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How does fresco painting work?

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Charles Sprague Pearce: Religion — Mural Detail of *Religion*, mural in lunette from the Family and Education series by Charles Sprague Pearce, 1897; in the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.

Fresco is a method of mural painting that involves applying water-based pigments to plaster surfaces. There are two primary techniques:

Buon Fresco

Often called "true" fresco, this is the most durable method. The process involves:
* Preparation: Three coats of plaster are applied to a wall. The final, smooth layer is called the intonaco.
* Application: Artists paint on the intonaco while it is still wet. Because the plaster must remain moist, the work is divided into sections called giornate (a "day's work").
* Binding: As the plaster dries, the pigment particles become chemically bound into the wall surface, making the painting an integral part of the structure rather than a layer on top.12

Fresco Secco

Meaning "dry fresco," this method is used for detailed work or retouching. Instead of wet plaster, the artist paints on a dry wall that has been soaked with limewater. In this process, the colors form a surface film rather than penetrating the wall.12