Italian „fresco“ means „fresh“. Fresco describes a way of painting with water dissolved pigments onto newly applied plaster. While hardening, the plaster and pigments alter into carbonate, which means that painting and ground become an inseparably unit. Fresco is a challenging practice, demanding technical and artistic skills. It has to be carried out in situ and requires a very precise time scale. Several coats of plaster have to be applied, and painted when the plaster is neither too humid nor too dry (know professionally as “daily tasks”). Frescoes display an unique lustre. In the exterior its much-vaunted durability is endangered by acid rain.

Painting with acrylic or tempera paint always is carried out as secco painting (Italian “secco” means “dry”), which means that the surface has already hardened when the artist starts painting. Acrylic paintings on hard plaster, wall coverings and canvas are never fresco paintings, even if they are claimed to be so. “Fresco workshops” often turn out as a painting class in which antique motifs are copied in acrylics.

By contrast Atelier Benad also offers pure fresco paintings, collaborating with professional fettlers and stucco plasterers.