What is a Personalized Fresco Painting Curriculum?
At the beginning and as you progress, it is next to impossible to know or guess which subjects are the most viable to you. To define a sequence (order) they should be studied in is even harder!
We Will Help! Each student’s curriculum and study plan is individually crafted by Fresco School’s experts.
(For instance – it is impossible to understand why the colors are “muddy” without first learning when the plaster is ready to be painted on. In other words, if you get “muddy” colors that means that you have missed one of the plastering lessons).
We use traditional study focus presets, or use our curriculum subjects to create new. Subjects are thought using our Livestream Workshop/Class Unit structure.
POMPEIAN FRESCO TECHNIQUES
Students explore and practice specific fresco techniques used by Romans as well as the details of wall and panel preparation. During this class we focus on painting on 1 part lime 1 part marble meal (original “marmorino”) layer of plaster-system used in Pompeii. Students also learn about terra-cotta (hydraulic lime) based lime fresco plaster used by their Etruscan contemporaries. PFT as Stand Along Course
BYZANTINE FRESCO TECHNIQUES
Students learn painting techniques as practiced in Byzantium and, presently, in the Orthodox Christian tradition as well as details of wall and panel preparation. Students study specific methods of applying color and painting principles of the “canon” as well as discover merging points and cross-pollination with Italian frescoes. BFT as Stand Along Course
RENAISSANCE FRESCO TECHNIQUES
Students focus on the classic methods of buon fresco painting practiced during the Renaissance as well as study the details of wall and panel preparation. Student will further their understanding of the perspective, value range principals, verdaccio under-painting and its affect on the painting process. This preset is a direct follow up to the Buon Fresco Painting Foundations DVD Tutorial Set. RFT as Stand Along Course
TECHNIQUES OF SGRAFFITO
Students explore classic techniques of sgraffito as well as the details of wall and panel preparation. Learn about classic system of preparation of the colored plasters for base, intermediate and top layers of plaster. One-layer, two and three layer classic sgraffito systems with lime-paint and plaster top coats are studied and practiced. Sgraffito work often includes details painted in buon fresco which is also addressed during this workshop. TOF as Stand Along Course
FRESCO ORNAMENTATION & SURFACES
Student focus on the ornamentation, trompe l’oeil elements and decorative buon fresco surfaces as well as the details of wall and panel preparation. This is not a culture/period specific workshop and the students are free to choose from variety of options from frescoes of India or China, Aztec or Inka, Western Europe or Byzantium and more. FOS as Stand Along Course
CONTEMPORARY FRESCO
Students explore contemporary non-representational styles and concepts and apply them to traditional buon fresco technique. Exploration of textures and forms are the integral part of this preset. Details of wall, panel and 3-dimensional object preparation for application of fresco are studied and practiced. CF as Stand Along Course
List of Curriculum Subjects:
- Foundations of the Fresco Plaster
- Form and Value Range Principles, Fresco Cartoon.
- Fresco Pigments & Paint Foundations
- Foundations of Fresco Verdaccio
- Fresco Color Foundations
- Worldwide History of Fresco
- Byzantine Fresco Iconography - Canon
- Forms of Art in relation to Fresco (mural, ceiling mural, painting-panel, sculpture)
- Styles in relation to Fresco - their affect on the technical application of the medium of fresco
- Fresco Plaster Variations and Sgraffito
- Fresco Cartoon for Sgraffito
- Opaque, Transparent and Combined Fresco Methods
- Fresco PLASTER - for Opaque, Transparent, Airbrush and Combined (Renaissance) methods
- Fresco Cartoon for Opaque, Transparent, Airbrush and Combined (Renaissance) methods
- Transparent - fresco method (Rivera/Pompeii)
- Opaque - fresco method (Modern/Byzantine)
- Combined - renaissance fresco method
- Airbrush - fresco method (Siqueiros)
- Mezzo Fresco Techniques
- Support for Frescoes - Walls, Panels, Tiles, Clay Lath and 3d
- Strappo - fresco removal methods
- Secco Fresco methods
FSOA program 4+ hrs workshop/class livestream units (prerequisite: FS Membership)
Follow-Along Practice Sessions
Advanced Fresco Plaster I – Part 1 (wall, panel, tile)
Advanced Fresco Plaster II – Part 2 (topcoats and finishing styles)
Advanced Fresco Plaster III – Part 3 (focus on giornata)
Fresco Sgraffito – Part 1 (plasters & techniques)
Fresco Sgraffito – Part 2 (styles & variations)
Extended Fresco Pigments & Paint with Natural Lime and Clay paints & topcoats (limewash, chalk and clay paint systems)
Fresco and Sgraffito Tools and Equipment
Contemporary Design Tools & Advanced Cartoon
Units available individually in group workshops (see Calendar for availability) or privately (contact us with your needs) and as a set within personalized curriculum with FS Apprentice Subscription.
FSOA program 1 hr one-on-one livestream seminars.
Unmetered phone and email support for active FSOA Program participants (based on our schedule and availability).
You have 3 options:
Open Demos & Classes
View CalendarView our calendar for available Demos and Workshop Units for self guided study as a pay-per-class model
Private On Demand
Request a Class/SeminarRequest Private one-on-one Livestream workshop class/unit(s), Preset Multi-Unit Individual (private) Course or a preset workshop for a group
FSOA Programs
Register for FSOARegister for our guided FSOA Program that is tailored to your schedule.
Sgraffito Fresco Fireplace Mantel – Foundations OnLine Workshop – February 15-and-22 2025
To stay updated on all new Demos, Workshops and Classes subscribe to our calendar. Alternatively you can subscribe to our email FSOA Fresco Live! Newsletter.
I often post last minute Livestreams from my studio, sometimes just a few hours ahead. In order to not miss an important stream, subscribe to the calendar itself and be notified in real time.