GESSO
FRESCO produces the look and feel of fresco surfaces on
the painted canvas. Here, the white gesso ground is built up in
thick layers with various knives. Oil paint is then applied and
quickly removed, leaving a stained effect upon the textured areas.
Buon Fresco, or true fresco, is a method of painting into
wet lime plaster. Pigment grounds mixed in water were
applied to the surface and bound themselves as the
plaster dried.
The gesso fresco method is accentuated in certain areas
of the canvas (as shown above in the handling of the figure),
giving the paintings surface a tonal and textural quality
similar to those found on ancient frescoed walls.
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