Description
- Starting on 4 September 2022
- Starting on 15 January 2023
This is a Step-By-Step Icon Painting Course
9 Weeks
23 April – 18 June 2023
Sundays 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm the UK Time
On Zoom. Recordings will be available if you can’t attend in person.
During the course and 2 weeks after. If you want a lifetime access there will be a chance to buy after the course finishes.
9 Weeks
17 September – 12 November 2023
Sundays 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm the UK Time
On Zoom. Recordings will be available if you can’t attend in person.
During the course and 2 weeks after. If you want a lifetime access there will be a chance to buy after the course finishes.
If you are unsure if this course is for you you can book a free 5 minute consultation with Basia. Just click the button below.
This is a step-by-step Icon Painting workshop.
Suitable for beginners or for those who would like to be guided step by step to make sure that they know the process of creating an icon. Or refresh their experience.
You will be working on the image of Mother of God. You can see it in the cover photo for the event.
Author
Basia Mindewicz
Basia will guide you in the way that you will be able to introduce your ideas into the image.
The course will include demonstrations of every stage of creating an icon.
Students will be guided to complete their icons in a traditional Russian method but also encouraged to look for their own voice.
In the demonstrations, Basia will try to include her own personal style.
The course on icon painting has been designed to make it more engaging and effective for learners. It  offers a comprehensive guide to the principles of icon painting and includes a detailed breakdown of the traditional techniques used in the process. Students can benefit from interactive sessions that allow them to work with an experienced instructor who provides personalized feedback and support. With this course, students can gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of icon painting and learn how to create unique works of their own.
Stages of work include:
- Transfering the image onto tracing paper. We will use tracing paper not only to transfer the design but also to learn and explore the shape and the line.
- Transferring finished drawings onto a panel covered with layers of gesso.
- Redrawing with paint. At this stage, students will start learning 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 – we will be working for real gold leaf. You will be guided step by step in this process to learn the traditional method of gilding. We will be working with 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. Guidance and demonstration will be provided.
Who is this course for
- absolute beginners
- those who want to refresh their knowledge
- those who have experience in other forms of art
- those who would like to enrich their spiritual practice
- those who are interested in learning traditional techniques
- those who would like to refresh their skills and experience but also learn the Russian method of Icon painting
- those who have never seen the process demonstrated step by step will benefit from the detailed step-by-step guidance
Materials needed for the Course:
You don’t need all materials for your first session. It will be an introduction. Please contact us if you want to sign up but not sure if you manage to get all materials before the start of the course.
- https://www.stonehouses.co.uk/gilding-restoration/gold-size/japan-gold-size/60ml-japan-oil-based-gold-size.html gesso panel – 15/20 cm – Your options – order from us – £25 – MDF gesso panel – https://edinburghiconpainting.org/product/traditional-gesso-mdf-panel/ or 8/10 inch from https://www.jacksonsart.com/ampersand-gessobord-panels
- A4 tracing paper
- Brushes – squirrel – sizes 2,3,5 and kolinsky size 1 (recommended kolinsky brush https://www.jacksonsart.com/jackson-s-kolinsky-sable-brush-round-size-1
- Pigments – basic set – Titanium white, Cadmium Red Light, Ultramarine Blue (Red Shade), Chromium Green Oxide, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Cyprus Burnt Umber, Raw Umber Greenish, Mars Black or Black Iron Oxide. You can buy it here. You need only the smallest containers. https://www.jacksonsart.com/jackson-s-artist-pigment
- For gold gilding – transfer gold leaf here https://www.stonehouses.co.uk/gold-imitation-leaf/gold-leaf/gold-leaf-transfer/23-75ct-transfer/23-75ct-extra-thick-transfer-5-leaves.html, – gold oil size – https://www.stonehouses.co.uk/gilding-restoration/gold-size/japan-gold-size/60ml-japan-oil-based-gold-size.html , – hard brush – bristle brush size 3 or size 4 here BRUSH , – shellac – https://www.stonehouses.co.uk/gilding-restoration/shellac-varnish/60ml-shellac-varnish.html, – surgical spirit for cleaning brushes.
- Ceramic palette.
You can also now order our Starter Set. It will cover the most important materials. Have a look here
We now post these world wide.
Gilding Materials are not included in the Set.
Some materials are very specific so we found where you can buy those in the USA for those who are based there and want to join one of our classes or workshops.
You can buy this set
https://www.naturalpigments.com/koo-schadler-workshop-sets.html
Gold leaf here
http://www.sinopia.com/Best-Quality-Gold-23-Karat-Transfer-Patent-Leaf
Shellac. The smallest container here.
https://easyleafproducts.nnigroup.com/product/shellac-amber-liquid/
Oli Gold Size here. The smallest container. If you find even smaller get this. We only use very small amounts of the size.
About your teacher
Basia Mindewicz
born in 1978 in Warsaw, is an icon painter and contemporary artist. She was trained in Poland in the College dedicated to iconography. Studying ancient techniques of egg tempera and gold gilding. For many years she has been mainly working in a very traditional style learning the language of the icon. When she came to Edinburgh she started exploring other ‘’languages’’ searching for more personal and contemporary ways of depicting similar reality. Her development as an artist is a process of uncovering a truth about who we are as human beings and what we need to become whole. Icon painting as a spiritual practice grows in silence and stillness.
Graduated from The Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education, MA and College of Iconography (Policealne Studium Ikonograficzne) in Bielsk Podlaski in 2008.
She has been working for major icon-painting workshops in Poland. Organized many private workshops and residential courses.
Workshops in Poland:
Droga Ikony (The way of Icon) http://www.drogaikony.org.pl/
Studium Chrzescijanskiego Wschodu (School of Eastern Christianity)
Founder of Edinburgh School of Icon Painting.
Watch Live Videos with a demonstration of the process here.
https://www.facebook.com/EdinburghSchoolOfIconPainting/live_videos/?ref=page_internal
Tamas Sajtos (verified owner) –
The course and how it’s built up is absolutely fantastic. Basia leading us step by step and reviewing our progress. I had some issues getting all the materials but I received alternative solutions to be ready for the starting. During the lessons I was struggling with one of the painting techniques and again, Basia helped me to fix and to learn how to make the Icon better and nice. I highly recommend the course and Basia because she is a really good teacher.Â
John Belstead (verified owner) –
As a non-artist I have loved the carefully explained step by step process with demonstration of techniques. To my surprise, doing it on Zoom, I have enjoyed the challenge and peace of listening to the music whilst painting and watching Basia paint.
Maria (verified owner) –
I would recommend the course to anyone with an interest in icon painting. As a complete beginner I am pleasantly surprised at the fantastic achievements in such a short amount of time. The step-by-step pace gives plenty of time to work around individual needs whilst getting support along the way. There are plenty of opportunities to ask questions and Basia is incredibly accommodating. I’m loving it!
Hermione Walker (verified owner) –
I am really enjoying this course! The sessions are structured and presented very professionally enabling me to understand and follow each stage. Basia is very supportive and has provided advice by email to help me progress, fix any mistakes and obtain suitable materials. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to learn the techniques of this beautiful tradition directly from an expert!
Kim Atherton (verified owner) –
I have enrolled on the online course and have never done anything like icon painting before. Basia is an excellent teacher – very patient and she makes it all seem possible. She teaches very clearly and gave me a lot of help accessing materials and giving advice. I highly recommend her courses and I will hopefully be enrolling on more!
Cathie Pickering (verified owner) –
I recently completed the beginners’ nine week online course. Basia clearly demonstrated each step in the process of painting an Icon using egg tempera and gold leaf. She considered our work each week and guided us to have more confidence and achieve a completed Icon. I’m so pleased I decided to try this new venture and hope to continue with it.
Pam Helfrich (verified owner) –
I really appreciated the class instruction and your understanding with my inability to finish the class. This is a heavy time in the world, especially in Ukraine. We all need a prayerful practice to sustain us. Thanks for providing that for us.
Ann Rapp (verified owner) –
This is the best art class I ever took by far. I was not sure at first that icon painting could be taught online, but have found this class enjoyable, relaxing, and helpful. Basia is an excellent teacher, very patient and attentive to questions and helped me fix my mistakes and improve my icon. I highly recommend this class to all beginners, and know you will learn and benefit from your study with such a talented and well-known iconographer.
Elizabeth Wakefield (verified owner) –
This is an absolutely outstanding course. From the beginning Basia has been so helpful. From getting the materials, through to individual feedback by email each week. Each session is gentle step by step with clear instructions and plenty of time to finish. The lesson is then sent as a recording next day, which means can actually just watch Basia if you want then do in your own time. The music is so relaxing it makes the whole experience complete
Hoping to be able to do more online courses with Basia. If you are thinking of learning this wonderful skill, even if beginner like me, i recommend this course
Julia Cody (verified owner) –
Wonderful! I can’t believe how quickly 9 weeks have passed… I will miss the two hour Sunday evening window. Not only is Basia an excellent and encouraging teacher, she creates space to work during the session, with lovely music, holding a space that is creative and spiritual and meditative and at the same time, teaching. Thank you Basia, you have a real gift to be able to teach online in this way. I was concerned that despite being drawn to icons and the course for some time, I would struggle, having no confidence at all in my ability (lack of ability!) to paint… and yet with Basia’s step-by-step teaching and gentle guidance, I have produced a piece I love and am ‘proud’ of. I really hope to be able to do more courses and encourage anyone to sign up and go for it!
Gloria (verified owner) –
I have just completed the beginners course. I have found it very interesting learning all the techniques, especially the pigments, with Basia. The tuition has been outstanding and confidence building. The online structure has been easy to follow with excellent demonstrations. Basia has been on hand to answer questions. The course is set in a way, that it’s relaxing and non-pressured. Each step being explained so well.
I am so glad I decided to go on this course as I have enjoyed every moment. Basia is a very talented tutor and icon artist. Thank you so much it was brilliant.