well with it.
Tempera is good for rendering certain types of clearly formulized graphic conceptions.
It requires clarity in formulation. It cannot adapt itself to any vagueness. It is not well adapted to works of large size. The normal range that it covers comfortably and easily and naturally lies between twenty square inches and twenty square feet. It is not well adapted for painting in a low key.