The color filling State

And the difficult egg- tempera technique!

The  talented hagiographer, Eva Miskou Varela ( eva.miskou.gt@gmail.com ), sent me today new photos,  showcasing the first layers of painting, applied on the Virgin Mary's and Christ's clothes   

The artist used the old traditional Byzantine technique of egg tempera, a permanent, fast-drying painting medium consisting of natural colored pigments in powder form , mixed with egg yolk, and vinegar.

Egg tempera technique requires the application of thin and nearly transparent glazes of paint, laid on top of each other until the desired color, saturation and shadows are achieved. This is necessary because egg tempera dries quickly and cannot be blended once applied.

The hagiographer builds her composition from bottom up, starting with the areas which carry shadows and darkest tones, and passing  to the lighter areas and the highlights.

Stay tuned, as the beauty of this  19th century Byzantine icon comes back to life