Fresco

Glossary:

Affresco, buon fresco, fresco - Painting on freshly laid plaster with pigments dissolved in lime water. As both dry, a chemical reaction takes place. The carbon dioxide in the air combines with the calcium hydrate in the plaster, the paint becomes integrated with the wall.

Mezzo fresco - Painting in partially dry plaster. Also refers to a combination of buon fresco and secco fresco.

Secco fresco - Painting done on the dry surface of a plastered wall. A binder such as egg tempera is used to adhere the colors to the wall surface.

Arriccio - The under scratch coat of plaster laid on the masonary or onto a false wall.

Intonaco - The final smooth coat ready for painting.

Cartone (cartoon) – A full scale drawing traced onto the wall by use of a stylus or the spolvero method.

Sinopie - Full scale drawing with pigments directly on the arriccio.

Giornata - A days work. The amount of plastering and painting completed in one work unit or day.

Spolvero (pouncing) – After pricking the lines of the cartone, charcoal is dusted through the pin holes into the intanaco.

Steps for making a fresco

the specific site is identified.
Sketches and full scale drawing is prepared.
Arriccio (scratch coat) is applied or previous intanaco is scratched to function as the under or scratch coat.
Sinopie sketch is drawn on arriccio.
Lime and sand is mixed to make fresh plaster.
Intanaco is applied in sections using the contour lines of the sinopie sketch to determine the area to be plastered.
Colors are mixed while the intanaco is setting.
If a cartone (full scale drawing) has been created, this is transferred to the prepared section of intanaco.
Painting begins.
The contours of the giornata are beveled so that the next days intonaco will overlap the beveled edge and not the painted fresco.
The process of applying the intanaco and transferring the drawing is repeated for each section of the wall.
each day the painter must keep in mind that the colors on the wall appear different than as pure dry pigment.


	HOME
			Fresco
			Glossary: Affresco, buon fresco, fresco - Painting on freshly laid plaster with pigments dissolved in lime water. As both dry, a chemical reaction takes place. The carbon dioxide in the air combines with the calcium hydrate in the plaster, the paint becomes integrated with the wall. Mezzo fresco - Painting in partially dry plaster. Also refers to a combination of buon fresco and secco fresco. Secco fresco - Painting done on the dry surface of a plastered wall. A binder such as egg tempera is used to adhere the colors to the wall surface. Arriccio - The under scratch coat of plaster laid on the masonary or onto a false wall. Intonaco - The final smooth coat ready for painting. Cartone (cartoon) – A full scale drawing traced onto the wall by use of a stylus or the spolvero method. Sinopie - Full scale drawing with pigments directly on the arriccio. Giornata - A days work. The amount of plastering and painting completed in one work unit or day. Spolvero (pouncing) – After pricking the lines of the cartone, charcoal is dusted through the pin holes into the intanaco. Steps for making a fresco the specific site is identified. Sketches and full scale drawing is prepared. Arriccio (scratch coat) is applied or previous intanaco is scratched to function as the under or scratch coat. Sinopie sketch is drawn on arriccio. Lime and sand is mixed to make fresh plaster. Intanaco is applied in sections using the contour lines of the sinopie sketch to determine the area to be plastered. Colors are mixed while the intanaco is setting. If a cartone (full scale drawing) has been created, this is transferred to the prepared section of intanaco. Painting begins. The contours of the giornata are beveled so that the next days intonaco will overlap the beveled edge and not the painted fresco. The process of applying the intanaco and transferring the drawing is repeated for each section of the wall. each day the painter must keep in mind that the colors on the wall appear different than as pure dry pigment.

HOME