I guess you didn't get my last message. Shame.

Here's some info to get you started:-
Traditionally frescoes were done in lime and sand.
Try http://www.pbs.org/fresco/matter.html/PBSonline (Fresco:learn more).
http://www.artswire.org/Community/afmadams/afm/page1a/html
(Arts Foundation of Michigan Fresco Workshop)
http://hp1.switchboard.com/FetchPage/29523/default.htm
(High Fresco A Television Documentary by Mark Wade Stone)

Books with great info are:-
Materials & Methods of Painting
by Lynton Lamb
and the following held in Brixton Tate Library:-
Plastering, Plain & Decorative: A Practical Treatise on the Art & Craft
by William Millar (pub 1897)
The Art of Fresco Painting
by Mrs Merrifield (pub 1846)
Fresco Painting - It's Art & Technique
by James Ward (pub 1909)

You'll have to plaster too, so:-
Plastering
by J B Taylor
Plastering: A craftsmans Encyclopedia
by WD Stagg & BF Pegg.

Hope this info is helpful to you.

As my last message has gone astray I should mention that I too am English and I am training to be a plassterer.

Good luck - let me know if I can help further.

Do you have access to the Merriweather and the Ward books? These are very expensive now - over $200 US each. Is it possible to forward selected tidbits via photocopy/scan (?) - copyright has expired, so no problem there.

Your plastering brother
Gary