Iconography 101

by abbamoses

St. Panteleimon, so far

Our church is blessed with a parishioner who was trained in traditional Byzantine iconography in Belgrade, who writes icons professionally, and who offers a class in iconography at our church.

After months of training in mixing egg tempera colors, sizing panels, gessoing panels, gilding panels, painting clothes, painting faces, etc. etc. we’ve been allowed to try our hands at whole icons. Here is a snapshot of my first icon, partially completed.

The whole process has been wonderful. I’m very much hoping to continue attempting icons on my own. I love the discipline. I hope that I’ll eventually be able to produce something worthy of the iconographic tradition. Most of all, I’d like to be able to get up on any morning, ask myself “What can I do for the Church today?”, and have a ready answer.

I’ll plan to follow up with more snapshots as the icon progresses.