Frescos

The art of the Fresco is one of the oldest art forms in the world - longest lasting and the most arduous! Roger’s study of fresco methods and techniques comes from 30-plus years of working with this medium.

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Pre-dating recorded history, fresco came to be known during the Renaissance as “the Mother of All Arts.”  this is because learning to master the purest pigments and natural elements of fresco painting gives the artistic insight into every aspect of art.  
 

Fresco means “fresh” in Italian and refers to an art form with a canvas of wet plaster.  Pure pigments, suspended in distilled water, are drawn into the surface as the plaster dries. 

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While refined over time, the methods used today are similar to those that have been practiced for untold millennia.  Lime is quarried, kiln-fired, slaked, and applied to the fresco.  Soon, a chemical reaction takes place between the calcium hydroxide plaster and the carbon dioxide in the air.  During this time, the colors must be applied, since they will adhere to the new limestone crystals that are forming.  The lime then dries, sealing the pigment in as it reverts to its original rock-solid state.  

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Prior to any work proceeding, though, the artist spends many months planning and committing the design to paper.  Figure studies, cartoons, figure types, and poses all must be meticulously executed, along with overall logistics and preparations.

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Depending on their size, frescoes are painted in sections with each portion completed in a single day.  It is an unforgiving medium.  If mistakes are made, the plaster must be removed and the entire section begins again.  Because of the multiple steps in the process, the magnitude of work, and the importance of timeliness, frescoes are usually created by a team of collaborators. This may include the artist, an assistant, an associate artist, the mason, and the architect.  

 

When completed, the fresco is “married” to the building that houses it, creating a permanent masterpiece for the ages