Henry Beston noted how the hand-made thing has the mark of the living soul. This course will teach you how to create and apply beautiful hand finished plasters and paints on many wall surfaces. People around the world have been using clay, gypsum, and lime as plasters and paints for millenia, and these materials have shown a timeless aesthetic and utility. The course will cover at a basic level three principle plaster and paint mediums: clay, lime, and gypsum, and finish with plaster coats, paints, and washes of clay, lime, casein, wheat paste, mica, pigments, and other natural ingredients.  Students will leave this course with practical experience mixing and applying a wide variety of finishes on various wall systems, from rough straw bale to finished gypsum wall board. Emphasis will be given on learning the working properties of the materials and developing critical thinking skills to apply the knowledge in real-world situations, rather than on specific recipes for specific conditions.

  • Competency Level: All Levels
  • AIA credits: 35 -- Qualifies for HSW and SD requirements.

Suggested Reading

Adam Weismann and Katy Bryce. Using Natural Finishes: Lime and Clay Based Plasters, Renders and Paints - A Step-by-step Guide
Cedar Rose Guelberth and Dan Chiras. The Natural Plaster Book
Lynn Edwards and Julia Lawless. The Natural Paint Book

Materials to Bring

  • Sturdy work gloves (well-fitting)
  • Favorite trowels and hawks
  • Notebook and pens/pencils
  • Clothes to get dirty in (long sleeved shirts and long pants to protect from the straw)
  • Eye protection
  • Dust mask
  • Camera

Course Outline

Sunday 5PM

  • Orientation to Yestermorrow
  • dinner
  • Introductory slideshow

Monday

  • AM Rough clay plastering
  • PM Rough clay plastering
  • EVE slideshow

Tuesday

  • AM Rough lime-clay plastering
  • PM Rough lime plastering
  • EVE Free

Wednesday

  • AM Finish clay plastering
  • PM Finish lime plastering
  • EVE Free

Thursday

  • AM Clay painting and finishing
  • PM Clay painting and finishing
  • EVE Presentation

Friday

  • AM Lime painting and finishing
  • PM Lime painting and finishing
  • EVE Dinner and graduation 6pm

Schedule subject to change slightly due to inclement weather or the desires, requests or focus of the students.

 

 

Start Date: May 9, 2010
Closed
Start Date: May 8, 2011
Duration: 5 Days
Instructors:
Tuition: $750
Registration