MODELING THE FACE

Vocabulary usage:

proplasmos (Greek) = roskrysh (Slavonic) = base tone

psymithies (Greek) = ozhyvki (Slavonik) = bright accents and parallel lines in the brightest areas

pyrodismos (Greek) = rumyantsy (Slavonik) = a reddish color, a vey transparent glaze of vermillion with added first light, a "blush"

When we mix dry pigments with egg emulsion, the transparency and opaqueness

depend of the paint on the ratios of these two components. The more emulsion is there,

the more transparent the paint is, and vice versa. On top of the dark base tone,

transparent paint will have very little color and little saturation. The more pigment we add

to the mix, the thicker and more opaque it becomes. Then such lighter - opaque - paint is

less affected by the underlying dark base tone, which we call "proplasmos."

In the proplasmos technique, we suggest the following. The first light has to, on the

one hand, to stand out brightly and opaquely over the dark base tone in the places of

illumination, but on the other hand its edges and boundaries have to blend seamlessly into

the proplasmos.

Here is a way to do it effectively: when you model a specific spot, color it with opaque

paint in the center, without blending the edges. However, do not cover the entire area but

leave around enough unpainted space. This unpainted area is where the two colors will

eventually blend into each other as a soft transition from light to shadow. Take now some

of the thick opaque paint of the first light and add a few drops of egg emulsion. It becomes

more transparent. With this diluted paint, paint over the bright spot and then extend it

into the unpainted area. Let's assume the bright spot is circular; keep extending this lighter

but transparent color away from the bright area in concentric manner. Note that the

transparent color is rather toneless and is not as vibrant as the central opaque spot. Add

even more egg emulsion to the mix, and extend this transparent overlay even further into

the proplasmos. This extended area is even more subdued in terms of color saturation. So

basically, by adding egg emulsion to the initial opaque paint, we achieve various degrees of

transparency. When we lay these in a row with overlap, we can create a scale from the

most saturated tone to the barely visible one.

When we first cover the area with an opaque paint, there is a sharp distinct edge to

the brighter area. This sharp edge disappears once we cover it with a few glazes of

transparent color. If the edge is still stubbornly there, let it dry, and then pass this

transition area over again with a transparent color. Repeat this, until the transition of color

is gradual, and the bright color fades gently into the dark surface of proplasmos.

It is very important how we use the brush and how we apply the new color over the

base tone. First of all, the base color should be completely dry before application of a

brighter color on top of it. Make sure that you do not brush over the same spot repeatedly

because the underlying paint might get dissolved or softened by the moisture from egg

emulsion and will be lifted and dragged by the brush.

To prevent this, simply avoid applying brushstrokes in the same spot over and over

again. Put the brush aside, and let the area dry. If you do not want to lose time, work on

some other area that needs the same color and tone, and then when it is dry, test it by

touch, then work on it again.

When we take transparent paint and apply two coats of it, there is a small build up of

paint. As the result of this build up, the color becomes more saturated and less

transparent. And when we pass over the area the third time, it will become even more

saturated. We use this quality of egg tempera to create gradients between light and

shadows. This is only applicable when the base tone is dark and a brighter color is applied

on top of it.

HOW TO MAKE PROPLASMOS TONE AND THE FIRST LIGHT

The study of merging the two colors begins with making the correct tone for the

proplasmos. Do the following: combine 1/3 of yellow ocher, 1/5 of burnt sienna, 1/5 white,

and add some raw umber to it. This is the recipe of Panselinos for the proplasmos, typical

in the 14-th century, a somewhat dark grayish green. With this paint, cover a piece of

cardboard and let it dry.

After this, make another color - 1/3 ocher, 1/5 vermilion, and then add some white to

it. This will be the color of the first light, characteristic of the 14th century, and comparing

to the darker tone of the proplasmos, it is quite bright. With this second color, in an

opaque consistency, paint a large circle over the base tone. Dilute the second tone with

egg emulsion and extend the circle outward further into the proplasmos. Let it dry. Then

pull paint in parallel stokes - parallel to the round border of the opaque circle - outward.

Make sure that these parallel (or, should we say, concentric) brushstrokes are not

joined together as they are placed farther from the circle. The farther away from circle

they are, the lighter they get, and more widely spaced they are.

The purpose of this exercise to learn to merge the light and the dark tones. Now look

at the results and decide whether in some places the color is too weak where it should be

brighter. Should this be the case, add a few more brushstrokes to bring about the desired

results. Such corrections are often necessary if the merging of the two colors is not right,

and also the opaque paint may not be opaque enough, which could result in the dark

patches of proplasmos showing through. Passing transparent paint over the center of the

circle ensures that this does not happen. We work with the brush over the boundary

where those two colors meat until this sharp boundary disappears and is softly diffused.

This is a classical, smooth transition from light to dark. All brush strokes must be

executed in the direction parallel and concentric to the circumference of the lighter color

and never from the center of the circle, in a radial fashion.

Work on this exercise diligently, to get the smooth transition of the lighter color into

the proplasmos. We spend so much effort on detailed description because this is the

second major skill in iconography, second only to drawing and composition.

When you feel that you have finally mastered this exercise and learned how to make

seamless transition from light to dark, try to do the same on an actual face. The principles

are the same i.e., the only difficulty in this process is the smooth transition from the light

area to the proplasmos. We would like to reiterate here that all the brush strokes of the

color transition must be parallel to the edge of the opaque area, and never radiate from

the center, perpendicularly to the edge of the bright spot, unless there a specific reason for

that.

This way of transitioning from color to color is not the only technique known in

Eastern iconography.

Another way of merging the two colors is to fill some part of the transitional area with

transparent, ultra-thin, wispy lines of lighter color; this was a staple of the Cretan school.

In some other schools, the iconographers did not use the linear interpolation at all.

Instead, they applied very diluted and transparent colors with a flat brush, passing over the

area many times expertly, until the two colors merge perfectly. This was a method

developed by the Macedonian school in the 14th

century and became a staple of the

Russian school of iconography.

Experiment with all these methods, practice these techniques diligently, and very soon

you will find that sky is the limit.

ON FACIAL HAIR

The lines of the beards are drawn in such a way that they approximately line up

towards and converge onto the center of the nose. To create an effect of hair growing from

the skin, thin out each line gradually until it disappears into the proplasmos. Do this

exercise first with a pencil, then with a fine brush using burnt umber.

When painting the mustache, make sure that the lines of the hair stay within the

darker area of the proplasmos and do not encroach upon the lighter areas. These hairs

should be longer and wider near the mouth. Make sure the ends of these lines are as thin

as possible; this gives the mustache their beauty and emphasize their volume. If these

ends are blunt and thick, the effect is as if the mustache is awkwardly glued to the face as if

it were stage make up.

TECHNIQUE OF SEAMLESS TRANSITIONS

At first, some theory.

Figure 1

Here we have two applications of the same lighter color over the darker background of

proplasmos. The brushstroke A is done with a thick mixture of pigment and egg emulsion,

with lots of pigment in it. Note that the color is very bright and light because it is opaque.

Now, examine the brushstroke B. Here, we have the same paint but we added a few

drops of egg emulsion to it. The paint becomes more transparent; it is not as bright as the

brushstroke A, and definitely less saturated. This is because its color is affected by the

color of proplasmos underneath, showing through.

Figure 2

Using a diluted mixture of brighter color, we make three horizontal and three vertical

passes with a flat brush. Observe the brightening of the tone at the point C - in fact, in all

nine points where these six brushstrokes intersect. The reason for this is obvious - in all

these points, there is a double layer of the paint. This helps us to understand how to build

a range of shades using the same pigment and the same degree of dilution, without adding

lighter pigment or making the paint more opaque. (More about this in Figure 4)

Figure 3

In this example, we painted the first (1) and the second (2) lights over the color of

proplasmos (3). The two arrows (at C), above and below, show the area where the two

lights join. In order to soften this abrupt transition, we need to fill the space between (b)

and (a) with the intermediate color, which we get by mixing the first light (1) and the

second light (2) together. The red dashed line shows where the intermediary color should

be placed in two coats. When the surface is dry, we make a third pass with the

intermediary color over the boundary line only. Make a note of this last important

brushstroke as it covers the boundary line and makes it invisible. By pushing on the brush

slightly to make the hairs spread, we cover more space on both sides of the color band. If

the boundary line is still visible, keep passing over it with intermediate color until it

disappears, Do this only when the surface is dry, otherwise pressure on the brush might

dislodge some of the paint, making unsightly holes which will be difficult to fix.

At the outer boundaries of the intermediate color (the lines A and B), the intermediate

color becomes more transparent and thin and blends with the first and the second lights.

This really helps to smooth the transition between the two lights.

Now, skip ahead and look at the vertical lines in Figure 9. These lines differ in

thickness, and as they become thinner, they are placed farther apart, in a manner similar to

broadloom.

The total of these brushstrokes, especially if observed from a distance, gives a smooth

transition from dark to light. The broadloom brushstrokes painted near the boundary line

end up being brighter, because they overlap each other two or three times.

Figure 4

Do the following exercise. Over a darker proplasmos, construct the following color

scale. First, paint with a flat brush a rectangle ABCD. For this, we use somewhat

transparent paint, with lots of egg emulsion in the mix. Make one pass with this color, from

side to side. After it dries, take the same paint, and draw another band on top of the first

one, but this time stopping before where it is marked 1. Let it dry again, and pass over the

section for the third time, this time leaving the sections 1 and 2 unpainted. Continue with

one more pass, stopping before the brush reaches section 3. The result is that in segment 1

you have one layer of paint, in segment 2 - two layers, in segment 3 - three layers, and in

segment 4 - four layers.

This exercise teaches us that the more layers of transparent paint are applied, the

brighter and more opaque it becomes because of the loss of transparency. The lighter

transparent color is affected by the color underneath, while opaque paint remains

unaffected. And this is one of the secrets of egg tempera which allows us to do so much

with very little.

Figure 5

Here is another way of understanding how to build gradual transitions from dark to

light. In this example, we have a range of lighter colors painted onto the base tone. The

segment A is a bright opaque paint. The segment B is the same opaque, undiluted paint

but with some color of the proplasmos added to it. In the segment C, more base tone is

added and so on, until in the last segment D we have a color very near the tone of the base

tone. The colors B and C we call "intermediary" because they contain in themselves both

colors, dark and light. Using intermediary colors, we smoothly connect light and dark

areas. Earlier, in the figure 4 we have shown how the lighter color ("first light"), when

diluted with egg emulsion, becomes transparent and looks darker because the dark

undertone shows through. We can use this quality of egg tempera to create smooth and

seamless transitions from dark to light. If you skip ahead and look at Figure 7, the

segments 7, 8, 9, and 10 are each joined with a smooth transition. Intermediate

transparent colors were used to create these seamless connections.

.

Figure 6 Modeling of the cheek

This is how the same principles of color transition work on a face

First, we paint the first light. Then we construct the intermediate color from the equal

amounts of the proplasmos paint and the first light, and add egg emulsion to it. With this

diluted intermediate color, we paint the smooth transition between the first light and the

proplasmos. Notice that the stokes are applied in a curved fashion, following the shape of

the first light area. Under the eye, paint a large curve starting from the outside edge of the eye. Continue

this curve down the cheek and pass it onto to the chin applying the brushstrokes in the

same direction as the shape of the first light. Under the eye, in the area which we call

lacrimal sac, put a few horizontal brushstrokes of intermediary tone. The small illumination

in that place is made with a horizontal line of the first light. This smooth transition of tone between the light and the proplasmos (representing

shadow on the face) is made with the technique described in explanations to Figure 7. In the area under the eye, the second light is painted. The color of the second light is

made by taking some of the first light and adding white to it. Never should the second light

cover the area of the first light fully, but only a part of it. After the proper transition from

the second light to the first light is made, there always should be an area of the first light

left clearly visible and untouched by the second light. The same principle applies to the

relationship between the proplasmos and the first light: you can see in Figure 6 that there

is a substantial area of proplasmos by the jaw line left untouched by the transitional color. This presents a significant difficulty to many a beginner. Oftentimes, a beginner

extend the transition area all the way to the jaw line, covering the entire proplasmos area,

with the first light even touching the ear. The same mistake is often repeated with the

second light, when it completely covers and obfuscates the first light. If the entire face is

uniformly covered with white light, it loses its lyrical beauty and its form and becomes flat

like a pancake. It is important to remember that the basic underlying shape of the face is a

sphere, and when the gradations of light and shadow are not there, the face looks like a

whitewashed wall. This is how modeling is done, and not just of the face, but also of the hands and the

body. And this just the first light. The second light and the psymithies are only a small

addition to the first light. For that very reason an experienced icono-grapher will take

great care where to put the first light and how much of the proplasmos should be left

uncovered by the transitional tone. In fact, when we paint the first light and connect it

smoothly with the proplasmos, 85% of job on the face is practically done. If one makes the

first light too big and the shadow areas of proplasmos are all covered, this would be

difficult to correct; hence all care must be taken to do the first light correctly.

Figure 7

Here is a practical exercise in tone blending. In figure 7 we have the exact same colors

that we have in Figure 5. However, in Figure 5 the shades of color are not blended into

each other but have a distinct boundary between them. In Figure 7 these distinct

boundary lines are softened and blurred over with thin vertical brush-strokes of

intermediary colors. These patches of intermediate colors are skillfully and judicially

applied over the boundary lines to create the smooth transition from one tone to another.

Step 1

Replicate Fig. 5 with four bands of color. First, prepare the background with the

proplasmos color, then make the paint for the first light (area 7 in Figure 7, or A in Figure 5).

Mix this first light color in half with the paint for the proplasmos, and paint the area 8. Then add

more proplasmos color to it and paint the area 9. Area 10 remains the pure proplasmos color.

There will be distinct boundaries between all four colors. The next step is to eliminate these

sharp boundary lines with intermediate colors.

Step 2 - blending the four tones

Take some of the paint 7 and add a little egg emulsion to it, making it transparent. With

this transparent mix, extend the paint from area 7 into area 8, passing over the boundary once.

Since the area 7 was painted with opaque color, adding same transparent color on top of it will

not change it; but it will make all the difference when it is extended into the area 8. As you

work over the boundary line, it become less and less distinct, and after a number of repeated

brushstrokes the boundary line disappears altogether. In exactly the same manner, do it for

the other two colors, 8 and 9, that is, dilute the color 8 with egg emulsion and extend it into the

area 9 and so on.

Two common mistakes beginners make

1. When we work over the boundary line, the first coat of transparent paint should

not be pushed too far into the next darker area so that little of the darker area remains

visible.

2. The subsequent coats of transparent paint should not cover the first coat of the

intermediary color completely, but only in part. At its edges, this first coat of the

intermediary color should remain transparent, and if we keep adding coats to it, it will lose

its transparency and become brighter. In the very immediate area of transition, all we

need is a few faint brushstrokes which can barely register over the darker background.

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Practice this technical exercise many times, and do it often. At first, this might seem to

be daunting, but with time and practice you will achieve the needed sense of how to

targeted specific areas, and how much paint to use.

When you finally are able to execute a smooth transition from the proplasmos to the

first light, the first and most important skill is under your belt. These seamless, smooth

transitions from dark to light are one of the most important skills, second only to drawing.

The correct shapes of the eyes, the nose, and the mouth infuse the face with

expression. The correct and skillful modeling infuses the face with beauty and light.

From day to day, spend your time practicing these two elements - drawing of faces

and light to dark transitions. Do not quit practicing until you master these elements.

Remember the experience that has been affirmed by many: work creates a master painter

and shapes an artist. Hours and hours of work, copying icon patterns correctly, the zeal,

and patience will bring about the revelation contained in the sacred art of iconography.

Figure 8

This exercise demonstrates the difference between intermediary color and

transparent color.

On a background of dark proplasmos, paint a segment with the opaque color of the

first light (A). Now, divide the paint into two containers, add some white to the second

container, and paint the segment B. This brighter segment is the second light.

Now, take equal amounts of both colors, and mix them together in a third container.

This is our intermediary color, segment C. All three paints are opaque at this point.

Now, add some egg emulsion to this intermediary color C, and paint the segment D, just

one coat of it. Then add even more egg emulsion to it and paint the segment E.

The point is that D, C, and E are the same color, but they don't look the same because of

difference in opacity/transparency. This difference is because of the varying degrees at

which the tone of the proplasmos is showing through.

Another way of making smooth transitions between the tones using a diluted

intermediate color

proplasmos first light transition second light

A diluted C B

Figure 9

In Figure 9, closer to the right side, we see how the second light smoothly transitions

into the first light.

Let us take another look at Figure 8. In the lower part, we can see two colors, A and B,

the first light and the second light. They are just butted against each other, and even

though the colors are related, transition between them is abrupt. In the upper part, you

see the color (C) which is a mixture of the two colors A and B. That is to say, (C) is the

intermediary color mixed from equal amounts of A and B.

By using this intermediate color C, we will create a smooth transition between the first

light and the second as seen in Figure 9.

Take the intermediary color C, make this paint transparent by adding some egg

emulsion to it (D or E in Figure 8). Lightly brush it over the junction area, covering also

some of the areas of A and B, on both sides of the divide. You may use the technique of

placing thin parallel strokes, thinning out and spaced wider apart as they extend into the

darker zone (see on the left side of Figure).

Let the area dry, then repeat the same procedure with the diluted intermediary color C

over the boundary line, and making occasional brushstrokes to the right and to the left of

the divide.

Again, let it completely dry, and repeat it for the third time, but only if needed. Do not

overwork the area. Then take the brush, load it with diluted color C, and press it into a

piece of scrap paper so it spreads like a rake. Pass with thusly shaped brush over the

boundary with a wide stroke. Shaping the brush in this way is called "training the brush".

Sometimes we may miscalculate and dilute the intermediate color too much. As the

result, the boundary line might stubbornly show through after many repeated applications

of the intermediate color. Should this be the case, keep layering coats until it is all joined

smoothly together. However, with the right amount of practice and exercise, you will learn

very quickly how much egg emulsion is needed to create this intermediary diluted color.

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THE MOUTH

Figure 21

Using burnt sienna, we add a little cinnabar (vermillion) and a little proplasmos color,

and make an outline of the mouth. Here are two pencil renditions of a classical mouth

shape:

Study the shape of the mouth from frescoes and icons of great masters. Copy and

draw this form in pencil so many times that you memorize it and eventually draw or paint it

from memory.

Observe that the darkest shadows are at the corners of the mouth on the line where

the lips touch each other. These shadows are done with the same paint we used to draw

the mouth shape but with more burnt sienna added (or even burnt umber).

The line between the lips is wavy . In the middle of the mouth, we make this line

lighter and redder, and we make it darker closer to the corners of the mouth. Do make

sure there is no dark line showing in the center between the lips. The whole beauty of the

mouth is at this point: the mouth is illuminated in the middle and gets darker towards the

corners.

Another element to watch for beginners are these dark corners of the lips. We do not

just draw a dark wavy line across the mouth line. The effect of the shadows on the upper

lip is created by line being the darkest at the line between the lips, and then becoming

gradually lighter towards the upper lip's line. That is, use the darkest color at the base and

then transition it upward with an intermediary transparent color. There should be a

noticeable difference between the dark line in the corners and the light line in the center of

the line between the lips, where they touch.

With the first light, fill the entire lower lip. On the upper lip, with the same paint,

illuminate the upper half of the lip, so that the upper part of that lip is illuminated, and the

lower remains the color of proplasmos. The upper lip receives light only in the upper

central portion of the lip; use intermediary or transparent color to extend it from that

bright spot to the rest of the lip, making sure that the first light does not cover the entire

lip, from edge to edge, but leaves some proplasmos tone exposed. However, in the center,

where the lips meet, this tone is extended all the way to the lower lip.

Make the color of the second light by adding some white to the color of your first light.

With the second light, illuminate only the upper half of the lower lip in the middle. Also,

model the area above the upper lip, and if the mouth is big enough, add the second thin

line at some distance from the first, as shown in Fig. 21.

With the second line, accent the line between the lips, and only in the area of the

lower lip, without getting it to the corners, where the dark line is.

The last step is to glaze the lips with a reddish color called pyrodismos. It is made of a

bit of vermillion plus a small drop of the first light. Use a generous amount of egg

emulsion; the best way to do a glaze is to make a very dilute solution first. Making the lips

too red is not a good idea, and lots of egg emulsion in the mix will ensure that. However, if

you see that the resulting color is not red enough, add just a little cinnabar.

With pyrodismos, pass over the lower lip with a single wide brushstroke. Many small

brushstrokes will not give you a uniform coverage, so take a soft wide brush, and with one

pass cover the lower lip from one side to the other.

Do the same for the upper lip, covering the shadows too.

Take a very small portion of the pyrodismos paint and add to it just a little of cinnabar

and an equal amount of sienna. With this redder pyrodismos, using a brush with a fine

point, draw a thin line between the lips in the center of the mouth. This red line does not

go over the entire mouth line, but only in the center, gradually terminating where the dark

shadows begin, on the right and on the left.

Look at the mouth again and determine whether the lips are red enough. If they are

still too pale, glaze it over one more time with the original diluted pyrodismos.

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A few words on the dimensions of the eyes and the mouth in classical iconography.

We often see in ancient frescoes that the eyes are larger than in realistic paintings, and the

mouth is smaller. There is an expressive reason for that.

A small mouth is suggestive of avoidance of idle talk and unnecessary laughter; it is

evocative of reserved speech and fasting. Large eyes express vision; these eyes behold the

Eternally Living God. In ancient images, we always find that faces - and bodies in general -

display individual and specific virtues, but the whole image always expresses the most

important virtue of all: holiness.

actual size enlarged schematics

Figure 21a

When we work on a small icon, the mouth will also be very small. In this case, we

cannot do all the above described steps and procedures. In rendering a small mouth, we

should say much with very little.

With the first light, we illuminate the lower lip and add the same paint to the upper

portion of the upper lip (see Fig. 21a). Then prepare the second, brighter light and draw a

few thin lines right at the line where the lips touch, as seen on the enlarged schematics.

When the paint is dry, go over the mouth with a transparent glaze of pyrodismos. And that

would be enough for small mouths.

Figure 22

The first stage in painting the mouth of Christ

The mouth and moustache of Christ begins with painting the first drawing onto

proplasmos. Observe in this illustration the use of the "first line" and "second line" tones.

Figure 23

We cover the lower lip with a reddish paint, a mixture of the first light and a bit of

vermillion.

Take now the some of that mixture, add to it more vermillion, and color the entire

upper lip with it.

Make the color of the first light, paint the face. Take some of it, and add egg emulsion

to it (very little), and paint the lower lip, from the top edge almost to the bottom of the lip,

on top of the reddish under-painting.

Then work in the second light, as was described above. The darker lines of the mouth

and moustache should be of the same color as the lines of the dark hair and beard of

Christ.

Make a note of the two white areas/lines to the right and to the left from the lower

lip. These illuminations are always placed on the faces of the saints if there is a desire to

emphasize intensity of facial expression.

In this example, we used a reddish under-painting on the lips. However, we can also

follow the classic method (described as pyrodismos in Fig. 20), without the use of this

under-painting.

Figure 24 The final highlights on the mouth of Christ

We make the third light by adding some white to the color of the second light, that we

already have. With this third light, we place two accents on the philtrum (the concave area

above the upper lip) as shown, two light accents on the both sides of the mouth, and a

small horizontal brushstroke on the lower lip. With the same color, we paint all the

psymithies on the face. Make a note how the area around the nostril is modeled.

Figure 25 The head of the Archangel Gabriel. Proplasmos and first lines of the face and hair.

Explanations to Figure 25

THE EYES

The curve of the upper eyelid flattens and becomes thick in the middle; it tapers off at the

corners. The pupil of the eye just barely touches the lower edge of the upper lid's line. This

element should always be present in all icons. The shape of the pupil is oval, not round.

The shape of the iris is oval, too - think of this as an enlarged shape of the iris.

These three elements - the upper eye lid, the iris, and the pupil - are done with burnt

umber. The lines of the lower eyelid and the "serenity line" (the skin fold between the

brow and the upper eyelid) are done with a lighter color such as natural umber, or

whatever is used for the proplasmos of the hair. Notice how the three lines - the serenity

line, the upper eyelid, and the lower eyelid - flatten and are nearly horizontal in the middle.

In your work, think of them as three parallel lines. This element gives the face a peaceful

and royal expression.

THE EYEBROWS

are thicker and darker near the nose, and as they go towards the temples, from about the

middle they get lighter and thinner.

The nose is generally painted with lines of a lighter color, and the bulb of the nose is even

lighter, redder color. The hole in the nostril is flat and dark. The line of the nose gets

gradually darker towards the eyebrow.

THE MOUTH

Observe the precise shape of the lines of the mouth. The upper and the lower lip lines are

of lighter color and somewhat reddish. The line former by the touching lips has three

undulations or "waves". The middle "wave" is lighter than the upper and lower lip and

more reddish. The two outer "waves" are dark (as if in shadows).

THE OCULAR RECESS

Near the left eye (i.e., the angel's left, our right), where the line of the forehead transitions

into the line of the cheek, several other lines converge. Observe how these line come

together at that point: the forehead, the cheek, the upper and lower eyelids, the serenity

line, and the eyebrow.

THE HAIR

Never forget a cardinal rule of painting the hair: in the shaded area, the lines must be

opaque and prominent. These lines are thicker in the middle, and they thin out towards

the ends, as they approach "weaker" shadows. In the illuminated portions of the locks,

these lines are either drawn very thinly or are not drawn at all. Observe the spherical

shapes of the curls above the forehead. The lower part of the "sphere" is done with thick

lines because there is shadow, but they too thin out at the ends. When modeled, this area

will blend better.

The whole shape of the head has to convey a form of a sphere, not of a circle. The face is

illuminated in a way to bring this about (see Fig 26 ad 27). The hair, too, should participate

in this shaping of the head. In the back of the head, the lines are written thick and dark

because this area should be most heavily shaded. The thickest and darkest lines are in the

area behind the ear; that is where the shadows are the darkest.

� � �

Figure 26. The first light on the face and on the hair

LIGHT ON THE FACE

Observe the brushstrokes in the area where the first light transitions into shadow of

proplasmos. These brushstrokes encircle the illumined area of the cheek and the chin.

Do not rush to pull strokes with enlightenment. First you'll notice fairly the illuminated part

being copied. You'll see that the enlightenment separated sharply from proplasmos and the

union of light and shadow is extinguished with intermediate color.

Do not rush to blend this first light right away. First, build the bright areas of opaque color

where you need it, and then smooth over the sharp transition with an intermediate color.

The sclera of the eye is accented with a separate gray light - mixed from while, black, and

very little proplasmos. This light can be slightly bluish.

Very important: this eye light should never touch the upper eyelid. Between the eyelid

and the light, there should be some distance.

MODELING THE HAIR

THE FRONTAL ROW OF CURLS

Look at the row of curls over the forehead. These have spherical shapes. The dark lines

represent shadow side of a sphere; where the shadow is darker, the lines become broader.

The areas filled with lighter brushstrokes are on the opposite side of the shape.

The proplasmos color of the hair is a mix of burned sienna with the proplasmos color for

the face.

The first light on the hair is done with a combination of

1. color of the hair's proplasmos

2. the first light used on the face

3. little vermillion

The illumination is painted with the following consideration: in those spots, where the light

should be the most intense, the brushstrokes are the widest. The spherical curls above the

forehead fall like a cascade; and these circles take the most intense light. Each brushstroke

begins as a round spot and then spirals around and falls downward. Each brushstroke

continuously tapers off throughout the length and ends with a fine point. The reason for

that is because it approaches the shaded part.

THE HAIR ON THE CRANIUM

The hair on the cranium area is wavy. Each wave row is thicker closer to the face, and the

brushstrokes become thinner as they go towards the back. These brushstrokes should not

fill the entire cranium, but fade out and leave enough area untouched by the first light,

with proplasmos only. The bright brushstrokes are followed by dark lines of the shadow.

The farther into the shadow these dark lines go, the wider they become. The outer rim of

the head is done by the widest line; this is because the contour line is darker than any other

line of the hair.

Figure 27. Finishing the face of Archangel Gabriel

On top of the first light, at the places which should be illuminated the most, paint the

second light. The second light should cover a small area and leave much of the first light's

area visible. Abide the holy law of the second light: "Thou shalt not cover the entire area of

the first light with the second light!" Always leave some area of the first light untouched by

the second light - be it large or small, depending on where on the face it is. The area of the

second light has to be smaller than you think, because you need some space to smooth out

the transition of it into the first light. This transition is done with an intermediate color.

Take equal amounts of paint from the first and the second lights, mix them together, and

add some egg emulsion to make it more transparent. With light and elegant brushstrokes

execute the transition.

PSYMITHIES

On top of the second light, paint the psymithies ("ozhyvki"), which is essentially the third

light. This third light requires precise calibration of color. The relationship between the

color of psymithies and the color of the second light should be analogous to the

relationship between the second and the first light. It is a big mistake to make the

psymithies too bright. These lines will look foreign on the face as if something was painted

on top of skin like a tribal face painting.

What was described earlier for the hair, applies to psymithies. The same principles: in the

those spots which emit the most light, the psymithies are painted larger and wider.

Observe the psymithies near the outer corner of the Archangel's right eye (our left). There

are three lines, and the nearest line to the eye is the brightest, the longest, and three times

as wide as the third one. There is a diminuendo of intensity.

For the final step, we take some white and mix into it the third light (the paint we used for

psymithies). With this nearly white paint, we accent the psymithies themselves, and only in

the brightest spots of the face. In both corners of the larger eye, paint an accent on top of

the largest white line, but only half the length, and on top of the next line to it - barely a

touch. The psymithies that are a row of long lines with wider middle and thinning ends

such as on the neck, accent only the largest one, only in the middle where it is wide, (never

cover the entire line), and also place a very tiny accent on the line next to it, just barely

visible.

Using the same principles, illuminate the nose, the forehead, the area of the mouth, and

the ear.

For the hair, the second light is made by adding some white to the first light used for the

hair. [Nota bene: do not confuse the first light for the face with the first light for the hair.

Remember, the proplasmos for the hair was darker than the proplasmos for the face; all

subsequent lights - first, second - are tonal extensions of proplasmos).

In the hair, just like on the face, we use the color of the second light to cover only small

part of the first light. Again and again we must reiterate: never, ever the second light goes

outside of the first light's area. This error spells disaster. The same rules applies to the

modeling of the garments.

Take some of the pyrodismos color (a transparent mixture of vermillion and the first light),

and give go over the following areas:

• blush on the cheeks;

• the serenity lines (the skin fold between the upper lid and the brow);

• the shadow on the neck;

• the ears;

• the shaded side of the nose along the bridge, the nose bulb, and the nostril;

• the mouth (a transparent glaze)

THE EYES

The second light of the eyes (the sclera) is made by adding white to the color of the first

light of the sclera. [Again, remember that the first lights of the face, the hair, and the sclera

are all different paints. Do not confuse them]

Colors of the face - the reference chart

(A) PROPLASMOS

raw umber + yellow ocher + green + burnt sienna + white

LIGHTS (B, C, D)

(B) - First light: Yellow ocher + cinnabar + white

(C) - Second light: first light (B) + white

(D) - Third light: second light (C) + white

LINES (E, F)

(E) - First lines on the face and the hair: burnt sienna

(F) - Second lines: burnt umber

Note: for the first lines and hair (E) instead of pure burnt sienna, we can use also a

combination of burnt sienna + yellow ocher

Modeling the face - step by step

Even though the face is the most important part of the icon, the rest of the image should

not be neglected and underworked. Still, the face is to be central to the icon.

FLESH PROPLASMOS

We make proplasmos for the flesh using the following proportions:

1 measure of raw umber

1/3 measures of yellow ocher

1/4 measure of burnt sienna

1/4 measure of white

If we use a very small measuring spoon, here is another way to make this proportion:

4 spoons of raw umber

1 1/2

- 2 spoons of yellow ocher

1 spoon of burnt sienna

1 spoon of white

This is the recipe for flesh proplasmos which Panselinos used. With this color, cover all

areas of the flesh that are not covered by garments - face, neck, hands, and feet.

When proplasmos is dry, re-apply your paper drawing onto the surface, and reiterate the

lines. Watch this step carefully as pressing too hard may damage the paint layer; this has

to be done with a very light touch, hard enough only to transfer the powdered pigment

from the back of the drawing onto the surface of proplasmos.

Mix some burnt umber with burnt sienna and some yellow ocher. We shall call this color

"the first lines." With this mixture, paint the lines of the drawing, including hair and beard.

The facial features - the nose, the eyes, the eyebrows, and the mouth - should be done with

a very fine brush and diluted paint. The contour of the face (as well as the neck and other

parts) should not be painted linearly but blend into proplasmos, and not all around the face

but only on one side, where the shadows are. The same applies to the neck, arms, and

legs.

Then, with the same color, reinforce the lines of the eyebrows, the eyes, and lower part of

the nose (the nostrils), the line between the lips, and the hands and feet where necessary

(in shaded areas only).

FIRST LIGHT

Then build a new color, a mixture of

• 1 part white

• 1/2 part yellow ocher

• 1/5 part cinnabar

Take some of this color and mix into it some of the proplasmos color to create the

intermediate color.

If we use a very small measuring spoon, here is another way to make this proportion:

• 5 spoons of white

• 21/2

spoons of yellow ocher

• 1 spoon of cinnabar

These first constructed light (white + ocher + cinnabar) is "the first light." Take some of it

and dilute with egg emulsion, making it a bit more transparent. Apply this to the part to be

illuminated as seen on the prototype - the bridge of the noew, the cheeks, the forehead,

the chin, the area around the nostrils, the area above the upper lip and so on. Apply the

same color to the lower lip, thickly. Apply it also to the ears, and also to the neck, hands,

and feet, where it should be illuminated. Application of this color should be done in such a

way that the light fades gradually into proplasmos rather than transition abruptly. To

make this transition, we requires a special technique: with the brush, gently pull the liquid

edges of the paint away from spot; however, this should be done by moving the brush in

concentric motion around the edges of the spot, not in radial lines.

Also, with the intermediate color, diluted with egg emulsion, in a soft and feathery way fill

the junction between the light and the proplasmos. Again, the movements of the brush

must be parallel to the edge of the lighter spot, not perpendicular to it. To create seamless

transitions, we always work with these two devices - transparent colors and intermediate

colors. The latter is traditionally called glikasmos or "sugaring".

Then, using the undiluted portion of our first light, we pass over the areas that require

more prominent light, making sure we do not encroach upon the transitional area. We can

do this a few times to build up the opaqueness. If correction is needed, take some of the

proplasmos and work over the shaded areas. This is the most important part of the face

modeling.

Now we take a small portion of the opaque first light, and add some white to it, and dilute

it with egg emulsion by adding a few drops. This is the second light. With this color, cover

only a small part of the first light, which should be brighter. These are as follows:

• Bridge of the nose

• Lower part of the nose bulb

• the brow ridges on the forehead above the brows

• the cheeks near the eyes,

• the lower lip

• the area around the nostrils

• the chin (not too much), if there is no beard (male youth, female)

• earlobes

• some area on the neck

• hands and feet

Make sure you connect the second light with the first light in exactly the same way as you

connected the first light with the proplasmos using the techniques of transparent color and

intermediate color. Apply a couple of passes of the second light to the brighter areas of the

flesh to reinforce the form. It is important to remember that the head is a sphere and not a

circle; it must not look like a cartoon. The same principle is extended throughout the body

- the forms on the face, hands, torso, and legs.

Now, take some of the color for the first lines and add to it some burnt umber. With this

darker color, paint over the lines of the eyelids and the lower part of the nose (not the

bridge of the nose!) With the same darker color, make the outline of the iris, and the iris.

Take some of the first line paint, make it transparent, and lightly cover the entire iris. With

thin lines, reinforce the shadow on the cheek (narrow side of the face). With the second

line, paint three or four lines of hairs over the eyebrows. Do the same for the moustache

and the beard, painting lightly and elegantly on top of the first line color.

We reinforce the shadows at the edges of the neck, hands, and feet. Under the jaw, we

paint with transparent first light and then reinforce it a bit with opaque paint of the same

color.

With the second lines color, paint the curved lines of the hair. In the areas closer to the

background, at the edges of hair, place the lines more widely. This will emphasize more the

spherical shape of the head.

After this, we take burnt umber and reinforce the darkest lines on the face as follows:

• the upper eyelid

• the pupil

• the contour line of the iris

• a few hairs of the eyebrows, of the moustache, and of the beard

• holes in the nostrils

• contour of the hair near where it meets the background

Then repeat the same, but only selectively, with black: the upper eyelid (in the middle

only), the pupil, a dash on the iris' lower part, the holes in the nose, two hairs on the

moustache, and a few distant ones in the beard.

Some iconographers never go to the black lines but stop at burnt umber stage; and some

don't even do that, leaving all the lines in burnt sienna. It is entirely an iconographer's

artistic choice.

PSYMITHIES ("Ozhyvki")

We are now nearly finished with the face; all is left to place the psymithies. These are done

with thin parallel lines at the brightest places of illumination. The color for psymithies is

made by adding white to the second light. Draw these lines with a very fine brush. In order

to do psymithies skillfully, one has to study their form and placement on historic

prototypes. The places for psymithies are as follows:

• around the eyes

• the bridge of the nose and the bulb of the nose

• the ridges above the brows

• above the upper lip

• the lower lip

• the neck

• the earlobes

• the hands and the feet

The brightest spot receives the bigger and thicker lines, and as the light falls off, the lines

become smaller and thinner until they vanish into the second light.

Psymithies must not be too bright and intense; this destroys a perfectly painted face. It is

better not to have them at all than to have them painted badly. Beginners usually have

most difficulty with them; but there is nothing a dedicated study will not remedy.

The shape of psymithies is similar to many other lines on the icon, that is thin ends and

wider middle.

Figure 1 is an example of psymithies placed on top of a spherical shape. These lines have

thin ends on both sides, the thicker middle, and are arranged in a parallel fashion yet

slightly bending around the "sphere".

Figure 2 shows the psymithies near the eye. The brightest and thickest lines are closer to

the eye, and then there is a gradual fall off of light as the lines get smaller and thinner.

In the Figure 3, the top part of the psymithies is covered by another object.

In the Figure 4, we have an alternating rhythms of psymithies, with two interpolated rows

of lines, big, thick and bright, and paler, thinner and smaller between them. This style

becomes popular after the fall of Constantinople.

With the color of proplasmos, paint the lights on the hair; the brushstrokes should be wider

in the front, but thinner as they radiate towards the edge of the head. Add more of the

first light into this color and illuminate the hair further; place two or three psymithies on

the hair.

BLUSH

Make a very diluted paint of cinnabar and lightly brush over the shaded part of the bridge

of the nose and the holes in the nostrils. Very lightly, add blush to the cheeks, under the

chin, in the shadow of the neck, hands, and feet. Also, add blush to the nostrils. Cover the

lower lip with cinnabar a bit more prominently but still very transparently; do the same to

the upper lip, using red oxide instead of cinnabar. Draw the line between the lips in burnt

sienna; glaze it over with cinnabar.

OCULAR LIGHTS

Mix white, black, and proplasmos tone. Using this color, place illumination onto the eye

balls, only on one side. This illumination touches the iris but never the upper eyelid. A

smaller second light can be nested inside the first light.

After many studies, one can experiment with glazing the shaded areas with green. This

green coloration is more common in frescoes.

if the face looks too bright, take some of the first light, dilute it with egg emulsion, and

using a flat brush, gently brush over the brightest spots only. All accents will harmonize

better, and the illumination will be more mellow.

If the face has yellow overcast, glaze it over with a very diluted cinnabar. If it is too red,

glaze it with transparent solution of yellow ocher.

THE LINES OF THE MUSTACHE AND THE BEARD

First, the areas have the color of the proplasmos for the face. Now, we cover these areas

with the same color as we use for the hair. On this, place fine dark lines of facial hair with

burnt umber. These lines are thin at both ends but thicker in the middle. The lines of the

moustache are nearly parallel. Usually, there are about four of these lines. The line closest

to the mouth is the thickest, and those above it gradually diminish and taper off.

The lines of the beard's hairs are visually oriented unto the center of the nose. The upper

ends of the hairs thin out to the point they disappear into the proplasmos. To master this,

draw the lines first with a pencil, and then with a very fine brush (burnt umber). It is also

important not to stretch the hairs into the first light of the face but keep them confined

within the area of open proplasmos. Again, as we said, near the mouth the hairs are longer

and wider. Make sure the ends of the hair lines are the thinnest possible; this gives the

beards and the moustache their beauty and volume.

The hair lines of the beard are thinnest near the mouth, then get wider towards the neck,

but again thin out in the neck area. The beard does not start right under the mouth but a

bit lower and thickens there closer to the neck. Painting a beard on young adult's face is

particularly challenging as the connection from beard to the skin has to be very smooth and

seamless. This is facilitated by drawing these lines are finely drawn orienting toward the

mouth and have proper "radial" direction.