Modeling the garments

After transferring the sketch onto the gessoed panel, fill all the areas of the
garments with the proplasmos colors. Gold background should be done first; if
you attempt to lay gold after you have painted the proplasmos, it will stick to the
paint and you will have to re-do the paint layer again.
This first initial blocking is called "proplasmos colors." Let this all dry. If the
proplasmos is too opaque and you have lost the lines, re-apply the sketch, and
restate the lines again. These lines should be very light and barely
distinguishable. For this, the back of your sketch should not be dusty with
pigment; just shake it off or blow on it. Also, make sure you do not press hard on
your pencil (an empty ball-point pen is the best choice for this task), and also do
not touch the paper with your hands because this will smudge the dry pigment all
over the icon.
Make sure you mix enough proplasmos colors, because you will need them for
minor fixes even after you will have finished the work. Also, every time you take a
break, add a few drops of water to the jars with paint, so that it does not dry out.
However, do not add too much water, because if you paint with under-tempered
paint (more pigment than egg yolk in the mix), colors will come out as light, in fact
much lighter than they actually are, and when you varnish them, they go dark.
This may just throw the icon out of balance. Here is how to check if the pigment
is under-tempered: touch the surface of the dry proplasmos with a lightly wet
finger. If the spot goes dark, then it will go this much dark under varnish. If the
wet spot is not different from the surrounding area, no darkening under the
varnish will occur.
You can keep the egg emulsion up to three weeks in a refrigerator. You will need
to keep some amounts of the same proplasmos till the end of the project
THE LINES
After the entire image is transferred unto the proplasmos colors, we make a color
a little darker than the proplasmos and paint the "shaded" lines of clothes - the
folds and the contour. Of course, for each proplasmos, we would have a different
color of this shadow tone. This process of applying the dark lines is called
"opening of the icon" (). These first lines are not too dark in tone and

are done with wide brush strokes. In places where darker tones are required,
darker SECOND LINES are painted with thinner brushstrokes, on top of the
previous wide lines, and covering only parts of them. Follow the rule "better
twice measured than once wrong" - mistakes with lines are difficult to fix. Thus,
the proplasmos and the lines transition into each other smoothly.
PAINTING THE GARMENTS
Once the shadows are done, begin modeling the garments with subsequent
"lights."
The modeling of the garments can be done, generally speaking, in two ways. It is
either simply done by adding more white to the tone of proplasmos, or in dual
tones, with colors different from the color of proplasmos.
The first light differs little from the proplasmos in tone. Same can be said about
the relationship between any of the lights be it the first, the second, or the third
light. The difference from one tone to the other should not be too sharp. Each
preceding light is wider than the subsequent one, and each subsequent light
covers only the part of the preceding darker light, and it never covers it entirely.
Sometimes there is a seamless transition between the lights (in exactly the way it
is done on the faces), and sometimes there is no transition as the lights are placed
on top of each other with clear demarcation boundary lines. Some garments are
modeled with only one light; this is typically done on the figures of the monastics.
Others are done in two, three, or four lights. Some garments stay dark, and
others are brought up to the brightest pure white as the last light.
When you finish with the lines/shadows and modeling with light, place the icon
farther away and look at it in a detached manner; see if some places it should be
darkened or the brighter colors are needed.
COLOR SCHEMES
All the colors are divided into two categories cold and warm. The primary
colors are three yellow, red, and blue. By mixing these three colors, we can
obtain countless other colors and shades. White and black are not really colors;
they are completely neutral and are neither cold nor warm. If we mix all three
primary colors yellow, red, and blue we get black.

If we mix only two colors out of three, we get the so called "complementary"
colors:
Yellow + red = orange
Yellow + blue = green
red + blue = purple
Orange is complementary of blue, purple is complementary of yellow, and green
is complementary of red.
When the complementary colors are placed side by side or on top of each other,
the effect is that of great luminosity. These luminous pairs are:
orange + blue
purple + yellow
green + red
The ancient Byzantine iconographers knew of this effect and often used it in their
work, for instance modeling the red proplasmos with green lights. They also
colored the two pieces of garment - the inner tunic and the outer cloak - in two
complementary colors such as an orange tunic and blue outer garb.
The colors can be either warm or cold. The warm colors are yellow, orange, and
red. Combinations of these three colors are also warm. Cold colors are purple,
blue, and green. Combinations of these colors are also cold. Some hues are very
hot and others are cooler; and we also can cool down a color if we add a cold
color to it, and vise versa, warm up a cold color by adding a warm color to it.
Addition of black and white make a color darker or lighter, but doing so does not
make the colors warmer or colder.
Here is the primary rule of modeling the garments in tradition Byzantine
iconography: each subsequent light should be either lighter or colder than the
proplasmos, never the other way around. That is, we can model the garments by
adding white to each subsequent light, or we can use the complementary color
but only if the proplasmos is warm, and the lights are cold. One should never put
warm lights over the cold proplasmos.
Based on these governing laws, we can present the tables of harmonious color
combinations which are known to us from the classical era of Byzantine
iconography.

WHITE GARMENTS:
1) Proplasmos: ocher +white
Lights: proplasmos + little green + white.
2) Proplasmos: white + little black (gray)
Lights: add more and more white.
3) Proplasmos: burnt umber + white
Lights: add white and a little or proplasmos, or little blue + white
4) Proplasmos: white + burnt sienna
Lights: add white
5) Proplasmos: blue + burnt sienna + white
Lights: add white
6) Proplasmos: raw umber + white
Lights: add white or white with a little black.
GREEN GARMENTS:
Proplasmos: green + black
Lights: add white, or white + green + blue
REDDISH BROWN GARMENTS (BURNT SIENNA):
1) Proplasmos: burnt sienna
First light: burnt sienna + red oxide () such as venetian red
or red ocher
Second light: red ocher/venetian red + cinnabar
2) Proplasmos: burnt sienna
First light: burnt sienna + cinnabar
Second light: cinnabar only
3) Proplasmos: burnt sienna
First light: burnt sienna + green + little white
Second light: first light + green + white
Third light: second light + white
Fourth light: white
4) Proplasmos: burnt sienna, or sienna + black
First light: burnt sienna + burnt umber + white
Second light: first light + burnt umber + white
Third light: second light + white
Fourth light: white

5) Proplasmos: sienna + black

First light: proplasmos + cinnabar
Second light: first light + cinnabar
Third light: cinnabar
6) Proplasmos: burnt sienna + blue
First light: add white to proplasmos
Second light: first light + white
BROWNISH RED GARMENTS (RED OXIDE)
( = Red oxide, red ocher, Venetian red, English Red)
1) Proplasmos: red oxide
First light: red oxide + white
Second light: first light + white
2) Proplasmos: red oxide
First light: red oxide + burnt umber + white
Second light: first light + burnt umber + white
Third light: second light + white
Fourth light: white
3) Proplasmos: red oxide (NB: Instead of black here, we can use blue or green)
First light: red oxide + black+ white
Second light: first light + burnt umber + white
Third light: second light + white
Fourth light: white
4) Proplasmos: red oxide + black + white
First light: proplasmos+ white
Second light: first light + white
Third light: second light + white and so on.
CINNABAR GARMENTS
1) Proplasmos: cinnabar
First light: cinnabar + white
2) Proplasmos: cinnabar
First light: cinnabar + yellow ocher + white
3) Proplasmos: cinnabar + ocher + white
First light: proplasmos + white
4) Proplasmos: cinnabar + red oxide
First light: proplasmos + white OR proplasmos + ocher + white
5) Proplasmos: cinnabar
First light: cinnabar + raw umber + white
Second light: first light + little green + white

BLUE GARMENTS (ULTRAMARINE, INDIGO, AND COBALT BLUE)

1) Proplasmos: blue + black
First light: proplasmos + white
Second light: first light + white

INDIGO is a warm blue,

leaning towards purple

YELLOW GARMENTS
1) Proplasmos: yellow ocher + red oxide
First light: proplasmos + white
Second light: first light + white
2) Proplasmos: yellow ocher + burnt sienna
First light: proplasmos + green + white
Second light: First light + white
3) Proplasmos: yellow ocher + burnt umber
First light: proplasmos + white
These are a few basic combinations that are very common in iconography. With
these combinations, we may model not only garments but also rocks, buildings
etc.

FIRST AND SECOND LINES/SHADOWS

The ancient iconographers used the following combinations of colors for lines and
shadows:
1) Proplasmos: burnt sienna
first, wider line: sienna darkened with umber
second, narrower line: burnt umber
2) Proplasmos: red oxide
first line: red oxide + burnt sienna
second line: burnt umber
3) Proplasmos: green
First line: proplasmos + black (or burnt sienna or burnt umber)
4) Proplasmos: ocher
First line: burnt sienna or burnt umber or/and red oxide
5) Proplasmos: cinnabar
Lines: transparent red oxide
6) Proplasmos: blue
Lines: mixing black and yellow ocher

THE SHADOWS/LINES ON WHITE GARMENTS

It is important to remember that the proplasmos for white garments is never
white but some darkened or tinted white. This tint has to be warm in hue, as the
subsequent lights must progress to cold hues. Even if you intend a proplasmos to
be blue, always add some warming pigment such as burnt sienna. (See "White
Garments" above.)
These are done as follows:
First wide lines are done with yellow ocher, second lines with burnt sienna, and
then (if necessary) with burnt umber.
Or with greenish ocher first, then black-green on top. Or mixing in burnt sienna
or burnt umber instead.
First lines transparent burnt umber, then with more burnt umber on top of it.
Also, with gray (black + white), and then darker gray on top.
The lines of white garments should open in tone and not to be dark.
This should the rule: the lines/shadows are to be warmer than proplasmos, and
the lights should be colder than proplasmos.
It is
SIMPLICITY VS. COMPLEXITY IN GARMENT MODELING
When we use the dichromatic treatment for the garments - that is, two tones:
warm proplasmos and cold lights - these figures come across as having internal
source of light. This expresses their transcendental nature. Obversely, when the
garments are modeled by adding white to the subsequent lights, such figure
express simplicity and modesty. The dichromatic modeling has power of its own
and requires a certain level of mastery and knowledge how to coordinate it with
other objects within the composition.

FROM COLOR TO WHITE

How to make an evenly scaled progression of tones
Take three empty containers. In the first container put 2 parts color pigment and
1 part white. Add egg emulsion and mix it thoroughly. In the third container, put
2 parts white and 1 part color pigment, and mix with the same amount of egg
emulsion as in the first container. Take now the second container and pour the
equal amounts of paint from the first and the third containers (use a measuring
spoon). Thus you have three hues of the same color but in a precise optical
progression, which is usually difficult to calibrate by eye.
You can also construct the "departure color" and the "arrival color" in the same
way, and construct the middle color. You can also increase the gradations by
mixing an intermediate color from #1 and #2, #2 and #3, making 5 hue gradations
of the same color. Make sure you have got plenty of pigment prepared to be
parceled out in this manner.
Tinting the whites
When modeling the garments by adding white, tint the subsequent lights with the
dominant color of the garment. Just adding white makes modeling somewhat
chalky and monotonous, especially if there are several figures and garments done
in the same manner, but tinting the white is a good way of keeping the lights
within the orbit of the dominant color. For instance, if the proplasmos color is
greenish blue (i.e, it is more blue than green), and if you have chosen to create
each subsequent light by adding white to the previous one, add also some small
amounts of blue to the subsequent lights to keep it all unified.
A general observation: if we require a thick opaque color, we need to add some
white into the mix. White has excellent blocking properties, and when added in
small amounts, it might not be enough to change the color of the paint but it is
enough to make it opaque. However, if we want the white gesso to show through
transparent colors, then we need to remember that adding white pigment will
cancel out this effect.

Negative first light

In some cases, a great effect is achieved by making the first light slightly darker
than the color of proplasmos. However, this can be done only in a very limited
number of color combinations. This technique has to be handled skillfully and
expertly, and only attempted on icons after much practice.
Modeling the garments by adding white into the subsequent lights does not
essentially transforms the color; it just makes it lighter and lighter with each step.
Modeling them with complementary colors, however, does. We see on many
ancient prototypes as the dark red of the garment's proplasmos is gradually
transformed into its luminous opposite, the complementary color green.
However, there is one step even beyond that, taking the viewer into a much more
heightened zone of transfigured light. This is done with what we term as the
negative first light. This effect is never seen in nature, and it entirely belongs in
the world of metaphysics - as well as historic icons. This can only be done with a
warm proplasmos, and it should be fairly light in tone, to allow the first light to be
slightly darker than proplasmos. Historically, only three colors were used for
proplasmos to accept the negative first light: cinnabar, pink, and yellow - and
also the gradients and mixtures of these three. The first and the subsequent
lights must be on the opposite side of the spectrum, which means all the
subsequent lights are cold.
Here are the variations of color combinations suitable for this technique:

CINNABAR PROPLASMOS
GREEN over CINNABAR (fig. 1)
Proplasmos: cinnabar (cinnabar)
First light: green + umber
Second light: add white and green
Third light: add white

GRAY over CINNABAR

Proplasmos: cinnabar (cinnabar)
First light: black and white (dark grey)
Second light: first light + white, and so on.

Third light
(more white)

Second light
(added white
and green)

First light
(green + umber)

Proplasmos
(cinnabar)
Figure 1

PINK PROPLASMOS
GREEN over PINK
Proplasmos: pink (cinnabar + white)
First light: green + raw umber
Second light: add white and green
Third light: add white

GRAY over PINK

Proplasmos: pink (cinnabar + white)
First light: black and white (dark grey)
Second light: first light + white, and so on.

YELLOW PROPLASMOS
GREEN over YELLOW
Proplasmos: yellow ocher
First light: green + raw umber
Second light: add white and green
Third light: add white

GRAY over YELLOW

Proplasmos: yellow ocher
First light: raw umber + white
Second light: first light + white, and so on.

To summarize, there are only three colors of proplasmos that can take the darker
first light: cinnabar, pink, and yellow. The subsequent lights are either gray or
green. For the green first light, mix green with some raw umber, and in
subsequent lights add green and white, and then just white. For the gray first
light, mix white and black and add white to the subsequent lights.
The method of application, however, differs from the usual garment modeling
technique. Here is how it is done:
The proplasmos should not be opaque; the tones of proplasmos are already light
and bright, but the paint should not be opaque but let some patches of white
gesso to show through. So, add a generous amount of egg emulsion to create this
effect. Once the proplasmos is dry, apply the dark lines with transparent umber
or burnt sienna. Then proceed to the first light. The first light should be very
transparent; do not be afraid of it being darker than proplasmos - this is its
marvelous secret. As it dries, make another pass of the same color, but this time
begin to build up opaqueness with additional thicker layers. With every pass,
cover smaller and smaller area, so that in the end there is a smooth, seamless
transition from bright colored, light proplasmos to a darker diffuse first light.
The second light - which will be lighter than the first light because it contains
white - is laid upon the first light in the usual fashion, and we continue with the
rest as usual.
GLAZES
Transparent glazes can be used to create a more pronounced form. For glazes,
we may utilize watercolor paint out of tubes; just mix them with egg emulsion
into a very transparent solution. Shading and glazing the red maforion of the
Theotokos with carmine (deep dark red with a purplish hue) gives good results.

Often, we use a glaze to cover only a shaded portion of the garment, to give it
more pronounced form, but it is important not to forget the principle of form
building "from warm to cold." Shade or glaze the darker regions of the garment
with a warm color, leaving the colder, illuminated regions untouched.

Examples of garment modeling

NOTE ON GARMENTS IN ICONOGRAPHY
The tradition of garments in Byzantine iconography follows the ancient GrecoRoman dress code: two pieces of garment, the inner and the outer. The inner
piece was called chiton (), a tunic. It was sewn of a finer fabric, and was
usually more expensive, occasionally featuring some golden decorations.
The chiton was worn in combination with the heavier himation () over it,
which played the role of a cloak and was made of heavier, less expensive fabric.
The order of pigments in our lists (for instance, green + blue + white) is arranged
to indicate their mutual proportion; that is to say, green + blue + white means
"predominantly green" + "some blue" + "little white", and not the equal quantity
thereof.

(tunic, the inner garment)

I (cloak, the outer garment)

Proplasmos: umber + carmin

First light: proplasmos + white
Second light: first light + white

Proplasmos: umber + green

First light: Proplasmos + green + blue + white
Second light: First light + green + blue + white

 (tunic, the inner garment)

I (cloak, the outer garment)

Proplasmos: red oxide + white

First light: propalsmos + white
Second light: first light + white
Third light: white only

Proplasmos: umber + blue + green + black

First light: proplasmos + blue + green + white
Second light: First light + blue + green + white

Lines: proplasmos + red oxide

 (tunic, the inner garment)

I (cloak, the outer garment)

Proplasmos:
carmine + black + brown + white (very little)
First light: propalsmos + white
Second light: first light + white

Proplasmos: black + green + some umber

First light: proplasmos + blue + green + white
Second light: First light + blue + green + white
Lines: black

For lines, use a transparent glaze made of

carmine + black

Carmine is dark red, cold hue

 (tunic, the inner garment)

I (cloak, the outer garment)

Proplasmos: burnt sienna + blue + red oxide

First light: propalsmos + white + proplasmos
from the cloak
Second light: first light + white
Third light: second light + white + blue

Proplasmos: black + blue + green

First light: proplasmos + white + blue + green
Second light: First light + white + blue + green
Third light: Second light + blue + white

 (tunic, the inner garment)

I (cloak, the outer garment)

Proplasmos: red oxide + white

First light: propalsmos + umber + white
Second light: first light + black + white
Third light: second light + white + little black

Proplasmos: umber + green + blue

First light: proplasmos + green + blue + white
Second light:
First light + green + blue + white
Third light:
Second light + green + blue + white

 (tunic, the inner garment)

I (cloak, the outer garment)

Proplasmos: burnt sienna + blue + white

First light: propalsmos + blue + white
Second light: first light + white
Third light: second light + white

Proplasmos: burnt sienna + blue

First light: proplasmos + blue + white
Second light: First light + blue + white
Lines: black

Lines:
proplasmos from the cloak (transparent)

 (tunic, the inner garment)

I (cloak, the outer garment)

Proplasmos: cinnabar + carmine + red oxide

First light: propalsmos + yellow ocher + white
Second light: first light + white
Third light: second light + white

Proplasmos: raw umber + green + blue

First light: proplasmos + yellow ocher + white
Second light: First light + yellow ocher + white

THE WHITE TUNIC OF CHRIST-CHILD

First, we cover the entire surface of the garments with a mixture of ocher and
white, same as the background (A). This vivid yellow will add a warm undertone
to the proplasmos which will go on top of it.
Proplasmos (B): white + raw umber + yellow ocher + green
Lines: proplasmos + black + green
First light: proplasmos + white + yellow ocher
Second light: first light + white + yellow ocher
(on this picture, the C is proplasmos for the clavus and sash; the D is proplasmos
for the flesh tone)

OMOPHORIA
For better balance between the face and this garment, we recommend using the
same proplasmos as for the face or flesh. For the darker part of the garment (on
the right), add added some blue and white. The subsequent lighter segments are
done with the face proplasmos with progressively added white

Proplasmos: ocher + cinnabar + raw umber + white

First light: proplasmos + white + black
Second light: first light + white + black
Third light: white

Proplasmos: brown + umber + dark red

First light: proplasmos + blue + green
Second light: first light + blue + white
Third light: second light + white
Fourth light: white

"Brown" denotes Madder Lake, a

pigment that has a wide range of
color depending on the
manufacturer, from crimson to
brown. It is a cold color.

Proplasmos: brown + raw umber

First light: proplasmos + green + white
Second light: first light + green + white
Third light: white

Proplasmos: brown + blue

First light: blue + very little white
Second light: blue + green + white
Third light: second light + white
Fourth light: third light + white

Proplasmos: yellow ocher + red oxide (red ocher) + cinnabar

First light: yellow ocher
Second light: ocher + white
Third light: white

Proplasmos: cinnabar + carmine + some brown

First light: cinnabar
Second light: first light + yellow ocher
Third light: second light + ocher + white
Lines: umber + brown (transparent)

Proplasmos: Red oxide + cinnabar + white

First light: proplasmos + yellow ocher + white
Second light: first light + ocher + white
Third light: third light + white
Lines: red oxide

Proplasmos: Burnt sienna + brown + blue + white

First light: proplasmos + raw umber + green + white
Second light: first light + green + white
Third light: second light + green + white

Proplasmos: raw umber + dark red + brown + white

First light: Proplasmos + raw umber + white
Second light: first light + white
Third light: second light + white
First lines: raw umber + dark red (transparently)
Second lines: burnt umber

Proplasmos: raw umber + green + white

First light: proplasmos + black + white
Second light: first light + blue + white
Third light: second light + white

Proplasmos: Yellow ocher + red + raw umber + white

First light: proplasmos + blue + dark red + white
Second light: first light + white
Third light: second light + white
First lines: raw umber (transparent)
Second lines: burnt umber

Proplasmos: raw umber + burnt umber + ocher + black + green

First light: Proplasmos + white + green + raw umber
Second light: first light + white + green

Proplasmos: Burnt sienna + brown + blue + white

First light: proplasmos + blue + white
Second light: first light + white + blue
Third light: second light + white

Proplasmos: yellow ocher + raw umber + green + white

First light: proplasmos + blue + white
Second light: yellow ocher + white
Third light: white
Lines: proplasmos + raw umber

Proplasmos: raw umber + white

First light: proplasmos + black + white
Second light: black + white
Third light: white
First lines: proplasmos + raw umber
Second lines: raw umber (transparent)

Proplasmos: yellow ocher + black + red oxide

First light: proplasmos + yellow ocher + white
Second light: first light + yellow ocher + white
Third light: second light + yellow ocher + white

Proplasmos:
burnt sienna + yellow ocher + white + mauve
First light: mauve
Second light: mauve + white
Third light: second light + white + very little yellow ocher
Fourth light: white + very little yellow ocher

Mauve is a pale purple

color, more grey and more
blue than magenta.
To obtain this color, mix
blue, burnt sienna, and
white.

Proplasmos: red oxide + cinnabar

First light: proplasmos + green + white + raw umber
Second light: first light + green + white
Third light: second light + green + white

Proplasmos: blue + burnt sienna + burnt umber

First light: proplasmos + blue + white
Second light: first light + blue + white
Third light: second light + blue + white

Modeling the garment

with negative first light
Note that the dark lines are not there; when modeling with negative light, they are
often omitted.

Proplasmos: red oxide + white

First light: proplasmos + black
Second light: first light + little black + lots of white
Third light: white

Proplasmos: place one coat of yellow ocher over the entire surface of the garment.
The consistency of the paint must be fairly transparent so that some gesso would
be showing through. Then, the part that should be illuminated (the thigh, in this
example) is done in the following manner: add some red oxide to the ocher and
with very transparent brushstrokes cover the portion of the garment to be
illuminated. This the part becomes slightly darker than the rest of the garment, and
redder too. After that, follow the usual sequence of modeling:
First light: yellow ocher + raw umber + white
Second light: first light + white + green
Third light: white

Proplasmos: yellow ocher + red oxide

First light: proplasmos + raw umber
Second light: first light + green + white
Third light: second light + white
Fourth light: white

Proplasmos: yellow ocher + much white

First light: proplasmos + black
Second light: first light + blue + white
Third light: second light + blue + white
Fourth light: white

Proplasmos: yellow ocher + much white

First light: proplasmos + raw umber
Second light: first light + white + green
Third light: second light + white
Fourth light: third light + white + blue

Proplasmos: yellow ocher + raw umber + white

First light: proplasmos + raw umber + blue (and maybe a little white)
Second light: first light + white
Third light: second light + white
Fourth light: white

Proplasmos: ocher + black + green

First light: proplasmos + black
Second light: first light + blue + white
Third light: second light + blue + white
Fourth light: white

Proplasmos: burnt umber + dark red (carmine)

First light: proplasmos + umber
Second light: first light + blue + white
Third light: second light + lots of white

Proplasmos: carmine or cinnabar

First light: green + umber
Second light: green + white
Third light: white

Modeling with one light only

Proplasmos: burnt sienna + dark red + blue

First light: burnt sienna + dark red + cinnabar + very little white

The traditional colors of the Theotokos' maforion

Proplasmos: burnt umber + some cinnabar

First light: proplasmos + cinnabar
Second light: first light + cinnabar + little white