TRADITIONAL WATER-GILDING & AN ICON OF CHRIST

5-day Intensive Workshop: January 21 – 25, 2025 

 

This class is suitable for ALL LEVELS

 

Held at Eikonourgia Studio, Athens, Greece

PAINT AN ICON OF THE FACE OF CHRIST AND LEARN TRADITIONAL WATER GILDING

This unique 5-day workshop will combine a specific drawing and painting experience with George Kordis writing the face of Christ along with three days focused in traditional water gilding with Panayotta Koutsochionis.

 

To begin the gilding workshop, there will be an introductory instruction in the Byzantine system with master iconographer George Kordis to draw Christ’s face before entering into several days of focus on water gilding techniques with Panayotta Koutsochionis.  Students will return to paint the icon with Kordis for the two last days of the workshop.  Each student will leave with both a completed icon of Christ with a gilded frame along with other learning boards during the workshop for a full experience.

 

About Water Gilding

Traditional water gilding has been used for centuries as a luminous background for icons or in their decoration with halos and other details. The workshop will provide a comprehensive immersion into the ancient decorative art of water gilding, and will also give those gilders the opportunity to work with a skilled professional gilder from Athens to expand their knowledge and explore various new techniques and methods.

 

Students will learn how to make and apply the gesso, the bole (which is the clay used underneath gold leaf), as well as the application of the special adhesive compound in order to prepare several wooden surfaces correctly.  Students will be guided through the detailed process with effective use of the specific gilding tools, various methods of how to apply the gold leaf onto the various surfaces and how to burnish the surface until a highly reflective result is achieved ~ a skill that takes steady practice to achieve a smooth and flawless effect. Discussion on how the materials react in different environmental situations will be explored along with and how to correct problematic areas.

 

After the gilding days (and an initial drawing session), the last two days of the residency will be spent finishing the gilded board with George Kordis, learning the traditional methods he uses with dry egg tempera techniques to complete a beautiful icon of the face of Christ.  Dr. Kordis will also demonstrate additional decoration using tooling techniques on Christ’s halo. 

 

NOTE: This class will focus on the gilding process through both a specific project (preparing a panel for the face of Christ), and also work on making various practice boards.  Students will receive a full comprehensive booklet of recipes and instructions to take home after the class.

The photo in our banner is not an example of the icon project — the specific project for the five days will have a fully gilded border with gold halo and will be unique.

 

DAILY SCHEDULE:

The class will meet daily from Tuesday, Jan. 21 through Saturday, Jan. 25th.

Morning: 09.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon

Break for lunch

Afternoon: 13.00  p.m. – 16.00 pm (1 to 4pm)

The class is held in English language and will meet daily at the Eikonourgia Studio – Ilioupoleos 34, Athens.  Class size limited to 15.

 

As an extra benefit, students will receive a full comprehensive booklet of all recipes and instructions to take home.

Workshop Tuition: $600*

(*Note: Some materials and tools will need to be purchased separately — please see below).

 

MATERIALS

A comprehensive materials list will be shared with all registrants (to budget an extra $200 – $300) with recommended websites to purchase both in the US and in the EU.  Students with previous gilding experience may bring their own gilders tools.  The tools are a personal investment for being able to continue practicing gilding after the workshop.

Materials students will need to bring: 

• Burnished stone tooth shape or flat shape 
• Brushes for applying the bole
• Mop Brushes for applying gold leaf
• Gilders tip for Gold leaf transferring
• Various bottles for saving and making the sizes
• Gold leaf – at least one booklet of 22 or 23ct. gold for use during the course (we recommend two). 

LODGING & MEALS IN ATHENS

Lodging is booked independently by all students — all food is also covered independently.

It is suggested to take a look at lodging especially in the Mets area of Athens near Plaka and within easy walking distance to the Eikonourgia Studio.  Pangrati is another convenient area. We will send additional lodging suggestions after your registration is complete.

To Register 

Please fill out the basic form (through the red registration button at the top of this page) and we will email you with the next steps.  This course will require payment in full of $595 / 535 euros).

 

REGARDING REGISTRATION & REFUND POLICY:

• Beginning with all residencies from September 1st onwards, we will no longer be able to handle credits or transfer any residency bookings.

• If any student needs to cancel attendance to this workshop, they can have a refund of their residency tuition (usually non-refundable) minus the equivalent of $100 as long as the cancellation is made within four weeks of the residency start date, otherwise the tuition is non-refundable.

• For Certificate students, tuition paid for a student-canceled residency may have the paid tuition portion refunded (beyond the non-refundable deposit) with the equivalent of the total amount paid minus the PayPal fee at the original country fee rate (i.e. 4,5% EU, 5.5~6% USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA + 3% administrative fee).

 

We hope to have you join us for this special Water-Gilding and Painting opportunity!

The class is held in English language and will meet daily at the Eikonourgia Studio – Ilioupoleos 34, Athens.

 

NOTE: IF YOU REGISTER OR JOIN THE WAITLIST AND DO NOT RECEIVE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LETTER WITHIN 24 HOURS, Please email Keri at info.writingthelight@gmail.com and/or check your spam folder as sometimes our letters and invoices go directly to spam.

Thank you!