Handwritten icons workshop Sergiev Posad

Russian Icon studio Melnikovitch offers hand-crafted Russian religious Icons made at Sergiev Posad. Art Studio Melnikovitch - Icon painting studio Sergiev Posad.
Here you find hand-crafted original Russian icons for sale, and some descriptions regarding art techniques used for hand-crafted Russian Icons!
In the tradition of Russian Icon painting are based on unique and solid fundamentals. It symbolises the solidity of the Orthodox Christian dogmas, expressed in the image incorporated into hand-made Russian icons. Prepare the ground for the Icon - is the most important part, which occupies half of the work in the formation of the image of any Saint. Any Icon is wood crafted and glued to a board. In Russia, for the manufacture of boards used for Russian Icons is wood from linden, pine, maple, cypress, or fir. Every wood for the board must be thoroughly dried - is the key to long-term service of the icons, and grants protection from future cracking.

In order to bind the Icon shield is used boards made of solid wood like oak, beech, etc. The keys are of two types are the correct combination of upper and lower wood layers. More common is the form of a wedge. Cuts are done by hand in the board to a depth of one third of the thickness of the board. Dowels hammered into a board with little power. Over time, you need to tamp it, to strengthen the shield, therefore the work is never done with a stick and nails.

Read below our Russian icons for sale listing more about the technique used for creation of Russian icons!

Read more about the technique used for the manufacture of Russian icons!

Other keys: end, slams into the Board from the end of the top and bottom, they are usually put on the glue. Made according to a special principle of the shield is cut to the desired size, then choose from the front side, the deepening of the ark. The sides of the ark are called the husk and the side plane around the ark fields. The depth of the ark is different. In the XVII century began to appear the icon without the ark imitation husk pattern; also, the phenomenon is considered to be a departure from the traditional rules. The size and shape of the ark due to the plot icon.

Before to start writing of the image the iconographer prepares the Board for painting imposes the soil. The first layer of soil is the fabric — a special fabric that protects the paint layer from cracking. Canvas glued to Board, then she applied a thin layer of the Cretaceous, the composition of the gesso. Dry surface soil is carefully leveled, and the gold is polished. Board with prepared soil is dried for 15-20 days.

On the Board is done drawing, definitely by hand. This preserves the liveliness and correctness of the proportions in the image. The basis of the figure come from ancient samples, preferably 14 — 16 centuries — the heyday of the ancient Russian icon painting. To this period belong the most remarkable monuments of ancient Russian icon painting, distinguished by its high spirituality and craftsmanship.

Icon strictly according to tradition written with natural pigments made from minerals and precious stones. Solid materials are ground into powders is the basis of paints. As a binder for pigments are made of a special emulsion: the egg yolk is taken in certain proportions is mixed with water and white wine for preservation. This emulsion of a particular subject — quantom — on glass is pounded, the powder, and then the finished paint is collected in a small container. The emulsion used in the process of painting.

In the icon of often used gold. So gold can be the background, cutting of garments assist (in the form of rays) and other details. Gold symbolizes Divine light and calls to turn away from all earthly things and ascend the mind to the spiritual world.

Finished painting dried and covered with varnish. This is a very important part in the work of the iconographer. The varnish was carefully spread on the plane icon and aged a certain number of hours. From time to time it needs to accelerate with your hands to layer it was uniform. At some point, when the drying oil, as they say, "stood", i.e. thickens so much that it almost defies movement, the painter removes the top layers using a paper. Lower frozen layer remains on the surface and protects the painting from damage.

Ready icon is dried, then is sanctified and given to the customer.

If you want to reflect my personal approach to icon painting:

The icon is a special image that is far from realistic painting. It has a lot of mysterious, sometimes incomprehensible. And in order to learn icon, you need to treat it very reverently, trying to turn away from all familiar earthly representations.

The icon is first and foremost prayer is the window to the spiritual world, a means of communication with him. Turning to the icon, we rise to the inner feeling to who it depicts.

Unfortunately, at present, not all understand the true meaning and purpose of Holy images. Many refer to icons as amulets that can protect them from harm. Even worse, if the icon is kept indoors as a decorative item for your home interior. Such confusion is very common among people, a little Church. And it is sad, but modern iconic art goes to the spoiled tastes of the uneducated population. It often happens that painters undertake this sacred task, not having any idea about proper execution of a sacred image. While an icon should elevate the mind of man to spiritual things, adjust to the correct prayer, it is often distracting, causing you to admire the decorative details and beautiful painting, evokes the sensuality that is alien to prayer.

The icon should be written in their specific canons, i.e. rules. Each item in the icon is deeply symbolic, it is bound to reveal to the viewer any Christian truth. For this reason, we must be able to distinguish canonical from non-canonical image, the true spiritual image from Amateur fiction author.

*Our products are collectible and souvenir, and is not intended for young children!