The calligraphy of a wall finish

My recent training session in Florence was with master artisan Carlo Mori. Carlo works out of the artisan quarter in Florence (on the other side of the Arno, where the restoration work is done). He has over 30 years experience in traditional applications, and has done cutting edge finishes for celebrities and other exclusive clientele all over the world in places like New York, Jamaica, Brazil and Japan. His work is amazing to say the least.

The studio

One of the points we discussed made quite an impression on me. We spent a lot of time talking about how the “calligraphy” of the wall finish is one of the most important factors in what we do.

Kevin and Carlo

Carlo explained how in using Italian plasters (marmorino, grassello or Venetian, etc.) the movement created by the trowel is as important as the type of material and the color used. Most of these plasters go on in multiple thin layers that when burnished, give a depth of movement along with shine. Therefore the trowel movements should be repeated in a similar manner – almost like a dance step – to achieve a pleasing and consistent look.

 

Beautiful finish in a nearby Louis Vuitton store

This made sense to me, as I’ve seen jobs where the layers were just put on in a haphazard way and the finished wall didn’t look consistent. You might see short jarring strokes on one side and long sweeping strokes on the other-- no consistency -- which just isn’t as pleasing to the eye. Another way you can get this sort of thing is by having two people working the same wall who have different arm lengths or different trowel movements. Better to have one person trowel and the other burnish or have each do separate walls.

So your “ calligraphy” would be a consistency to your movement. This can take a little more discipline, and may sound less creative, but in reality Italian plasters as a material are a wonder. These finishes allow you to create beautiful depth and dimensions and show your work in beautiful and aesthetic color and motion. Like a beautiful woman, they don’t need to overwhelm you with tons of makeup and jewelry when a string of pearls would do it so much better.

Attention to the calligraphy of a plaster finish does away with any potential schlock factor from badly executed plaster finishes and shows respect for a timeless material and an ageless aesthetic -- Ciao, Kevin