Designing Icons (pt.5): Conventions of Traditional Icon Design

This is post 5 of 9 in the series “Designing Icons” Aidan Hart gives us a full chapter on designing icons from his book “Techniques of Icon and Wall Painting.” Designing Icons (pt.1) Designing Icons (pt.2): Icon Prototypes Designing Icons (pt.3): New Icons Designing Icons (pt.4): Researching Festal Icons Designing Icons (pt.5): Conventions of Traditional…

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More Western Medieval Art

A few weeks ago, I posted a short piece on the Catalonia Museum and some beautiful icons, frescoes and objects that show the amazing unity between Orthodox Art and early medieval Western art. Petrus Agricola, on his Flickr stream has just posted many images (about 150), enamels, ivories and other objects form the Schnütgen Museum in Cologne, a…

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Notes from the psalterion, updated and annotated — part III, dealing with that strange subspecies called the “musician”

This is post 3 of 6 in the series “Notes from The Psalterion” Richard Barrett gives us practical advice for the discipline of liturgical music in a local parish context. Notes from the psalterion, updated and annotated – Part I, First Principles Notes from the psalterion, updated and annotated – Part II, Getting Started Notes…

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The Bethlehem Icon Centre

Editorial Note:  In the light of recent events in Gaza, I asked Ian Knowles the Director of the Bethlehem Icon Center to introduce us to this wonderful project.  In such a desperate political situation, sacred art has been focal point to bring about collaboration between Orthodox, Coptic, Catholic and Syrian Palestinians in the desire to…

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Designing a Syrian Orthodox Panagia

I was recently asked by a young student of St-Vladimir’s Seminary to make a Panagia which he wanted to give to his bishop.  This student is of Indian background and a Syrian Orthodox.  I have always been fascinated by Orthodoxy in India,  the stories of St-Thomas, the link with Nestorian Christianity and also their long…

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Designing Icons (pt.4): Researching Festal Icons

This is post 4 of 9 in the series “Designing Icons” Aidan Hart gives us a full chapter on designing icons from his book “Techniques of Icon and Wall Painting.” Designing Icons (pt.1) Designing Icons (pt.2): Icon Prototypes Designing Icons (pt.3): New Icons Designing Icons (pt.4): Researching Festal Icons Designing Icons (pt.5): Conventions of Traditional…

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Medieval Art from Catalonia

The utmost french speaking resource website for Orthodoxy, www.orthodoxie.com, has a very beautiful Flickr stream of the National Museum of Catalonia.  It is an amazing showcase of Western icons, liturgical objects, frescoes and furniture from the Early Middle Ages. When looking at the images, what strikes me the most is the boldness in color bringing about a…

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