Fresco-secco
Encyclopedia
Fresco-secco is a fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...

 painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...

 technique in which pigments ground in water are tempered using egg yolk or whole egg mixed with water which are applied to plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...

 that has been moistened (using this temper) to simulate fresh plaster. No white is used (as in watercolour painting). In true fresco (buon fresco
Buon fresco
Buon fresco is a fresco painting technique in which alkaline resistant pigments, ground in water, are applied to plaster when it is still wet, as opposed to fresco-secco...

), the plaster is still fresh and has not dried when the watercolors are introduced. It is also common to use white to lighten colours in fresco.

Because the pigments do not become part of the wall, as in buon fresco, fresco-secco paintings are less durable. The colors may flake off the painting as time goes by, but this technique has the advantages of a longer working time and retouchability.

The treatise Silparatna by Kumaradeva
Kumaradeva
Kumaradeva was an Indian sculptor from the 8th century. His works include The Buddhist Goddess Shyama Tara Attended by Sita Tara and Bhrikuti He is also the author of the treatise Silparatna, which gives an account of the Fresco-secco painting technology in detail...

 (8th century) gives an account of the Fresco-secco painting technology in detail. According to this text, a picture should be painted with appropriate colours, along with proper forms and sentiments (rasas), and moods and actions (bhavas). White, yellow, red, black and terre - verte are pointed out in the text as pure
colors. Different shades were also prepared from these original colors. Five types of brushes with various shapes and size (flat, long, medium etc.) made of animal hair and grass fibre are also recommended.

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Specialist painter and decorators still use this technique to great effect in the world of interior design e.g faux marble.
A Scottish artist working in this technique is June McEwan who re creates historic Scottish interiors.
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