Iconographic Technique. How a Hand-Painted Icon Is Made.

Every icon is the result of a process that begins long before the first brushstroke touches the board. What eventually reaches a collector’s wall is the outcome of weeks of work that cannot be shortened without compromising the quality and longevity of the piece.

Sketch and Drawing. The First Stage of Work.

Every icon begins with an idea, and only then follow composition and form. The icon is created with a specific message in mind, one it is meant to carry, and a space it is destined to inhabit.

The detailed iconographic drawing accounts for the symbolism of gestures, the arrangement of drapery, the proportions of figures, and the layout of gilding and background. All decisions made at this stage are irreversible in later phases. The finished drawing is transferred onto the board using tracing paper, with careful attention to every line

The Board and Levkas. Materials That Determine Longevity.

The traditional support for an icon is a wooden board, most commonly pine or linden, fitted with crossbars of harder wood that prevent warping over time and with changes in humidity. A thin layer of cotton fabric or gauze is glued onto the sized surface to reinforce the structure of the support.

Levkas is then applied: a mixture of water, chalk, and rabbit skin glue, layer by layer, with patient waiting for each coat to dry. Once the process is complete, the levkas is sanded with progressively finer abrasive paper until the surface reaches the smoothness of porcelain. This stage cannot be rushed without a loss of quality.

Gilding. Technique and Symbolism.

Gold in an icon serves as a theological language, symbolising Divine Light and a presence that transcends time and matter. Gilding on bole, the traditional method used in the atelier, allows for varying degrees of finish, from a delicate matte to a high gloss. Successive layers of bole, a red clay mixed with glue, are applied to the surface. Gold leaf is then laid by hand and burnished with an agate stone. Gilding demands precision at every stage and a level of skill measured in years of practice.

Egg Tempera. Binding Medium and Pigments.

The iconographic painting is based on egg tempera, a technique that dates back to the Middle Ages. Natural pigments, including minerals, metal oxides and powdered gemstones, are mashed with an emulsion of egg yolk, white wine and vinegar. Each color is prepared separately, and its consistency is adjusted to the specific layer and stage of work

Egg tempera dries very quickly and does not allow for correction. Colour depth is built through the application of many thin, semi-transparent layers, each of which must dry completely before the next is applied. Iconography follows the principle of dark to light. Work begins with deep underpainting and ends with the modelling of the face, the most demanding stage of the entire process.

Inscriptions and Varnish. The Final Stage of Work.

An icon is not complete without inscriptions identifying the sacred figures. The lettering is executed with fine brushes, after the painted layers have dried and before varnishing. Its placement must be harmoniously integrated into the composition.

The icon should mature for at least six months before it is secured. Natural pigments and egg binder reach full stability over time, it takes time. A properly made and protected icon retains its color intensity for centuries, as evidenced by the thousands of iconographic works that still exist today.

The Icon as a Work of Art and an Investment in Longevity.

Behind the price of a hand-painted icon is a multi-step process that cannot be shortened or simplified. Knowing this process changes the way one perceives the value of the work.

A hand-painted icon differs from a reproduction on every level: the depth of the layers of painting, the uniqueness of the hand brushstroke, the matter of the sub-painting. These are qualities that exist only in the original and that determine how the icon works in the space it enters.

Most icons in the atelier are created as independent works, not tied to a specific commission. Individual commissions are possible. Please feel welcome to get in touch to discuss the details.