Iconography Project Update

Just a few photographs to update the iconography project I am currently working on.

Update 1: Iconography Project for Early 2008

NOTE: You may click on all the images in this post for a higher resolution view.

Well, its been a few days, and I have finished prepping my icon's surface and have completed the outline of the image.

As noted in my previous post, this is an icon of Coptic Origin with some influence from the Rabulla school of Iconograpy. My medium for this project is acrylics.

The base of the icon took several coats and cures of 'Heaven Blue' paint.

This afternoon, I completed the outline of the figure of Christ.

You will note that the nimbus (halo) is not fully present, as that will be the final addition to the icon. There are also some mis-strokes with my outline pencil that will disappear when the icon is completed. Since this image will depict Christ reaching his hands out to all on earth who seek him, I will later add grass and other backgrounds. When completed, I will gold leaf the outside border in the blue area and will use the same procedure with the nimbus.

Iconography Project 1 for Early 2008

Last year I wrote my first icon, one of Christ the Teacher. I am still finishing it off in a few respects, but it is generally complete. I attempted to write an icon of the God-bearer, but I chose too small a scale. While I will endeavor to complete it, my hands aren't quite in the shape to finish such a small icon (about 6 inches square).

So, after reviewing my first icon and determining my overall desire for my iconography, I have elected to begin my first iconography project of the new year, a different version of Christ. The image that accompanies this post is my master.

I plan to post photographs of the iconography step-by-step to share with readers the different elements that go into writing an icon.

The first step is nearly complete, so... while it will be a pretty plain (read boring) picture, the next post you will see on this topic will be of the completed background of the icon.

While I mainly employ the Coptic style of Iconography, the Syriac/Rabulla manuscripts have very vivid background colors that sometimes the Coptic icons lack. So the finished icon will be written in a hybrid Syro-Coptic style.

Icons don't just get painted overnight. In fact, while they are illumined with paints, an icon is written during times of intense prayer and reflection.

I hope to finish the background this week, and to get the outline drawn in by the end of the weekend. The next step will be to lay in underpaint for extremely dark features, followed by the main paints. I hope to have this complete before Lent begins. I then plan to do the detail work (hair, eyes, hands, feet, folds of clothing, shading, etc) during Lent, with the goal of presenting it for blessing at Pascha.

Stay tuned!