Icons
Materials
- wooden boards
- sandpaper
- brown paper bags for final sanding and to protect table from gesso/paint
- gesso
- 1" brushes for application of gesso
- bowls for gesso
- tracing paper and carbon paper
- pencils
- ultrafine sharpies
- paint
- various types of brushes
- palettes
- small containers (like yogurt cups) for water
Procedures
- Day 1. Sunday evening.
While you are completing these steps, think about which image you would like to paint and for whom you will offer your work and prayer.
Step 1: Sand the edges, sides, and surface of the board.
Step 2: Apply a layer of gesso, brushing it on in several directions — for example, in “x”-shaped strokes. Don’t use up-and-down strokes.
Step 3: When the gesso has dried, sand the board.
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3.
Step 5: Apply a 3rd layer of gesso, and when it’s dry, sand the board with a brown paper bag.
- Day 2. Monday.
Step 1: With a pencil, trace the image you’ve chosen onto a piece of tracing paper.
Step 2: Use carbon paper to transfer the drawing to the board.
Step 3: Use a fine brush to paint or a black marker to trace the transferred lines in a dark color.
- Day 3. Tuesday.
Step 1: Using short, multi-directional brush strokes, fill in the base colors by applying several thin layers of paint. [The thickness of your paint should resemble half-and-half (a mixture of milk and cream), more thick than milk, not as thick as sour cream.] Pay no attention to folds and details, but make sure that you can always see your lines!
Step 2: Paint the outer border and the edges of the board.
Step 3: Begin shadowing and highlighting. You will need to paint several layers. (Take your time!) Each successive highlight should be a little lighter than the previous one.
- Day 4. Wednesday.
Today, continue to work on highlights.
- Days 5 and 6. Thursday and Friday.
Step 1: Finish your highlights.
Step 2: Add details, like the embroidery on the garments and the irises of eyes, but don’t overdo it. Less is more.
Step 3: Repaint the original lines of your drawing with slightly darker shades of the base colors.
Step 4: Name your icon.
Apropros Videos
- The fundamental gesso video
- "Vasileva - detailing - 12 min"
- "Detailing Zones - 2 min"
- "Reinstating lines - 2 min"
- "Prosopon school - 20 min"
References
P. Pearson, A Brush with God. P. Pearson, Another Brush with God.