Icon Painting Class

Mother Janet, at Saint James, taught an icon painting class over the course of one week. I have been wanting to learn icon painting but price and opportunity had always prevented that. So I was really happy and thankful that she decided to teach a class. It was interesting to learn about all the different layers and colors and the process of applying each of them. We had a prayer to say before beginning to work on our icons. It was a very peaceful week to come every morning and slip into the church to pray and then to begin painting.

I had always thought that icon painting was a very strict process being that there are definite rules and guidelines that an iconographer follows. It was enlightening to find out that despite that it is a very forgiving process - mistakes are easily fixed. Mother Janet said, "when we make mistakes God doesn't throw us away" and likened it to working on an icon. Mistakes can be fixed or worked into a good thing, in icon paining and in our lives too. Making a mistake doesn't diminish God's love for you!

I made sure to take lots of pictures of the different stages that the icon goes through. Maybe it will be easier to remember for the next time I want to paint an icon if I have some pictures to jog my memory!

The beginning stage, with a yellow oxide undertone and color shape outlines painted. 

At this point everything has one color applied but the red robe has the second brighter red. It was really exciting to see the lighter color begin to give the robe some form! 

A close-up of the face with all four layers of color, including the "enliveners" (the little white accent lines). 

So close to being done! The 23k gold halo was applied. Lots of little details were painted in and outlined appropriately. The name was added in the top left corner.

My icon, next to Mother Janet's icon of Christ and others from the class. 

I worked on the wings a little more (I found those to be the hardest part!) before finally putting on the polyurethane to protect it. That really brought out the colors! Since it has dried it is not as glossy but most of the little bubbles in the wet poly dissolved.

It was such a good and fun experience to learn icon writing!
And I already have a request to paint St. John Chrysostom next!