How to Make a Fresco Painting
Create a full scale detailed compositional rendering., Create your color study., Prepare your plaster a few days in advance (the earlier the better - lime needs time to "adopt itself to the sand and gain plasticity) in proportion of 8 parts extra...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Create a full scale detailed compositional rendering.
Develop your cartoon and make a pounced tracing. -
Step 2: Create your color study.
It will be used for mixing the right color tones and for general color reference. ,, The scratch, brown/rough/float (arriccio), coat names reflect the grade of sand
- coarse, rough, fine.
After preceding coats are completely dry, depending on the size of the panel 2-7 days, apply an "Intonaco"
- final, painting coat on the day of painting.
In the beginning it is better to use a ceramic tile and only 2 coats "Arriccio" (base coat) and "Intonaco" (actual painting coat). , It will help to grind the base pigments with water into the paste in advance, storing them in sealed glass jars, this way in the morning (before the painting begins) there will be more time to prepare tone mixes.
To start with, try about 12 different colors.
Use freshly ground dry lime mixed with water as white (pigments mixed with lime and lime mixed for whites can not be saved).
Your mixes should be done ONLY with distilled water.
The best working pigments in fresco are the earth oxides and other mineral pigments.
Some pigments will not work with lime plaster at all
- some man made greens change to yellow when being mixed, as well as many other modern day pigments except the ones that specially formulated for the use with plasters.
Test the colors in advance by mixing little portions of them with lime.
Most art supply stores also have reference material on traditional fresco palettes. , They should also be round, flat, and in many sizes. , Wait about twenty minutes after applying the final intonaco (painting plaster coat).
Before starting to paint, make sure that the plaster is firm to touch (will not dent if pressed with a finger). , The under-painting is done with terra verde (green earth pigment) with shadows enhanced in umber (picture on the right) or with other colors, but remember in fresco it is not possible to completely paint out a "wrong" color therefore every tone should be carefully planned.
Another thing to remember is that plaster behaves differently during the day
- it will need more water in the tones at the beginning and the end of the day then in the middle and do not keep to much paint on the brush
- it will result in "blobs" squeeze it slightly between the fingers before touching the plaster. , The plaster enters what is sometimes called "the golden hour"
- painting is 3/4 done and plaster is in it's best stage.
Time to finish the detail pickup and blend color tones by passing over and over with layers of transparent color at (this stage the color mixes should be "wet" again).
Painter must work fast and precise at this stage because "golden hour" also means that plaster will soon "lock up"
- stop receiving paint (the paint will change to much lighter opaque tone as soon a it touches the plaster
- that is it put the brush down!).
One thing to remember is that in the next seven or so days following the painting the fresco will be undergoing the curing stage and this is a confidence test for the Artist.
Colors dry at different speed and plaster is naturally compacted unevenly although it looks flat and perfect changes to white faster in more compacted areas.
These are to of many other factors that make color in fresco change into discouraging cacophony for the first few days after the painting is finished.
But do not worry in about 7-10 days it will look even more beautiful and just a little lighter then the day it was painted. -
Step 3: Prepare your plaster a few days in advance (the earlier the better - lime needs time to "adopt itself to the sand and gain plasticity) in proportion of 8 parts extra fine sand to 5 parts slaked (pitted) lime or so
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Step 4: with the least water possible.
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Step 5: Put three coats of plaster on your panel at intervals of 5 days in between the coats or "wet on wet".
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Step 6: Prepare your colors.
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Step 7: Use soft
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Step 8: long bristle brushes.
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Step 9: Leave it to settle.
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Step 10: Tracing from the cartoon pounced along the lines with needle or pouncing wheel is laid over the plaster and dusted over with charcoal or simply incised (pressed along the lines) by the opposite end of a thin brush to provide the base guideline for the painting process.
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Step 11: The end of the day for the fresco painter is the most pleasant stage.
Detailed Guide
Develop your cartoon and make a pounced tracing.
It will be used for mixing the right color tones and for general color reference. ,, The scratch, brown/rough/float (arriccio), coat names reflect the grade of sand
- coarse, rough, fine.
After preceding coats are completely dry, depending on the size of the panel 2-7 days, apply an "Intonaco"
- final, painting coat on the day of painting.
In the beginning it is better to use a ceramic tile and only 2 coats "Arriccio" (base coat) and "Intonaco" (actual painting coat). , It will help to grind the base pigments with water into the paste in advance, storing them in sealed glass jars, this way in the morning (before the painting begins) there will be more time to prepare tone mixes.
To start with, try about 12 different colors.
Use freshly ground dry lime mixed with water as white (pigments mixed with lime and lime mixed for whites can not be saved).
Your mixes should be done ONLY with distilled water.
The best working pigments in fresco are the earth oxides and other mineral pigments.
Some pigments will not work with lime plaster at all
- some man made greens change to yellow when being mixed, as well as many other modern day pigments except the ones that specially formulated for the use with plasters.
Test the colors in advance by mixing little portions of them with lime.
Most art supply stores also have reference material on traditional fresco palettes. , They should also be round, flat, and in many sizes. , Wait about twenty minutes after applying the final intonaco (painting plaster coat).
Before starting to paint, make sure that the plaster is firm to touch (will not dent if pressed with a finger). , The under-painting is done with terra verde (green earth pigment) with shadows enhanced in umber (picture on the right) or with other colors, but remember in fresco it is not possible to completely paint out a "wrong" color therefore every tone should be carefully planned.
Another thing to remember is that plaster behaves differently during the day
- it will need more water in the tones at the beginning and the end of the day then in the middle and do not keep to much paint on the brush
- it will result in "blobs" squeeze it slightly between the fingers before touching the plaster. , The plaster enters what is sometimes called "the golden hour"
- painting is 3/4 done and plaster is in it's best stage.
Time to finish the detail pickup and blend color tones by passing over and over with layers of transparent color at (this stage the color mixes should be "wet" again).
Painter must work fast and precise at this stage because "golden hour" also means that plaster will soon "lock up"
- stop receiving paint (the paint will change to much lighter opaque tone as soon a it touches the plaster
- that is it put the brush down!).
One thing to remember is that in the next seven or so days following the painting the fresco will be undergoing the curing stage and this is a confidence test for the Artist.
Colors dry at different speed and plaster is naturally compacted unevenly although it looks flat and perfect changes to white faster in more compacted areas.
These are to of many other factors that make color in fresco change into discouraging cacophony for the first few days after the painting is finished.
But do not worry in about 7-10 days it will look even more beautiful and just a little lighter then the day it was painted.
About the Author
Jeffrey Murray
Creates helpful guides on lifestyle to inspire and educate readers.
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