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Materials, Techniques and Processes - Painting: Timeless and Honoured - Fresco: all in a day's work

4 important questions on Materials, Techniques and Processes - Painting: Timeless and Honoured - Fresco: all in a day's work

What are the basics of fresco?

Fresco is made out of lime-proof pigments mixed with water, painted into the surface of a freshly lime-plastered wall. The paint is absorbed rather quickly into the plaster, making it very durable.

What are the limitations of fresco?

1. The work generally cannot be moved anywhere else than where it was created.
2. It is susceptible to damp and earthquakes which can damage the plaster.
3. The plaster has to be applied in sections, and once it's dried, it won't receive the paint as well.

What are the two types of fresco?

1. Buon fresco, or fresco applied on wet plaster.
2. Fresco in secco, or fresco applied to dry plaster.

Why can frescos look like jigsaw puzzles?

Because new plaster has to be applied every day and yesterday's work cannot be changed unless the old plaster is fully removed and then redone. This creates a pattern of pieces, each of which is called a giornate - a day's work.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Thinking About Art A Thematic Guide to Art History | 9781118905166 | Penny Huntsman

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