Some of the colors didn't adhere to the intonaco layer. The lime / sand mixture was 40-60, and though it took a long time for the layer to dry and lay my traced pounce drawing on the surface ( about 2 hours! ), I finally was able to do so and begin painting. I first tried to lay in some of the shadows and darks with transparent earth colors ( umbers, bohemian green earth ) etc., but some of them didn't carbonize and after two days of drying, the pigment flaked off when rubbed lightly with my finger, especially the browns. Some colors 'took' ok, the more dye-like pigments, but the chaulkier ones just seemed to dry on top. I don't think that the lime surface had "locked up" yet, so something else happened. Anyway, when I sprayed the dry painting with a garden hose, all the pigments peeled away. This has been a great setback for me, after months of research, materials gathering, expense, etc. A failed painting doesn't bother me so much, but a failed process stops me cold; I don't know how to go on and do it right.

>Some of the colors didn't adhere to the intonaco
>layer. The lime / sand mixture was 40-60, and
>though it took a long time for the layer to dry
>and lay my traced pounce drawing on the surface
>( about 2 hours! ),

The mix was way-too-wet for that, try 4-5 parts lime putty to 8 parts sand. No water! It might be a little difficult to mix but after about 20 min of mixing it should be like butter.

>I finally was able to do so
>and begin painting. I first tried to lay in
>some of the shadows and darks with transparent
>earth colors ( umbers, bohemian green earth )
>etc., but some of them didn't carbonize and
>after two days of drying, the pigment flaked off
>when rubbed lightly with my finger, especially
>the browns. Some colors 'took' ok, the more
>dye-like pigments,

Colors should be "die-like", not as thin as ink, but thin enough to run freely from the brush. The depth of the tone achieved by layers - not by the thinkness (of paint). The depth is in underpainting (umber or verdaccio).

In any case you should wait at least a week before you can call it dry (not just two days)
Also colors will dry with a different speed as well as the color of plaster itself will be changing from grayish to white unevenly and for over a week. This will result in-a-bit-of-a-mess in looks of the fresco. DO NOT WORRY IN ABOUT A WEEK COLORS WILL PULL TOGETHER NATURALY! The plaster has to dry, that is it.

look for steps at:
http://FrescoSchool.com

>but the chaulkier ones just
>seemed to dry on top. I don't think that the
>lime surface had "locked up" yet, so something
>else happened.

When mix is "too wet", by the time it becomes "paintable" it very much could be already "locked" especially if you use construction lime, the one that is sold in powdered form in bags - type "S". high content of magnesium in it added for quick setting - hence the name is "S" (stands for "special"), If you are to use bagged limes from general places - look for type "N" (normal). However those limes are not ment for fresco painting.

You would find a whole lot of difference using Italian Lime Fresco Putty from:
http://truefresco.com/frescoshoppe
(it is not a "sales pitch" for what it is - this lime is produced specificaly for fresco painting)

>Anyway, when I sprayed the dry
>painting with a garden hose, all the pigments
>peeled away. This has been a great setback for
>me, after months of research, materials
>gathering, expense, etc. A failed painting
>doesn't bother me so much, but a failed process
>stops me cold; I don't know how to go on and do
>it right.

Take our workshop. At our Los Angeles location we offer classes from one to five days starting at $295 (all materials included)

http://www.truefresco.com/workshop/west_coast_fresco_workshops.html

Thanks for your reply Ilia; your advice will be heeded. The lime that I used was supposed to be Type N, ( not Type S ), the label stated: Hydrated Lime, 92% Calcium Hydroxide...8% inert ingredients. I just can't afford the lime putty that you mentioned; wish I could ! And the workshop isn't in the cards for me either; wish it was! I'll definitely use more sand in the final layer on my next attempt, and also use more transparent layers to "build up" the darks. I was unable to find a good Green Earth for underpainting; both sources of pigments, that I know of, could no longer get "Terra Verde"; if that's what you mean by Verdaccio. But, I'm a bit confused about the initial painting; I've read that the strongest dark lines should be painted first, as the blacks or umbers need more time to 'sink in'...not so? For example, the outlines around the eyes of a portrait etc. Also, I left some intonaco surface unpainted to see what it would look like dry, and it was very beautiful; hard and crystal-like,...but where the colors were painted, the surface did not have that bright egg-shell quality. Does that sheen come later, or does that show that the pigments did not carbonize? Your insights are deeply appreciated.

> I was unable to find a good Green Earth for
>underpainting; both sources of pigments, that I
>know of, could no longer get "Terra Verde"; if
>that's what you mean by Verdaccio. But, I'm a

Verdaccio is a mixed color (in the old books it is refered to as a mixture of "white, ochre, black and the touch of red" - however it nowdays it is premade and sold by suppliers (i get my from Florence) it could be also composed of green earth, raw umber, and some ochre (do it in a dry form this way you will have this color consistant throuhout your frescoes).

>bit confused about the initial painting; I've
>read that the strongest dark lines should be
>painted first, as the blacks or umbers need more
>time to 'sink in'...not so? For example, the
>outlines around the eyes of a portrait etc.

I do not see much difference in 'sinking in' all colors set a little slower at the beginning of the day and darks also the painting should be done in the "semi-transparent manner" - no flat color look! This makes it close to impossible to use dark lines at any time but in underpainting. Check http://truefresco.org for the latest article and http:truefresco.net for the pictures (you can go to http://frescoschool.com and click photos).

>Also, I left some intonaco surface unpainted to
>see what it would look like dry, and it was very
>beautiful; hard and crystal-like,...but where
>the colors were painted, the surface did not
>have that bright egg-shell quality. Does that
>sheen come later, or does that show that the
>pigments did not carbonize? Your insights are
>deeply appreciated.

Your colors were too thick, and it is too soon to talk or advise you on how to have that sheen all over the surface. As an encouragement - most of the frescoes do not have this sheen all over the surface anyway.

Ilia,...great advice! Thanks. Especially about mixing the verdoccio dry, which I'll try with the colors I have . Don't have raw umber, just raw sienna and burnt umber. I made new test tiles with more sand mix, maybe too much sand this time, as things dried very fast. I also tried floating on one test and troweling on another. The floated test came out too sandy, the sand comes off on my finger, though the rougher look is nice. Had trouble with making white work. I used blance fixe, which I understood to be "fresco white", a finely mixed lime, is that true? Anyway, it did not adhere, by itself or when mixed with other colors. Had some success with these colors: bohemian green earth ( an ugly color ), french ochre, caput mortum, and cobalt blue medium. But other colors like: cad yellow light, manganese brown, cobalt green did not take at all. If I could get a few warm colors , a few cool colors, and a good dark to work, and also be able to use white with them, I believe I could make some kind of a painting out it. I would like to try another painting soon. The 'truefresco.org' site is really good, I'll go there often. Your workshop would be by far the best thing, I know that. Maybe someday.

> I used blance fixe, which I
>understood to be "fresco white", a finely mixed
>lime, is that true? Anyway, it did not adhere,
>by itself or when mixed with other colors.

No, fresco white is lime, but not "blance fixe" (chalk)
dry up some lime putty and than crush it into fine powder - you will get what you need. Try testing it and you will see that BF does not have any taste chalk is chalk, the white you've mixed will have alkaline, bitter taste.
Mix with water enough to use during the day - you cannot keep it wet - is swells.

>Had
>some success with these colors: bohemian green
>earth ( an ugly color ), french ochre, caput
>mortum, and cobalt blue medium. But other
>colors like: cad yellow light, manganese brown,
>cobalt green did not take at all. If I could
>get a few warm colors , a few cool colors, and
>a good dark to work

somewhere in fresco forum is a list of pigments that are good for fresco, I think topic called "Storing Pigments"

>and also be able to use
>white with them, I believe I could make some
>kind of a painting out it. I would like to try
>another painting soon.

Use the right lime and everything will "stick"

The 'truefresco.org'
>site is really good, I'll go there often. Your
>workshop would be by far the best thing, I know
>that. Maybe someday.

(ps. get on the maillist if you are not on it yet - soon we will offer lime putty for undercoats, we have tested it for 6 years and it sets faster and stronger,
also it is 1/2 the price of intonaco lime that we sell
at http://truefresco.com/frescoshoppe
HOWEVER this (new undercoats lime putty) is not to be used for intonaco (painting layer))

http://FrescoSchool.com

(