Thank you so much for your reply Gary? Very helpfull and encouraging. Thats so funny that you recomended that book by Jocasta Innes. I have been reading that for some time now, i found it in my library last year sometime and Loved it instantly. I found it the most helpfull amongst all the books our library provides.

I have a couple more questions for Ilia, or anyone who beleives they can help.

1- Okay, so after 4 attempts at fresco on the backs of tiles, i have finally found the correct recipe for my Arriccio and and Intonaco. NO CRACKS!!!! Yaaaa. (though they look pretty cool none the less i must say). My paint is adhering and everything seems to be going pretty good. My next problem is my surface. I can't seem to get the intonaco to go smooth like glass. First of all i understand tha perhaps it may be attributed to my Trowel. Im using a really cheap one with little bend and I'm hoping to get a new one soon, a little more flexible. but it seems it has to do with the sand in it. I'm using pulverized marble for my intonaco, i sift it through a screen, but still it c omes out quite bumpy, and no matter how much or little io trowel i can't get it any smoother. I find the more i beat and mix it before hand the creamier the lime becomes. Do you think that if i used something like en electric beater it would help me any? Or would that be too much. Now that i get no cracks, in my next attempt i am going to try even less marble in the mixture and see if that won't help with the smoothness of the final product, yet still refraining from cracking. So basically, im just wondering hopw to get a glassier surface? Any help?

2- I am using River sand for my Arriccio. I don't buy it, but rather go down to the river and i have found a sand deposit down there that i take it from, bring i home, seive it and wash it the best i can. Is this okay? is that what you mean by river sand, or is it just a name tacked to another kind. it seems to be working, but its SUPER gritty. Like cement almost.

3- How important is it for me to use -'distilled water'? For my first batch of lime i just used tap water. Could this cause me any problems while i am learning?

Anyways, thats all that comes to mind at the moment. ao i will leave you with that and see if you can't help me out at all. thank you all soo much. Keep thinking, learning and discussing. (this is soo much fun!!!)

Ryan Van Dijk