Venetian Plaster: What is it?

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Venetian plaster is a technique for applying plaster to walls, raised or curved surfaces, and ceilings to give it a stucco-like appearance and texture. The method was perfected by artisans in 15th-century Rome in the Venice region of Italy, from which it takes its name. It remained popular into the 15 and refinements in the technique and gypsum compounds used made it an accessible process to any contemporary building or renovation project. Changes in technique have also adapted it for its more frequent use in modern times, which is to apply it to flat plasterboard surfaces.

The primary method of applying Venetian plaster to a wall involves using a trowel, putty knife, or putty knife to apply the plaster in successive, thin layers that can be dried individually before adding the next layer. The initial layers must be thinner and smoother than the subsequent layers so that the plaster adheres effectively to the wall over time. When additional layers of Venetian plaster are applied, the goal is not to create a smooth surface but to work patterns and textures into the plaster that are retained after it dries. A final thin layer of Venetian plaster is applied to seal imperfections in the surface, and after this has dried, the surface is usually lightly sanded to polish it and remove any imperfections that could lead to chipping or crazing. The end result is a semi-gloss marbled effect in which the plaster has subtle variations in color and texture that change with lighting and different angles of view.

Using the Venetian plaster technique, for both wall finishing and ceiling finishing, may also involve the use of paint. Instead of using or in addition to plaster, the paint itself can be spread over the surface of the wall at a slight angle in successive layers, giving the final look texture and subtlety. Using paint will produce a finer surface than plaster due to its lower viscosity, and latex paints, which are thicker than enamel-based paints, tend to be more effective. A hybrid method includes applying the Venetian plaster itself and then a Venetian varnish as a final coat, although some painting projects use a regular paint primer before applying the Venetian plaster with varnish technique. The longer it takes to repeat the patterns onto the surface, whether using paint or plaster, the better it will look when finished, and overall the look tends to be that of artificially weathering the wall or ceiling surface.

As the Venetian plaster technique has been practiced for over 500 years, different branches of the method with individual histories have been formed. The Marmorino look is based on a popular Renaissance design that used crushed marble and slaked lime for surfaces that allowed for a wide range of color and texture blends that resembled the look of natural stone. Scagliola is another offshoot that focuses on sharper edges and inlays as seen in columns and sculpture, and was a dominant form of stucco plasterwork in 17th-century Tuscany in west-central Italy.

Sgraffito closely resembles the typical form of Venetian plaster, but is also often used on ceramics and incorporates small scratches into the surface. The use of Sgraffito is popular in African art and has been dominant in Europe since the 16th century. Tadelakt is another technique related to the Venetian plaster methodology and originated in the palaces of Morocco in North Africa. The end result with Tadelakt is soft waves and flowing shapes on the surface of a wall or ceiling, like those of ocean patterns or growth patterns of trees and vines.

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