Which fresco techniques did Michelangelo use for the Sistine Chapel ceiling?

To paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo primarily utilized the buon fresco technique. In this method, the artist paints rapidly onto wet plaster, allowing the pigments to bond with the surface as it dries.1

As he gained confidence in the medium, Michelangelo’s technical process evolved; he increasingly reduced his reliance on preparatory sketches and incisions on the plaster. Additionally, many scholars believe that he employed the fresco secco technique for intricate details, such as facial features. This method involves applying paint to a dry plaster surface, a common practice among fresco painters of the era used for refining work, correcting mistakes, or applying pigments that were not compatible with wet plaster.123