Buon Fresco Technique
(English term - True Fresco)
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| | Buon Fresco or Affresco. Painting done on freshly laid wet plaster with pigments dissolved in lime water. As both dry they become completely integrated.
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In true fresco the artist must start applying his colors on the wet intonaco (painting plaster layer) as soon as it has been prepared and laid on the wall. The colors can thus be absorbed by the wet plaster. When it dries and hardens, the colors become one with plaster.
Technically speaking the plaster does not "dry" but rather a chemical reaction occurs in which calcium carbonate is formed as a result of carbon dioxide from the air combining with the calcium hydrate in the wet plaster.
Boun Frescos can be divided into three categories which would have slight differences in application and surface preparation:
I. Monumental (Large, Stationary) Buon Frescoes.
- Large, multiple giornata, Wall or Ceiling Frescos painted directly on plastered walls or ceilings, including large frescoes painted on "offset, stationary fresco wall-panels"
II. Transportable Buon Fresco Panels
- One or Two giornatas Frescoes painted on transportable panels.
III. Small, Decorative Buon Frescos on Ceramic or Stone Tiles.
Throughout these tutorials we will pay special attention to those differences.
Please pay close attention to the order of the Contents - this is not random or "just because". The way we set it up is the result of over 7 years of teaching our real-life Fresco Workshops. Please follow the order and you WILL succeed!
Contents
FRESCO MATERIALS & SUPPLIES
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
STUDIO SETUP
FRESCO CARTOON
COLOR STUDIES
FRESCO PLASTER COATS
- Scratch Coat
- Rough Coat
- Brown/Float Coat (arriccio)
- Intonaco
- Pompeii Intonaco
- Giornata
DECORATIVE FRESCO TILES
- Preparation & Tools
- Plaster & Plastering
- Plaster Coats
FRESCO PANELS
- Preparation & Tools
- Plaster & Plastering
- Plaster Coats
WALL & CEILING
- Preparation & Tools
- Plaster & Plastering
- Plaster Coats
SINOPIA
COLORS & PAINT
BRUSHES
PAINTING THE BUON FRESCO
- Cartoon Transfer (pouncing) & Imprimatura
- Pompeian Imprimatura & Air Brushing
- Verdaccio (underpainting)
- Building the Color
- Polishing & Blending
- Golden Hour
- The End of the Day
- Giornata Trimming
RETOUCHING
FRESCO MATERIALS & SUPPLIES
Detailed list of Materials and Supplies needed for Buon Fresco painting and plastering. Includes complete list of lime proof fresco pigments, grinding tools, drafting and poncing tools, lime putty and plaster aggregates, plastering tools with descriptions merchant guide and shopping resources.
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
Extended list of tools, plastering equipment and devices for large frescoes. Includes power tools, scaffold, mixers, ladders, storage units, etc.
SUDIO SETUP
Helpful guide on fresco studio setup. Provides tips and suggestions on lights and lighting, furniture, shelving, etc.
FRESCO CARTOON
Tutorial for making of the Fresco Cartoon. Composition design and perspective with Giornata in mind, includes Small Fresco Cartoon guide.
COLOR STUDIES
Color Studies for fresco in acrylic, tempera oils and fresco from renderings and scaled studies to color renditions of important details and elements of the future fresco.
FRESCO PLASTER COATS & MORTAR
Illustrated guide on fresco plaster coats and mortar. Includes Pompeii fresco plastering technique chapter and overview of sgraffito.
DECORATIVE FRESCO TILES
Guide on selecting and preparing of the fresco tile for small decorative fresco or color study for a large one. The best place to start for a novice.
IN EDITING
FRESCO PANELS
Everything about Fresco Panels or boards for transportable buon frescoes. Panels can be used for original, stand along small scale, fine-art-type one-two giornata frescoes, fresco studies, fresco portraits.
IN EDITING
FRESCO WALLS & CEILINGS
Guide for Fresco Wall and Ceiling preparation and plastering. Buildig of offset wall panel and specialty ceiling plaster application tutorial.
IN EDITING
SINOPIA
Underdrawing for fresco made with reddish, greenish or brownish earth colour with water brushed on the Ariccio layer, over which the Intonaco is applied before painting. Sinopia got it's name from red ochre mined at the town of Sinope.
IN EDITING
FRESCO COLORS & PAINTS
Guide to Fresco Colors and Paints. Mixing, storing, conditioning, selecting and testing.
IN EDITING
FRESCO BRUSHES
Fresco Brushes guide, includes how-to make special brushes for variety of fresco applications.
IN EDITING
PAINTING THE BUON FRESCO
Step-by-step tutorial on the actual buon (true) fresco painting process from start to finish.
IN EDITING
RETOUCHING & GUILDING
Retouching complete buon fresco, introduction to secco fresco. Guilding the buon fresco.
IN EDITING
Copyright 2005++ iLia Anossov & Fresco School