I had to interrupt my work on my own painting of Occupy St Pauls recently in order to complete some demonstration models for my upcoming talk on "The Art of the Icon".Its a time consuming process from the preparation of wooden boards to final highlights.
These photos show the stages of execution, from the etching into gessoed boards,the making of egg solution to bind pure pigment for egg tempera, the "petit lac" background soaking within etched lines, to the final stages of highlighting.Here the final stage of highlighting has only been done on the book.This is the stage that needs the most concentration and which ultimately defines the quality of any icon.The hands and face are the most important part of the icon.Contrary to Renaissance Art, the vanishing point is in the viewer, coming out of the icon towards you. The viewer is not a voyeur,but part of the icon, and it is in that face to face encounter that the mystery of existence is conveyed.The viewer completes the icon.
Its a very different concept of Art from the one taught in modern art schools.
(basic tools)
(pure pigment for egg tempera)
This icon is of the type called "Pantocrator",Almighty.The inscription inside the halo means "The Being". Jesus wears the robes of a Greek teacher/philosopher.
