Handmade icons

Handmade byzantine icons. Crafted at our workshop in Mistras. You can browse our collection and if you are interested in an icon that is not available anymore, or even one of your own choosing, please fill in the form here

About the icons 

Creating an icon starts with  

1) cutting the appropriate piece of wood, either ash or walnut tree.  

2) Preparing the surface by covering it with cloth. 

3) Plastering the surface with the appropriate natural material.  

4) Sketching and coloring on the surface. 

5) Preparing the areas that will be covered in gold-leaf 

6) Covering those areas with 22 karat gold. 

7) Insulating the gold-covered surfaces, using natural materials 

8) Sketching of halos and inscriptions 

9) Finishing off with varnish 

Colors 

Derived from nature, the colors used come in powder form and are minerals and metals mixed with egg yolk and vinegar. Thus, the painter can create the appropriate shades of color. This traditional technique is egg tempera, which has proven to be exceptionally durable, as is evident in the durability of mediaeval icons.