What Is a Fresco?

Fresco is one of the most significant mural techniques in art history. Although it is most often associated with the artistic Renaissance, frescoes were used thousands of years earlier. Today, they inspire artists from both the past and the present.

Created by painting directly onto plaster, frescoes offer a durability not found in every form of art. It is no surprise that contemporary muralists also seek out this technique. Well-preserved masterpieces are proof of this, including the walls of Pompeii and the work of Renaissance artist Michelangelo, especially the world-famous ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

What Is a Fresco?

A fresco is a type of painting made by applying paint to a room’s wall or ceiling, by applying pigment to the intonaco (the top layer of plaster). The Italian word fresco means “fresh,” because the intonaco beneath a true fresco must be wet when the paint is applied. This means applying pigment directly to wet plaster, which makes the colors and the painting itself long-lasting.

Types of Frescoes

There are three common types of frescoes: buon (true), secco (dry), and mezzo (medium).

When painting a buon fresco (“true fresco”), the artist works directly on wet plaster. Because intonaco is naturally adhesive, the pigment used does not need a binding medium to bond the paint to the wall. Instead, it can simply be mixed with water.

In contrast, a secco (“dry fresco”) uses dry plaster as its canvas. For the paint to adhere to the wall, the pigments used must be mixed with a binding medium, such as glue or egg yolk.

Mezzo ("medium fresco") fresco is painted on nearly dry to semi-dry intonaco. During the Renaissance, this type of fresco became widely used and eventually surpassed buon fresco in popularity.

Artists use handmade paints when painting frescos. They are made from mineral pigments obtained from the earth. These pigments are the most resistant to the alkaline effects of lime, which quickly destroys the color’s saturation and brightness. The pigments are mixed with distilled water and stored mostly in glass containers.

Artists use all kinds of fibers for brushes, but stiffer animal bristles are the most common. Whether the brushes are round or flat depends on the areas being painted and the type of fresco. Be careful with very fine bristles, though, as they can fall out and leave unwanted fibers in your fresco.

Today, we covered a little theory, summed up the main types of frescos, and, most importantly, explained what a fresco actually is. Next time, we’ll explore the history of this type of painting and discuss the most famous frescos in the art world.

With joy,

Sabína