Preparing icon panels

[@sabrinatscha2554]

This is the only tutorial on the entire Internet that includes the linen before gesso. I’ve been searching for days. Thank you, kindly.

[@flyingirl1flyingirl119]

Thank you so much for this demonstration. As a newbie to icon writing it is very interesting, informative, and enlightening to see all that goes in to preparing the boards. An art in itself. Thank you again.

[@mariarivera6485]

Thank you! My first board turn out very good. And the process was not as messy as I thought it would be. When I mixed the glue I used the same measurements but added boiling water, mixed gently and then let it rest for 3 hours. For the very last sanding I used a fine grade (600). The whole process took me 2 days, but I admit I took my time. Perseverance, Patience and Prayer always works!

[@PeterBlackwood]

So pleased you found the video helpful. I was interested that you used boiling water. I have seen rabbit skin glue fail when it has been over heated (above 50 degrees) as it loses its adhesive quality.

[@mariarivera6485]

I poured the boiling water in a glass cup and from there scooped it into the jar with the glue... maybe it had time to cool off? So far it's holding up. I will be more attentive to the temperature on my next board.

[@emilyleversha7951]

Thank you, this is one of the best art demonstrations I have seen, I researched egg tempera for a long time and this has helped me enormously!

[@paulgrosse7631]

Further, sanding eliminates very effectively any localised lumps but after dong that, I also use a metal scraper to pull across the surface and with that, you get a very flat surface that you can gild onto (including water gilding) and it ends up like a mirror. On online videos, you can get rid of any slight irregularities in the gesso by sprinkling graphite powder on it and continuing to scrape where there is graphite in the irregularities. You can get these scrapers from artist's shops or if you are prepared to spend the time rather than the money, like me, you can go around various shops that do decorating stuff and get a wallpaper scraper that has a sharp edge and NO lumps along it. Excellent video. Nice to see someone who knows what he is doing teaching others.

[@mariarivera6485]

My second board turned out much much better. I followed the instructions more precisely. The use of the spatula, takes some practice. Thank you!

[@mariarivera6485]

Ok! I'm on my third board now and each one is better. Thank you again for this video.

[@MariaRivera-lv4gy]

Hello Mr Blackwood, what is the best kind of wood to select when making icon boards? Or at least a couple of good suggestions. I bought a wood board at a craft store but find it’s too soft and warps easily.

[@PeterBlackwood]

I have used pine at least 19mm thick. 25mm (1") would be better. This can warp a little so having the heart of the wood as the face of the icon is important so that any bending is outward and not inward. I am favoring 18mm marine ply. It is stable and reliable. Hope this helps.

[@elisafinch1325]

Peter,I send happynes ,and prosperity ,love...thank you for teach me...blessing from God..

[@gk1589]

Can you write a list of all the items that you used? And from where we can buy them? Thank you

[@paulgrosse7631]

One way of stopping warping almost entirely is to do what the Flemish artists did at the beginning of the renaissance and that is to use quarter cut oak to paint on. I use this and it is beautiful to work on. In the National Gallery, there are plenty of works from the fifteenth century and before and they have stood up to time very well. The glue in modern marine plywood is at the moment (and arguably for the next five centuries at least) an unknown. Additionally, if you put your glue on the back as well as the front when you first use glue, it will largely prevent water from getting into the wood from the back thus reducing additional warping. I suppose the trick is to make the back of the wood just as susceptible to water incursion as the front by using the same materials.

[@rogermccormick9875]

Thank you for your demonstration. It is easy to follow and understand. How many ply must the board have? I have seen proper plywood locally with 7 layers. Is that good enough? I had heard I need a plywood with 13 layers. Is that necessary?

[@PeterBlackwood]

Use whatever works for you. If it doesn't warp when gesso is applied is should be good. Larger icons, say, about A3 rather than A4 could be more risky. For most reliable stability I prefer marine ply which is 19mm.

[@celiadiaz3697]

Thank you!

[@heiwarihimionajohnson1285]

Thanks for finer points of heating rabbit skin eg 50’cap. Spatula a great idea. & 180 sandpaper.

[@athycat]

Excellent presentation! Carry on!

[@mariarivera6485]

Mr. Blackwood, if there is left over glue, how should one keep it so that it doesn't lose its adhesiveness?

[@PeterBlackwood]

Keep it in the fridge or, for a longer time, in the freezer. It is an animal product so it will go off and smell terrible. Then it is time to throw it out.

[@ibaber]

thank you very much for the tutorial. It was well-explained. I liked the additional tips that you provided as well. It's a long process but I will give it a try anyhow!

[@MariaRivera-lv4gy]

Mr. Blackwood, lately my gesso has been a bit 'bubbly' and this creates tiny bubbles on the panel, which turn into pinpricks or tiny holes. What can I do to prevent bubbles in the gesso?

[@PeterBlackwood]

Those pin holes are so annoying. The first coat of gesso is important. Tiny air pockets can get caught in the fabric so it is vital that we rub the gesso into the linen with our fingers (see 2:30 on the video). No guarantees but it should help. Good luck.

[@BertilAdania]

Thank YOU! Very much appreciated by me, here in Sweden. But, what is "rabbit skinn glue"?…

[@PeterBlackwood]

Rabbit skin glue comes as dried flakes of a gelatine-like substance. We buy it from art suppliers. It is also used by luthiers for making violins etc.

[@chrisgriffith1573]

What exactly are you preparing these boards for? I am not familiar with the term "icon panel"- do you mean a decorative painting? What is the "whiting" made of, is that marble dust, or a chalk, titanium, zinc?

[@PeterBlackwood]

Chris, thanks for your interest. I paint Byzantine icons, religious figures in the Eastern Orthodox Church tradition. Most of my subsequent videos in the Icon Diary series should demonstrate this for you. The whiting is chalk, I think. I buy it as whiting from my art supplier. Hope this helps.

[@chrisgriffith1573]

@@PeterBlackwood Thanks!

[@EphraimSyriacus]

Thanks for the tutorial

[@MossyMozart]

Call me silly if you want to --- I would love to try my hand at icon painting, but I am a vegetarian. I do not mind using unfertilized eggs for the tempera, but balk at rabbit skin glue. Is there a viable alternative that would work as well? Thank you all.

[@PeterBlackwood]

Sorry, I can't help you. An art supplier might know.

[@elisacasa_creations]

thanks for the detailed video. And yess, no need to dust the camera 😁. One more thing, does the white powder has a name, a brand? I live in Lebanon, and just need some alternatives. Thank you

[@lady_pamela17]

Calcium carbonate, chalk, marble powder

[@paolamaria4886]

Hello Can I use bamboo wood for icons?

[@paulpeter2869]

Been told that pine is a very bad wood to use for iconography and that plywood is much better. No braces needed as well.

[@PeterBlackwood]

Pine is likely to warp and bracing is a good idea especially if the size is larger that 23x30cm. Ply is more stable but marine ply (at least 18mm) is better.

[@credecy2836]

Great tutorial. Is it 50 degrees of Farenheit or Celsius?

[@PeterBlackwood]

Thanks for your interest. It is 50 degrees Celsius.

[@nidaljabarin4743]

Hello, I would like to ask please, for painting with egg tempera on unprimed masonite is better to attach or (stick) canvas? I appreciate an answer. Thank you very much.

[@PeterBlackwood]

Sorry, I don't know because I have never painted on Masonite. All I can suggest is to try it yourself and see if you like the effect. Good luck.

[@mikegurney9278]

Am I correct that this process can be used for any painting medium type, i.e. oil painting, egg tempera (icon), acrylic, etc and silver point? Im assuming that silver point can be don on these panels.

[@PeterBlackwood]

Mike, I can't answer for any other medium. I work only in egg tempera, but I see no reason why it would not be a suitable surface for other media.

[@Dive5344]

Goοd morning ,sorry to bother you , i think the edges are not stuck well, what can i do? can i do another layer of glue? i think the glue solution is not strong. Now that it is dry, can I repeat the process?I am waiting for your answer thank you very much!

[@PeterBlackwood]

I need to see your work to give good help. Can you send a photo? My email is [e-mail]

[@Dive5344]

@@PeterBlackwood I sent it to you,thank you very much.

[@nidaljabarin4743]

Need I to coated with gesso or rabbit skin glue if I painted on plywood with egg tempera ( because plywood has on one side white color)? I am waiting for answering, thank you very much.

[@PeterBlackwood]

Painting directly onto any kind of wood will give a different look. Have a try and see if you like the result. I find plywood is a good stable panel, but I cover it with gesso for my icons.

[@nidaljabarin4743]

@@PeterBlackwood thank you.

[@ahlandahland]

Thank you so much ~~~~ :)

[@Dive5344]

can i not stick fabric? my woods are the same as yours.I am waiting for your answer thank you!

[@PeterBlackwood]

I know some artists who do not stick fabric to their panels. I have tried it a few times. It works OK but it still needs a good gesso layer. Good to hear from you again.

[@Dive5344]

@@PeterBlackwood Good morning from Greece, it is 8 o'clock in the morning. Thank you very much for your answer I watch you all the time, your lessons are valuableI , be well and thank you for your kind words!When I'm done, I'll let you know, for the result, I'll follow your instructions!

[@katnip6289]

Was the whitening powder chalk or marble powder?

[@PeterBlackwood]

It is English whiting so that would be chalk.

[@tomimbruglia657]

can you tell me about the fabric, exactly what type you get and where it can be found

[@PeterBlackwood]

VIvian Imbruglia, I have used a number of even weave natural fabrics including linen, calico and cheese cloth. Old sheets are fine. New fabric needs a wash or the glue won’t take to it. I buy my cloth in a cheap fabric shop near my Melbourne suburb.

[@tomimbruglia657]

@@PeterBlackwood Thank you so much for responding so quickly! I'm going to give this a try. By the way our video was the best one out there on explaining how to gesso an icon board!! Thank you!

[@elisafinch1325]

Thank you..love..Elisa..

[@nidaljabarin4743]

Hello, can I coat with rabbit skin glue and gypsum directly on birch plywood and paint with egg tempera without linen, cloth, or other else? I am waiting for answering, thank you very much.

[@PeterBlackwood]

Yes, you can apply gesso straight onto timber. Some of my students don't use cloth.

[@nidaljabarin4743]

@@PeterBlackwood thank you so much, but I do not understand very well! What is the best with linen stuck on birch plywood or directly on a birch plywood?

[@PeterBlackwood]

@@nidaljabarin4743 One of my students gets excellent results without linen. I tried not using linen. The result was OK but I had tiny lines appear caused (I think) by the grain of the timber, so I have returned to using linen again. Give both a try and see which method you like.

[@nidaljabarin4743]

@@PeterBlackwood Hello, who many millimeters thick ideal, need to be birch plywood? Thank you.

[@PeterBlackwood]

@@nidaljabarin4743 The ideal width is 25mm but my local supply of pine or marine ply comes in 18mm and 19mm. These work fine for panels up to 30cm X 42cm.

[@pantocrator]

After P160 an other finer sandpaper?

[@PeterBlackwood]

You can go much finer that what I use, but I like the surface to have some 'grip'. Gilding needs to be super smooth, but paint needs some 'tooth'.

[@ylezAma-artes1919]

Can l use it ON PAPER.

[@PeterBlackwood]

I don't think it would work because gesso dried hard and is not as flexible as paper.