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Betsy Porter
Art and Iconography
PAINTING BASE COLORS or ROSKRISH
Art and Iconography
PAINTING BASE COLORS or ROSKRISH
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BEGINNING TO PAINT YOUR ICON; SANKIR and ROSKRISH
Byzantine icons are painted using a structured and somewhat ritualized protocol,
using a series of symbolic steps, each of which will take an hour or so, for a total of
at least 40 hours. If you haven't tried it, this may sound foolish - won't it inhibit your creativity
to work so slowly and deliberately? Can you work with a historic image and still be creative?
In my experience, this method can enable almost any motivated adult to produce a beautiful
icon, and the technique forms a steady foundation for further development of one's artistic
abilities. Many artistic decisions are required. Your unique inner creativity will shine through!
This artistic approach may seem counter-intuitive, especially if you are accustomed to
working in watercolor technique, dark over light, darkening the shadowed areas and leaving
the brighter areas white or only lightly painted. With this more familiar approach, the artist
strives to get it right the first time, and to develop those perfect and expressive brush strokes,
because mistakes can be hard to fix.
An icon is painted the other way around, starting by applying shadow colors in minimalist
brush strokes, and gradually adding layers of highlights and transparent color. This egg
tempera technique produces colors of great subtlety and luminosity, set off by deep shadows.
The resulting artistic effect is rich and intense. Egg tempera can be easily removed while
fresh; but once it sets up you can paint right over it; so small changes are relatively easy.
Byzantine icons are painted using a structured and somewhat ritualized protocol,
using a series of symbolic steps, each of which will take an hour or so, for a total of
at least 40 hours. If you haven't tried it, this may sound foolish - won't it inhibit your creativity
to work so slowly and deliberately? Can you work with a historic image and still be creative?
In my experience, this method can enable almost any motivated adult to produce a beautiful
icon, and the technique forms a steady foundation for further development of one's artistic
abilities. Many artistic decisions are required. Your unique inner creativity will shine through!
This artistic approach may seem counter-intuitive, especially if you are accustomed to
working in watercolor technique, dark over light, darkening the shadowed areas and leaving
the brighter areas white or only lightly painted. With this more familiar approach, the artist
strives to get it right the first time, and to develop those perfect and expressive brush strokes,
because mistakes can be hard to fix.
An icon is painted the other way around, starting by applying shadow colors in minimalist
brush strokes, and gradually adding layers of highlights and transparent color. This egg
tempera technique produces colors of great subtlety and luminosity, set off by deep shadows.
The resulting artistic effect is rich and intense. Egg tempera can be easily removed while
fresh; but once it sets up you can paint right over it; so small changes are relatively easy.
There are many methods and styles by which an icon can be painted. The
following directions describe (with slight modifications) the Prosopon
Method developed by my first teacher, Vladislav Andrejev.
See Color Recipes for instructions on mixing the colors recommended below.
Before applying bole, lightly engrave the main lines (and especially the facial
features) into the white gesso with a pointed tool. Do not engrave halo, archangel’s
spears, stars, fringes, lettering, small details, or transparent globes. Wipe up dust
with a tissue.
When engraving is complete, use a kneaded gray rubber eraser to lighten any dark
lines from the carbon paper used for tracing the icon drawing, and to clean up stray
guidelines.
After gilding, first apply a bright red line in a circle at the edge of the halo. Carefully
locate the center of the halo, often marked by an “X” on the drawing. Using a
compass with a ruling pen tip, open the compass to the radius of the halo. Fill the
ruling pen with liquid red paint. Holding the ruling pen at a slant, apply a thin red
circle just at the edge of the gold leaf, overlapping the gold slightly. (If you have
difficulty getting paint to stick to gold leaf, add a drop of hide glue.) Now widen the
compass slightly, and paint another concentric circle in the same color farther out,
leaving 1/16 inch between lines. Fill in between the lines with the same color, using
a small brush. Black or dark red may be used instead of bright red. If your subject
is Christ, paint the cross and symbolic letters in his halo.
following directions describe (with slight modifications) the Prosopon
Method developed by my first teacher, Vladislav Andrejev.
See Color Recipes for instructions on mixing the colors recommended below.
Before applying bole, lightly engrave the main lines (and especially the facial
features) into the white gesso with a pointed tool. Do not engrave halo, archangel’s
spears, stars, fringes, lettering, small details, or transparent globes. Wipe up dust
with a tissue.
When engraving is complete, use a kneaded gray rubber eraser to lighten any dark
lines from the carbon paper used for tracing the icon drawing, and to clean up stray
guidelines.
After gilding, first apply a bright red line in a circle at the edge of the halo. Carefully
locate the center of the halo, often marked by an “X” on the drawing. Using a
compass with a ruling pen tip, open the compass to the radius of the halo. Fill the
ruling pen with liquid red paint. Holding the ruling pen at a slant, apply a thin red
circle just at the edge of the gold leaf, overlapping the gold slightly. (If you have
difficulty getting paint to stick to gold leaf, add a drop of hide glue.) Now widen the
compass slightly, and paint another concentric circle in the same color farther out,
leaving 1/16 inch between lines. Fill in between the lines with the same color, using
a small brush. Black or dark red may be used instead of bright red. If your subject
is Christ, paint the cross and symbolic letters in his halo.
ROSKRISH (also spelled roskrysh) or base colors come next.
Roskrish colors are dark and muted, and will remain as shadows
throughout the painting process. They represent the “chaos” or
primordial energy of the universe - an energy which persists in the
finished piece, like the background radiation from the Big Bang.
Roskrish colors are applied, like other solid color areas, in small circular
brush strokes, resulting in a mottled texture with a hint of the white
board showing through.
Sankir, typically a dark olive drab, is the base color for flesh and
hair areas. Apply the paint full strength and nearly opaque. To
ensure good shadows on the face and throat, first paint in the
shadowed areas including the entire eye sockets, around the hair line,
down both sides of the nose, a spot between the bottom of the lower lip
and the top of the chin, and the shadow on the throat under the jaw.
Now paint all flesh and hair with sankir – right over the eyes and other
features. Don’t forget hands, feet, and throat! You may need a second
coat for good coverage. Leave angel’s hair band unpainted.
Roskrish colors are dark and muted, and will remain as shadows
throughout the painting process. They represent the “chaos” or
primordial energy of the universe - an energy which persists in the
finished piece, like the background radiation from the Big Bang.
Roskrish colors are applied, like other solid color areas, in small circular
brush strokes, resulting in a mottled texture with a hint of the white
board showing through.
Sankir, typically a dark olive drab, is the base color for flesh and
hair areas. Apply the paint full strength and nearly opaque. To
ensure good shadows on the face and throat, first paint in the
shadowed areas including the entire eye sockets, around the hair line,
down both sides of the nose, a spot between the bottom of the lower lip
and the top of the chin, and the shadow on the throat under the jaw.
Now paint all flesh and hair with sankir – right over the eyes and other
features. Don’t forget hands, feet, and throat! You may need a second
coat for good coverage. Leave angel’s hair band unpainted.
LINE WORK – Practice first on paper for at least 10 minutes!
With your small round brush, paint straight lines, circles, arcs, spirals,
eyes. Paint lines thin-to-thick, thick-to-thin, thin-to-thick-to-thin.
Now paint and refine the lines of your icon with your smallest
brush. Use your paper drawing as a guide, and work over the engraved
lines. It's OK to refine the drawing by moving some of the lines slightly.
Start from the eyes, making sure they are symmetrical and not cross-
eyed. The entire pupil and the entire iris should show; but note that they
are usually horizontal ovals rather than round. Pupil and iris both appear
to “hang” from the upper eyelid like dewdrops from a branch.
Continue, with particular attention to face, hands, and fingernails.
Paint all of the curls and strands of hair. Paint edges and main lines of
golden trim, but save details for later. Paint in edges and folds of clothing,
which often form continuous branching spirals. Paint edges and larger
feathers of angel wings.
With your small round brush, paint straight lines, circles, arcs, spirals,
eyes. Paint lines thin-to-thick, thick-to-thin, thin-to-thick-to-thin.
Now paint and refine the lines of your icon with your smallest
brush. Use your paper drawing as a guide, and work over the engraved
lines. It's OK to refine the drawing by moving some of the lines slightly.
Start from the eyes, making sure they are symmetrical and not cross-
eyed. The entire pupil and the entire iris should show; but note that they
are usually horizontal ovals rather than round. Pupil and iris both appear
to “hang” from the upper eyelid like dewdrops from a branch.
Continue, with particular attention to face, hands, and fingernails.
Paint all of the curls and strands of hair. Paint edges and main lines of
golden trim, but save details for later. Paint in edges and folds of clothing,
which often form continuous branching spirals. Paint edges and larger
feathers of angel wings.
Filling in between
concentric red lines
around the gilded halo.
For a small halo, do not
use a ruling pen compass,
but lay out the circle with
a template and paint
freehand.
concentric red lines
around the gilded halo.
For a small halo, do not
use a ruling pen compass,
but lay out the circle with
a template and paint
freehand.
Next, apply roskrish colors for the garments and angel wings. Each
paint mix should typically contain a gritty pigment for texture and
character. Dilute paint with distilled water, about one part water to two
parts paint. Proportion may vary with pigment, so test on white paper.
To avoid smearing, work from inner areas out toward the edge.
Continue to work with small circular brush strokes and a wet brush,
spreading pigments around in wet paint for that uniformly mottled
“chaos” look. If your texture pigment runs low in the palette cup, add a
smidgeon more. Apply one or two coats of roskrish as required.
When roskrish for the figure is complete, paint in the basic background
color, usually light gold. Dilute with about 1 part water to 2 parts paint.
After base colors are dry, wipe the icon gently with a paper towel, to
remove excess grit. Wipe from lighter areas toward darker colors, in
order to avoid spreading dark pigments on light colors.
paint mix should typically contain a gritty pigment for texture and
character. Dilute paint with distilled water, about one part water to two
parts paint. Proportion may vary with pigment, so test on white paper.
To avoid smearing, work from inner areas out toward the edge.
Continue to work with small circular brush strokes and a wet brush,
spreading pigments around in wet paint for that uniformly mottled
“chaos” look. If your texture pigment runs low in the palette cup, add a
smidgeon more. Apply one or two coats of roskrish as required.
When roskrish for the figure is complete, paint in the basic background
color, usually light gold. Dilute with about 1 part water to 2 parts paint.
After base colors are dry, wipe the icon gently with a paper towel, to
remove excess grit. Wipe from lighter areas toward darker colors, in
order to avoid spreading dark pigments on light colors.
Yoshi Mathias applies sankir to face,
hair, throat, and hands of Archangel
Michael. During the following
session, she applies various roskrish
colors to clothing and background.
hair, throat, and hands of Archangel
Michael. During the following
session, she applies various roskrish
colors to clothing and background.
Anna Maria Stone has completed the
roskrish on her icon of Archangel
Gabriel. Working over a xerox copy
of the drawing for her icon, she
practices line drawing with a fine
round watercolor brush.
roskrish on her icon of Archangel
Gabriel. Working over a xerox copy
of the drawing for her icon, she
practices line drawing with a fine
round watercolor brush.
Icons are painted with a distinctive brush stroke, which may be quite different from brush work you have
learned elsewhere. In solid areas, mop on paint for roskrish and floats with a wet brush, working in
small circles, and barely touching the board with your brush. This method actually covers the area quite
rapidly, and results in a subtle mottled texture.
A long wide brush stroke is considered the narcissistic "mark of the artist," and unbecoming to an
iconographer.
learned elsewhere. In solid areas, mop on paint for roskrish and floats with a wet brush, working in
small circles, and barely touching the board with your brush. This method actually covers the area quite
rapidly, and results in a subtle mottled texture.
A long wide brush stroke is considered the narcissistic "mark of the artist," and unbecoming to an
iconographer.
Randy Bowman is painting the head of Saint
Stephen. He has completed the gilding and
has impressed a design in the gold leaf, has
painted the red line around the halo, and is
now applying sankir to face, hair and throat.
A closeup shows the lightly mottled effect
produced by moving the wet brush in tiny
circles. Note that the eye sockets and other
shadowed areas have an extra coat of sankir,
making the features easier to locate through
the nearly-opaque paint.
Stephen. He has completed the gilding and
has impressed a design in the gold leaf, has
painted the red line around the halo, and is
now applying sankir to face, hair and throat.
A closeup shows the lightly mottled effect
produced by moving the wet brush in tiny
circles. Note that the eye sockets and other
shadowed areas have an extra coat of sankir,
making the features easier to locate through
the nearly-opaque paint.
Let sankir and roskrish set up overnight or preferably longer.
Now your icon is ready for Highlighting!
Back to Home Page
Back to Main Technical Page
Back to Layout
Back to Color Recipes
Back to Gilding
Now your icon is ready for Highlighting!
Back to Home Page
Back to Main Technical Page
Back to Layout
Back to Color Recipes
Back to Gilding
During the next session, Randy paints the
remaining roskrish colors and a basic light
gold background color.
The color for the red outer garment is quite
light and may need an additional coat to set
off its highlights.
Next time, Randy darkens the red roskrish,
and then paints in the dark lines. His icon
is now ready for highlighting.
remaining roskrish colors and a basic light
gold background color.
The color for the red outer garment is quite
light and may need an additional coat to set
off its highlights.
Next time, Randy darkens the red roskrish,
and then paints in the dark lines. His icon
is now ready for highlighting.
Above left; Jennifer Blecha paints roskrish for her icon of the poet Rumi.
Above right; Anne Symanovich paints roskrish for an icon of St. Francis.
Above right; Anne Symanovich paints roskrish for an icon of St. Francis.
