This is probably my favourite event of the day. We had the opportunity to visit and tour one of the oldest icon workshops in the world. While visiting, I was able to see the overview of the long process it took to make these beautiful pieces of art.
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| Workshop overview |
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| Woodcutter among wood |
The wood you see in these pictures and on which all the icons are painted are not considered to be 'good' until they have dried out for two to three years. The wood selected for the icons must have no blemishes and only from a certain area of Greece.
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| Another Large Woodcutter |
After they showed us the process of the wood conditioning and cutting we moved inside where the gold leaf application and painting was all done: the final steps of an icon.
The other thing that I admired about the icon painting process is that they use an egg tempera, which involves a mixture of egg yolk and vinegar combined with a dry pigment. These pigments are often extracted from plants and natural minerals. They have amazing vibrance which can be seen below.
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| The Icon Painters' Palette of Pigments |
The finished icons are sold in their store, displayed wonderfully upon shelves of vivacious colours. The production rate for these paintings is actually quite impressive considering the details.
At the end of the day, I ended up buying one. Last time we visited here, I got one of Jesus. However this time, I chose my namesake, Luke the Evangelist. Note that I have no intentions to pray to any icon, they are only representations of my respect and appreciation towards them, similar to how tweenage girls buy posters of Taylor Swift, etc...
Here's what I got!
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| Icon of Luke the Evangelist |
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