Fresco Painting
Fresco word comes from the Italian word which means fresh. It is the oldest form of technology which involves thorough knowledge of arts, mediums, and techniques. It also involves drafting skills, understanding of compositions, traditional techniques, and history of styles and requires strong organizational skills.
The word fresco is commonly and inaccurately used in English to refer to any wall painting regardless of the plaster technology or binding medium. This, in part, contributes to a misconception that the most geographically and temporally common wall painting technology was the painting into wet lime plaster. Even in apparently Buon fresco technology, the use of supplementary organic materials was widespread, if underrecognized.
It is a form of mural painting wherein earth pigments are painted directly on fresh and wet lime plaster. Water is used to settle the plaster due to which it becomes an integral part of the wall. This art is ideal for creating murals because of its monumental style, durability, and matte surface. Buon fresco pigment is mixed with room temperature water on a thin layer of fresh and wet plaster. This plaster absorbs the pigment and after a few hours, the plaster dries and reacts with the air.

The Creation of Adam, a detail of the fresco Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo
Technique
The pigments of the Buon fresco were mixed with water at room temperature and applied over a thin layer of wet, moist plaster, called intonaco (after the Italian word for plaster). Because of the chemical makeup of the plaster, a binder is not required, as the pigment mixed solely with the water will sink into the intonaco, which itself becomes the medium holding the pigment. The pigment is absorbed by the wet plaster; after a number of hours, the plaster dries in reaction to air: it is this chemical reaction that fixes the pigment particles in the plaster.
In painting buon fresco, a rough underlayer called the arriccio is added to the whole area to be painted and allowed to dry for some days. Many artists sketched their compositions on this underlayer, which would never be seen, in a red pigment called sinopia, a name also used to refer to these under-paintings. On the day of painting, the intonaco, a thinner, smooth layer of fine plaster was added to the amount of wall that was expected to be completed that day, sometimes matching the contours of the figures or the landscape, but more often just starting from the top of the composition. This area is called the giornata ("day's work"), and the different day stages can usually be seen in a large fresco, by a faint seam that separates one from the next.

A Roman fresco of a young man from the Villa di Arianna, Stabiae, 1st century AD.
Buon frescoes are difficult to create because of the deadline associated with the drying plaster. Generally, a layer of plaster will require ten to twelve hours to dry; ideally, an artist would begin to paint after one hour and continue until two hours before the drying time—giving seven to nine hours' working time. Once a giornata is dried, no more buon fresco can be done, and the unpainted intonaco must be removed with a tool before starting again the next day. If mistakes have been made, it may also be necessary to remove the whole intonaco for that area—or to change them later, a secco.
One of the first painters in the post-classical period to use this technique was the Isaac Master (or Master of the Isaac fresco, and thus a name used to refer to the unknown master of a particular painting) in the Upper Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi. A person who creates fresco is called a frescoist.
History
Egypt and Ancient Near East
The first known Egyptian fresco was found in Tomb 100 at Hierakonpolis, and dated to c. 3500–3200 BC. Several of the themes and designs visible in the fresco are otherwise known from other Naqada II objects, such as the Gebel el-Arak Knife. It shows the scene of a "Master of Animals", a man fighting against two lions, individual fighting scenes, and Egyptian and foreign boats. Ancient Egyptians painted many tombs and houses, but those wall paintings are not frescoes.
An old fresco from Mesopotamia is the Investiture of Zimri-Lim (modern Syria), dating from the early 18th century BC.

The first known Egyptian fresco, Tomb 100, Hierakonpolis, Naqada II culture (c. 3500–3200 BCE)

Investiture of Zimri-Lim, Syria, fresco painted c. 1770 BCE
Aegean civilizations
The oldest frescoes were done in the buon fresco method date from the first half of the second millennium BCE during the Bronze Age and are to be found among Aegean civilizations, more precisely Minoan art from the island of Crete and other islands of the Aegean Sea. The most famous of these, the Bull-Leaping Fresco, depicts a sacred ceremony in which individuals jump over the backs of large bulls. The oldest surviving Minoan frescoes are found on the island of Santorini (classically known as Thera), dated to the Neo-Palatial period (c. 1640–1600 BC).
While some similar frescoes have been found in other locations around the Mediterranean basin, particularly in Egypt and Morocco, their origins are subject to speculation. Some art historians believe that fresco artists from Crete may have been sent to various locations as part of a trade exchange, a possibility which raises to the fore the importance of this art form within the society of the times. The most common form of the fresco was Egyptian wall paintings in tombs, usually using the secco technique.

The Fisherman, Minoan Bronze Age fresco from Akrotiri, on the Aegean island of Santorini (classically Thera), dated to the Neo-Palatial period (c. 1640–1600 BC).
Fresco of India
Fresco of India are one of a kind and the process of making one is equally unique. The painting is created on freshly plastered walls, allowing the painting to sink into the plastered surface and become one with the wall. Many artists have called them ‘traditional wallpapers’.
Being one of the oldest art techniques, a fresco tour to India would be rich in history and local culture. Perhaps the most ancient Indian fresco paintings are found in the Ajanta and Ellora caves. These, which showcase the instances from Buddha’s life, date back to 200 to 600 B.C.

Ajanta Cave

Fresco from the Ajanta Caves built and painted during the Gupta Empire in the 6th century AD
Chola frescoes were discovered underneath the paintings of the Nayak period. These frescoes had an element of Shaivism in them. The frescoes and sculptures in the cave temples of Ellora and Elephanta were probably built later than the ones in Ajanta. These frescoes and sculptures depict Hindu tales and metaphors and in style they evolve from the earlier Ajanta styles. The depiction of the eyes is a unique quality in the frescos of Ajanta. The eyes of the princess, kings and celestial gods are of meditative nature in order to depict the sublime look of grace and compassion.

Ellora Cave
While some Frescos were recreationally made and were basic in their technique, others were politically influenced and filled with intent. An example of the latter is this Fresco from 1732 which was drawn in revelry when the Shekhawati Rajputs were defeating and forcing the Mughals out. During the Mughal Era, fresocs were used for making interior design on walls and inside the ceilings of domes.

The ceiling of Begum Shahi mosque in Lahore with Mughal style frescos
The later Chola paintings were discovered in 1931 within the circumambulatory passage of the Brihadisvara Temple in India and are the first Chola specimens discovered. Researchers have discovered the technique used in these frescos. A smooth batter of limestone mixture was applied over the stones, which took two to three days to set. Within that short span, such large paintings were painted with natural organic pigments.
The frescoes in Dogra or Pahari paintings exist at Sheesh Mahal of Ramnagar in Jammu and Kashmir. Scenes from epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana along with portraits of local lords have been depicted. Rang Mahal of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh is another site of historic Dogri fresco with wall paintings depicting scenes of Draupadi Cheer Haran, and Radha- Krishna Leela.

Chola Fresco of Dancing girls. Brihadisvara Temple c. 1100
The tradition and methods of Indian cliff painting gradually evolved throughout many thousands of years. The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka is on the edge of the Deccan Plateau. The many caves and grottos found there contain primitive tools and decorative rock paintings reflect the ancient tradition of human interaction with their landscape. The oldest frescoes of historical period have been preserved in Ajanta Caves.
Karauli City Palace, Rajasthan
The city of Karauli in the state of Rajasthan is home to the Karauli City Palace. The Palace, originally built in the 14th century, is now restored to reimpose the colour and beauty of it’s murals, lattice work and stone carvings. In 1348, Yaduvanshi Arjun Pal laid the foundation of the palace.
The Yaduvanshi’s trace their lineage all the way back to Lord Krishna. 160 kilometers from the major cities of Jaipur and Agra, the Palace sits regally in a small town, giving your experience a taste of royalty and warmth at the same time! To indulge in this experience, many tourists opt for a camel cart ride to the Palace, which is otherwise easily accessible too.

Karauli City Palace, Rajasthan
Nawalgarh, Shekhawati region
This is a Shekhawati Fresco. A unique feature of the Shekhawati Frescoes is that they were all made from natural colours. For black they used kajal, for white they used chalk limestone, for orange they used saffron, for red they used red stone powder, and so forth. Before visiting, it’s imperative to note that Shekhawati is not a demarcated city, it is a region. Nawalgarh is a small town in the Shekhawati region and is locally known as the “land of Havelis”. Forts adorn the entire town, making it seem like one is walking in a vast art exhibition

Nawalgarh, Shekhawati
Samode Palace, Chomu
The Samode Palace in this Rajasthani town also proudly displays its frescoes of abstract and intricate patterns. The 475 years old Palace now doubles as a hotel, making it the perfect spot on your Fresco Tour!

Samode Palace, Chomu
Thanjavur Maratha Palace, Tamil Nadu
It was built in the 1530s but even today it is the official residence of the Bhonsle family who ruled Tanjore. Still housing the rulers, it is home to diverse ancient treasures and sculptures. Furthermore, it is one of the few Maratha places in South India and holds one of the oldest libraries in all of Asia. The original main court of the builders – the Nayaks – is now a vibrant art gallery which gives you more than frescoes to admire.

Thanjavur Maratha Palace, Tamil Nadu
Sri Lanka
Sigiriya Fresco, Sri Lanka. c. 477 – 495 AD
Frescos in the Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian, Syria. The Sigiriya Frescoes are found in Sigiriya in Sri Lanka. Painted during the reign of King Kashyapa I (ruled 477 – 495 AD). The generally accepted view is that they are portrayals of women of the royal court of the king depicted as celestial nymphs showering flowers upon the humans below. They bear some resemblance to the Gupta style of painting found in the Ajanta Caves in India. They are, however, far more enlivened and colorful and uniquely Sri Lankan in character. They are the only surviving secular art from antiquity found in Sri Lanka today.
The painting technique used on the Sigiriya paintings is "fresco lustro". It varies slightly from the pure fresco technique in that it also contains a mild binding agent or glue. This gives the painting added durability, as clearly demonstrated by the fact that they have survived, exposed to the elements, for over 1,500 years.
Located in a small sheltered depression a hundred meters above ground only 19 survive today. Ancient references, however, refer to the existence of as many as five hundred of these frescoes.

Sigiriya Fresco, Sri Lanka. c. 477 – 495 AD
Conservation of frescoes
During the 18th century, new techniques were perfected for the restoration and conservation of ancient works of art, including methods of detaching fresco paintings from walls. Detachment involves separating the layer of paint from its natural backing, generally stone or brick, and can be categorized according to the removal technique used.
The oldest method, known as the a massello technique, involves cutting the wall and removing a considerable part of it together with both layers of plaster and the fresco painting itself.
The stacco technique, on the other hand, involves removing only the preparatory layer of plaster, called the arriccio together with the painted surface.
Finally, the strappo technique, without doubt the least invasive, involves removing only the topmost layer of plaster, known as the intonachino, which has absorbed the pigments, without touching the underlying arriccio layer. In this method, a protective covering made from strips of cotton and animal glue is applied to the painted surface. A second, much heavier cloth, larger than the painted area, is then laid on top and a deep incision is made in the wall around the edges of the fresco. A rubber mallet is used to repeatedly strike the fresco so that it detaches from the wall. Using a removal tool, a sort of awl, the painting and the intonachino attached to the cloth and glue covering are then detached, from the bottom up.
The back of the fresco is thinned to remove excess lime and reconstructed with a permanent backing made from two thin cotton cloths, called velatini, and a heavier cloth with a layer of glue. Two layers of mortar are then applied; first a rough one and then a smoother, more compact layer.

Restoration of wall paintings, Ephesus