ARTT 034C. Painting III: Fresco Painting

This course offers an introduction to the materials, methods, and chemistry of buon fresco: the ancient craft of wall-painting with earth and mineral pigments onto freshly applied lime plaster. Working from recipes and instructions gleaned from artists' accounts and painting manuals, students will gain hands-on experience with every step of the fresco-painting process: we will grind earth and mineral pigments, mix and apply lime plasters, and paint with pigment suspensions using bristle brushes. Students can expect to develop both troweling and painting skills, and to discover the nuances of color and texture that can only be achieved through various combinations of natural pigments and plaster. In addition to the work of plastering and painting, the course will also encourage descriptive and instructional writing, diagrammatic drawing, and photographic documentation as tools for craft stewardship and technical knowledge-sharing. Occasional lectures will provide an historic overview of fresco painting and its uses across cultures.
Prerequisite: Painting I or II or permission of the instructor.
Humanities.
1 credit.
Fall 2023. Capanna.
Fall 2024. Capanna.
Catalog chapter: Art and Art History: Art
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/art

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