• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • SCRIPT-N-SCRIBE
  • MISSIONS CURRICULUM
  • HIGH SCHOOL
  • STORE
Half a Hundred Acre Wood

Half a Hundred Acre Wood

Christian homeschooling integrating Classical and Charlotte Mason principles

  • Shop
  • Handwriting
  • Missions Curriculum
  • Resources
    • Favorite Books & Board Games
    • Curriculum Reviews
    • Homeschool High School
    • Cycle 1 Resources
    • Mission: Great Commission Curriculum
    • Script-n-Scribe Penmanship
    • Booklists and Reading Plans
    • Freebies
    • Cycle 2 Resources
    • Cycle 3 Resources
  • Blog
    • Latest Posts
    • Terms of Use
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy

Michelangelo Art Project: Fresco

I receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please see our full disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for supporting Half-a-Hundred Acre Wood through your purchases.

Michelangelo

In my before-homeschool-co-op-directorship days, I avoided messy crafts at all costs. But now… ’tis time to prepare for a group of homeschoolers… and a Michelangelo art project.

I’ve heard of others using air-dry clay or model magic to avoid plaster of paris, but we have a huge tub of plaster of paris to use up, so here we go…

Michelangelo Art Project

Supplies needed for fresco Michelangelo Art Project

  • Michelangelo Picture Study Pages (pictured below) from this Great Artists Picture Study Packet
  • Plaster of paris
  • Water
  • Disposable container
  • Craft (popsicle) sticks
  • Plates or molds Burlap ribbon
  • Paper clips
  • Scissors
  • Cardboard
  • Spray bottle
  • Tempera paints or watercolors & paintbrushes


And now for the procedure…

First, we studied the Michelangelo Art Study Pages from the Great Artists Picture Study Packet. (Print out the Michelangelo Art Study Pages and discuss with your student(s) to incorporate picture study and art appreciation.)

Step 1. Mix up some plaster. (I found that 2 cups of plaster + 1 cup of water resulted in 4 frescoes on a 5″ x 24″ piece of burlap ribbon. Using small dessert plates for molds resulted in two frescoes with that amount of plaster.)

Michelangelo Art Project

We attempted fresco plaster blanks using both plates and burlap.

Michelangelo Art Project

Step 2. My plan was to take the plaster out of the styrofoam plate mold, so I inserted a paper clip for future hanging.

Michelangelo Art Project

Then I realized we would need the same for the burlap, so I cut a slit into the burlap for each fresco and inserted a paper clip.

Michelangelo Art Project

Step 3. Here’s where I broke away from what I was supposed to do for a buon (true) fresco painting. After smoothing out the plaster, I allowed it to dry overnight.

Michelangelo Art Project

Michelangelo Art Project

Now why would I do that? Well… for convenience. We’ll only have 30 minutes to complete this project on campus, and it will give students more time to paint and require less cleanup if I make the molds for our community ahead of time. (I’ve also thought about making the molds just before each class, but not sure I’m up for that extra challenge on community daze days.)

Step 4. Spray the molds with water. (This is more of a fresco-secco, a technique using dry plaster that’s been moistened. The colors do not penetrate as deeply as they do with a true fresco. A true fresco is a painting in watercolor on wet plaster where the watercolors penetrate the plaster deeply and become fixed as it dries.)

Michelangelo Art Project

Step 5. Paint with watercolors or tempera paints.

Michelangelo Art Project

Michelangelo Art Project

Michelangelo Art Project
Michelangelo Art Project

Stephen (pictured above) painted with watercolors, and the other two boys painted with tempera paints. To better seal the paints in a fresco-secco, you can brush a layer of white glue on the surface. You can also brush a layer of glue on the back of the burlap mold to increase its durability.

Christmas (or Easter?) in the style of Michelangelo (without the nudity, of course):

IMG_0257

A few thoughts (from a novice)

I originally hoped to leave the top “fresco” (in the red plate) in its plate to hang, but now I don’t even want to hang it on our art gallery wall because I’m afraid it will fall out. Stephen’s “fresco” was from a styrofoam plate mold, and it’s already chipping. The molds I made on burlap are much stronger and are my chosen avenue for our fresco plasters. (I ended up purchasing several spools of burlap ribbon last year at a deep discount after Christmas.) I’m also hoping to use the distressing technique mentioned in this video.

If you’d like to show your children a safe example of Michelangelo art, try this one from the Ancestors of Christ (Sistine Chapel).

the-ancestors-of-christ-david-solomon-1511.jpg!Blog

I like the convenience of making plaster molds before our co-op day, but I also like the thought of using the real fresco technique. Any thoughts? Please feel free to share your ideas and experience in the comments! 🙂

For our other art project posts visit…

Giotto Art Project
Ghiberti Art Project
Angelico Art Project
Durer Art Project
El Greco Art Project
Other Great Artist Projects

Other related posts:
Great Artist Coloring Pages
Fine Arts Notebooking Pages
Great Artists Study
Art Appreciation through Art History

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Related


By Brandy Ferrell December 15, 2015 5 Comments Tagged With: CC CYCLE 1 ARTISTS, CELEBRATING HOLIDAYS, CLASSICAL CONVERSATIONS, EARLY ELEMENTARY, ELEMENTARY, FINE ARTS, GREAT ARTISTS, Update Script with Books

Reviews, Recommendations, and Resources

Engaging resources for homeschooling families...


Curriculum Reviews

Detailed reviews and free trials of curriculum we've used from elementary through high school - from unit studies to Charlotte Mason, from traditional to classical approaches.

Our Amazon Go-To’s

Visit our Amazon storefront for our favorite read-alouds, picture books, board games, and resources for homeschooling families. (Includes booklists!)

Our digital resources

Resources from elementary through high school to simplify your school year while integrating goodness, truth, and beauty into your learning experiences.

Footer

Contact us

15 Shirlenn Lane
Pleasant Shade, TN 37145
(615) 683-7125
support@halfahundredacrewood.com
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Looking for something? Check here!

Legal Disclosures

We care about your privacy! Read our Privacy Policy by clicking here.

All website content copyright Half-a-Hundred Acre Wood LLC unless otherwise noted ©2010-2023. All rights reserved. Read our Terms of Use here.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to learn more about our affiliate relationships with Amazon and other programs.

Affiliate Program
Our Store · About us · Contact us · Join our Affiliate Program!

Copyright © 2025 Brandy Ferrell · Log in
 

Loading Comments...