daubing

Daubing is the act of applying a viscous mixture, known as daub, to a surface. The term is used in both traditional building and painting contexts. In construction, daubing refers to plastering walls with a clay- or lime-based material that is applied over a lattice of wattle or lath. Such daub is typically reinforced with straw or hair and is built up in coats, left rough or finished with a smoother trowel stroke. Earth-based daub, lime-based plaster, and cement-enhanced modern variants have been used in many regions for centuries.

In art and painting, daubing describes the use of thick, often impasto-like applications of paint to achieve texture and expressive surface quality. It can be done with brushes, spatulas, or fingers and is common in folk art, improvisational painting, and certain modern styles. The technique emphasizes the material itself and the gesture of application rather than precise representation.

Historically, wattle and daub was a widespread building method in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. The daub mixture provides insulation and fire resistance when properly applied and cured. In contemporary practice, daubing persists in restoration of traditional structures and in sustainable building approaches using earth plasters, as well as an artistic technique for texture and tonal variety.