Book Teaching Icon Painting by Aidan Hart
by David Clayton on November 18, 2011
It is with much excitement that I await the arrival of a new book on the theology, history and painting techniques of icon painting. I have just heard that this has now been published by Gracewing in the UK and he told me that as yet there is no US distributor. If anybody knows how I can get hold of a copy, let me know! You can see details on his website here.
Looking at the contents it is extremely thorough. It discusses the various styles of iconography, Eastern and Western. In painting techniques it describes, step by step with illustrations (there are 460 illustrations in its 450 pages) and covers both the membrane technique – where the form is modelled in monchrome and thin washes of colour are placed over before final modelling; and the ‘proplasmos’ technique, where the painter starts with dark layers of paint and moves to the highlights systematically. He covers egg tempera, fresco and secco. To have a book with so many illustrations of his work makes it worthy of consideration for that alone (it retails at 40GBP).Aidan is a superb teacher (the best I have come across) who in his classes who reduces things to underlying principles quickly and simply so equipping the student to do much to teach himself after he leaves. The reports I am getting from England of those who have seen it are that it is every bit as good as it promised to be.
As a faithful Orthodox Christian, Aidan has the prejudices against other, Catholic, artistic liturgical traditions and culture that one would expect. As with any book by Orthodox, Catholics should be ready for this, but in my experience, there is little that we should be worrying about in such a discussion of the iconographic tradition, and much to learn. Certainly I am going to find out how to get hold of a copy and will report as soon as do so.
Below you have some very rough step by step paintings of the membrane technique, in which there is an underpainting in monochrome and then transparent washes are applied over it – left to right, starting top left.
Tagged as:
Aidan Hart,
iconography,
icons
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I searched the title on Google and learned that the book can be directly ordered from Gracewing. It is their “New Titles” page. They accept PayPal as a form of payment, or one can print an order form and mail it with payment in sterling currency. Here is the link:
http://gracewing.co.uk/page3.htm
Looks like a very wonderful & thorough book!
David, Gracewing has a website and you can purchase their books online http://www.gracewing.co.uk. Also Liturgy Training Publications has started carrying Gracewing publications in their catalog so it is possible that the book will be sold through LTP right here in the US. I recently purchased The Mystical Flora of St. Francis de Sales from LTP but published by Gracewing (that is in keeping with the garden theme).
I should also add that the Gracewing book you illustrated on First Confession and First Holy Communion is now sold in the US through LTP and I am using it in my Religious Education Program to the delight of the catechist.
At the bottom of the first page of Amazon there are a number of links to other nations’ Amazon stores. One is England. When you get there you can order the Hart book and get it shipped here.
I ordered the bool directly from the Gracewing website a month ago. The book came within 10 days. The quality of the book is superb. Given the size of the book (it weighs in at over 6 pounds), and the number and quality of coloured photos, the book is a real bargain. The explanations are clear and comprehensive. This will certainly be a classic on iconography for a long time. I don’t when I have been so impressed and please in receiving a new book! Ever serious student of iconography will certainly want to have a copy.
Just out of interest, I’ve just noticed your email address. Are you from Hexham in Northumberland? My mother’s family comes from there and I miss the beauty of that part of the world terribly!