09_Fresco with marble dust

Gonzalo Espinosa painted a fresco on with marble dust and high quality fresco lime, aged 2 years, from Sinopia (on 14 September, 2009). That combination made a beautiful intonaco fresco plaster paste, drier and thicker than bread dough, which applied smoothly like butter. However the fresco started cracking severely soon after he started painting. I think the support was too dry. We should have soaked the Hardibacker tile overnight, instead of just for 15 minutes.



Marble dust and fresco lime from Sinopia:


Soaked Hardibacker cement tile for 15 minutes:


Half scoop of marble dust:


Half scoop of Sinopia lime:


It seemed too dry to mix at first:


Thoroughly mixed, the marble dust fresco plaster made a nice paste:


The fresco plaster spread smoothly like butter:


Covered tile:


Troweling polished the intonaco fresco plaster:


Trimmed the edges:


Tile polished and glistening, will dry soon enough to paint on:


Set up with Mayan Blue only:


Maestro Gonzalo begins:


First strokes:


Fills space:


Hair strokes transparent, and blended a bit:






Fresco started cracking while Gonzalo was still painting:



Covered in cracks, days later, after fresco dried: