Theology in Technique

Orthodox iconographers don't see themselves as artists expressing a personal vision. They are craftsmen transmitting sacred truth through fixed visual formulas. The gold background, the proportions, the colors assigned to each saint — all are set by tradition, not personal taste.

The work follows a set order: backgrounds first, then buildings, then clothing, then faces. The final step, painting the eyes, is the moment the icon is said to "come alive" as a window to divine reality.