Techniques & Materials
Icons: The materials used for writing an icon are virtually all organic. New icons are written on 3cm thick, kiln dried lime or beech wood cut to shape and size. Larger panels have up to 3 oak battens inserted in the back to prevent warping. The panel is covered with linen soaked in glue, followed by many layers of traditionally-made gesso (chalk & animal glue) that is polished to a smooth marble-like finish. The panel is then painted and gilded. All paint is in handmade egg tempera, a combination of egg yolk and naturally occurring earth or mineral pigments, some of which are hand ground from the original rock. For these reasons, the work of producing an icon can take many weeks or months.
All gold is 23.5 carat extra thick gold leaf applied in various ways. Oil gilding provides a soft shiny gold finish. Water gilding, which has to be done before any painting, provides the supremely reflective, mirror-like finish required in traditional monasteries with only candles to light the space. Water gilding is a complicated technique that is also reflected in the price of finished icons. Gold detailing, called Assist, is also 23.5 carat gold leaf.
Icons are not varnished until a year after completion to allow the egg tempera to fully cure.
Illumination: Illuminations that have no additional calligraphy are painted on Kelmscott vellum, made in the traditional manner in the UK. If calligraphy is to be added, then a Manuscript vellum would be used. The paint is handmade tempera (using glair) or handmade watercolour (using gum arabic) combined with especially fine-ground pigment. Unlike the pigments used in icon painting, which are mainly earth pigments, those used in illumination are often rare or historic (and therefore expensive) minerals, chosen for the brilliance and purity of the colour they can produce; colours such as Lapis Lazuli, Cinnabar, Minium, Azurite and Malachite. Very occasionally, a high quality commercial Artist's watercolour containing honey may be used.
Gilding on vellum is either raised over handmade traditional illuminator’s gesso, flat over Gum Ammoniacum or applied with handmade Shell Gold.
Brushes, tools and techniques of application are all traditional.
Links:
| Aidan Hart | www.aidanharticons.com |
| William Cowley Parchment & Vellum | www.williamcowley.co.uk |
| Artist's Brushes | www.rosemaryandco.com |
| The Prince's School of Traditional Art | www.psta.org.uk |
| Art in Action | www.artinaction.org.uk |
| Christabel Anderson (Icons & Illuminations) | www.christabelanderson.com |
| Helen White (Traditional Artist) | www.helen-white.co.uk |
| Toni Watts (Wildlife & Traditional Artist) | www.toniwatts.com |
| Caroline Coleman (Psychotherapy / Supervision) | www.chapelfieldstudio.co.uk |