St. Cardinal Newman Icon

Oct. 8, 2015

The icon of St. Cardinal John Henry Newman has been completed. I will take a few more pictures in the morning and then do the final coat of varnish. After a few days of drying, it will be ready to ship to Calgary. With the Thanksgiving weekend, that will be on Tuesday.

Oct. 4, 2015

Lost a few days because of an injury to my left arm during the pack-out of my painting exhibit last Monday, and I needed to also setup the online Fall Sale for the painting series. But I've been back with the Saint Cardinal Newman icon the last few days and making progress. Making adjustments along the way, and it is always more time consuming when doing a new design of a recent saint, and in vestments not typical within the Byzantine tradition. I still have a few days to go before I complete everything.

Sept. 23, 2015

The gold leaf has been done. Now to let it set for a few days before burnishing and sealing it, once the halo and inscription is also done. Anything that is painted directly onto the gold leaf needs to done so that this too will be sealed with the leaf.

Sept. 22, 2015

I'm at a point where I need to start working on the gold leaf. The red bole is making the red on Cardinal Newman seem as though it is too pink (against the more orangy red of the bole). Once the gold leaf is in place, I can then adjust the red if I need to.

This of course needs more sanding with a very fine grit paper and cleaning... now that the blisters from the gessoing have healed. :-)

Sept. 21, 2015

I got the icon board prepared and gessoed, with lots of sanding and I have the blisters on my fingers to show for it. The design for St. Cardinal Newman was transferred to the board and I've just blocked in the base colours from which I will develop the highlighting and shading. But first, I want to add the red bole on the remaining white (gesso) surfaces.

This icon is being commissioned by a regular client in Calgary.

Sept. 15, 2015

Just confirmed the design for another original icon, a small one of 11x14 St. Cardinal Newman, which is just in time to get some food back on the table.