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Icon painting for all levels

Welcome to The Edinburgh School of Icon Painting!

We offer a range of courses, workshops, and one-on-one consultations for students from all levels. Drop us a message to book in a virtual session.

Find out about our offer

Upcoming Courses

Saint Barbara painted in a traditional iconography style.

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ONLINE. Icon Painting Course -Intermediate

£280

Icon painting is a process of creating religious images. This is an icon of Mother of God.

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ONLINE. Icon Painting Course – Beginners

£280

Icon Painting Course in Woodbrooke Quaker Conference Centre.

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ICON PAINTING INTENSIVE COURSE

£310

Bring this prayerful practise into your life

Icon Painting Course for Beginners with live demonstrations. ONLINE

Step-by-step Icon Painting workshop.

This is a weekly 2 hour class.

Suitable for beginners or those who would like to be guided step by step to ensure they know the process of creating an icon. Or refresh their experience.

The course will include demonstrations of every stage of creating an icon.

This course is very popular.

Starting 17th September 2023

5% discount

when you also buy our Starter Set

What will you learn?

Discover icon painting with us

Our offer

MONDAY CLASSES
MONDAY CLASSES (ONLINE)
WEEKEND WORKSHOP
INTENSIVE COURSE - 5 DAYS

MONDAY CLASSES

Monday classes are perfect for students who want to incorporate Icon Painting into their regular practice. Or those who prefer slower-paced work. You will receive support from your teacher, but also from the community of other icon painters. You will have the opportunity to exchange your ideas and experiences. You will become part of a vibrant arts and crafts community.

You will be encouraged to experiment with the technique and color.

Tradition is something dynamic, and it is still moving and changing.

Your ideas and contemporary approach are both welcome.

You will still learn the basics of the technique and traditional styles of icon painting. Which include:

Composition used in icon painting
Icon styles including Byzantine and Russian
How to prepare egg yolk binding medium
Make your own paints from dry pigments
How to work with thin layers
Egg tempera brush work
Dry brush work

Monday Classes

We take a lunch break together which gives us a chance to get to know each other.

Cost £280 for 5 full days (10 half days).

MONDAY CLASSES (ONLINE)

Composition used in icon painting
Icon styles including Byzantine and Russian
How to prepare egg yolk binding medium
Make your own paints from dry pigments
How to work with thin layers
Egg tempera brush work
Dry brush work

Monday Classes (Online)

Cost £280 for 5 full days (10 half days)

WEEKEND WORKSHOP

Students will be guided through the initial stages of creating an icon. With a brief introduction to iconography, students will explore the technique off egg tempera. Learn to make egg yolk binding medium and mix paints using dry pigments.

All paintings will be created on mdf panels covered with thin layers of gesso.

Students who decide to book only one weekend will learn the basic principles of the technique:

Preparation of egg yolk binding medium
How face futures are built in iconography, eyes, nose and lips.
Russian method brush work and thin layering to achieve smooth surface
Dry brush work; using dry on dry method
Building shapes with lights instead of shadows

Weekend workshopS

Sessions 2023

Cost £160 for 1 weekend

£310 for 3 weekends

INTENSIVE COURSE - 5 DAYS

This 5 day intensive workshop is designed for students of all abilities, no previous experience is required. The aim of the course is to help you understand the tradition of icon painting through studying masterpieces, and through their inspiration to create your own icon.

Over 5 days of intensive work, students will go through all stages of icon painting, which will be an excellent introduction and experience for using the egg tempera technique.

Stages of work include:

Sketching and designing. Students can use images of icons provided as inspiration, or simply alter an original image slightly. Students are encouraged to be creative and listen to their instincts.
Transfer of finished drawings onto a panel covered with layers of gesso. Panels are provided and ready for students to use, as it takes at least 2 days to prepare them. (It is possible to have additional tuition on making panels on a request).
Redrawing with paint. Students will learn how to make paints using egg yolk and dry pigments.
Once all surfaces are covered with enough layers of ground, we can start building shapes using lights. In icon painting, we don’t build shapes with shadows.
Gilding – for students who would like to try Gilding. We would normally cover small surfaces using schlagmetal leaf, which is not a real gold leaf. It is an excellent method for beginners, as gold leaf is extremely thin and difficult to work with. We will use oil gilding.
Applying final lights and highlights. Finishing.
It is recommended to wait at least a few weeks before varnishing the finished icon painted in egg tempera. Students are welcome to arrange a time and date to return and varnish their paintings.

Intensive course - 5 days

Cost £310

You can join our

Our students love what we do!

Not many other art courses or schools have allowed me to develop my skills so quickly and provided me with the confidence to progress. I’m glad I discovered Edinburgh School of Icon painting – the only qualified traditional icon painting tuition in Scotland.

I would highly recommend the Edinburgh School of Icon painting. Basia is a highly skilled tutor and artist. Her expert tuition in icon paintings has helped me enjoy a new medium and in turn broadened my horizons. All levels of abilities are catered for in a friendly and creative environment.

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