Inspired by Icons

[Thatgirloncfforums]

I have an interest in the theology of icons and I wish to recreate their style as an educational exercise for myself.

Is it alright to do so, so long as I don't regard them as icons or lead others to believe so?

Thanks

 

[HTacianas]

I have an interest in the theology of icons and I wish to recreate their style as an educational exercise for myself.

Is it alright to do so, so long as I don't regard them as icons or lead others to believe so?

Thanks

I have heard before of "canonical" and "non-canonical" icons. I am not entirely certain what the difference is. But icons are works of art. Anyone can create a work of art. I don't know if it would become an icon or not.

But maybe @ArmyMatt can elaborate on this for us.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I have heard before of "canonical" and "non-canonical" icons. I am not entirely certain what the difference is. But icons are works of art. Anyone can create a work of art. I don't know if it would become an icon or not.

But maybe @ArmyMatt can elaborate on this for us.

not canonical would be blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jesus. or a saint prior to official glorification.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I have an interest in the theology of icons and I wish to recreate their style as an educational exercise for myself.

Is it alright to do so, so long as I don't regard them as icons or lead others to believe so?

Thanks

uh if you are not a member of a Communion, you are not bound by their rules etc. It is OK as far as I'm concerned just as long as you are trying to show some kind of reverence and general respect of the subject material.

Is it alright to do so, so long as I don't regard them as icons or lead others to believe so?

As far as I know many Icon artists that started out had similar experiences. The difference is that they were members of a particular church, Communion etc. and had a father of confession that encouraged them to do this as a kind of spiritual discipline and ministry.


Jonathan Pageau
had an interest in Byzantine wood and stone icon carving that had died out with the late Medieval ages and has worked to bring it back.

There also is a notable Coptic Iconographer who made a neo-Coptic style that looks a little Anime and is very very popular with not just the Church buts lots of EO, Catholics and Protestants. But that Coptic iconography had also died out for a few centuries where the Coptic Church was using the art of Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholics to decorate its churches until this neo-art movement started a few decades ago (this style seems like the Favorite one of the Church these days).

 

[ArmyMatt]

uh if you are not a member of a Communion, you are not bound by their rules etc.

good point

 

[Thatgirloncfforums]

good point

Thank you.

 

[Thatgirloncfforums]

uh if you are not a member of a Communion, you are not bound by their rules etc. It is OK as far as I'm concerned just as long as you are trying to show some kind of reverence and general respect of the subject material.

As far as I know many Icon artists that started out had similar experiences. The difference is that they were members of a particular church, Communion etc. and had a father of confession that encouraged them to do this as a kind of spiritual discipline and ministry.

Yeah. I haven't found a spiritual advisor yet but I am probably going to start communion at the Lutheran church I now attend with the hope of eventually attending Divine Liturgy at a local Orthodox Church, if I can work it out time wise.

Jonathan Pageau
had an interest in Byzantine wood and stone icon carving that had died out with the late Medieval ages and has worked to bring it back.

Is Pageau a convert and did he begin his art prior to conversion?

There also is a notable Coptic Iconographer who made a neo-Coptic style that looks a little Anime and is very very popular with not just the Church buts lots of EO, Catholics and Protestants. But that Coptic iconography had also died out for a few centuries where the Coptic Church was using the art of Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholics to decorate its churches until this neo-art movement started a few decades ago (this style seems like the Favorite one of the Church these days).

View attachment 312879

Are the symbolism and "sacred geometry" of Coptic icons the same as Byzantine ones?

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Is Pageau a convert and did he begin his art prior to conversion?

A convert and I believe he started his art stuff after converting.

Are the symbolism and "sacred geometry" of Coptic icons the same as Byzantine ones?

I think they lifted a lot of stuff from the Byzantine and Syriac iconography besides looking at Ethiopian iconography that originally came from Coptic iconography and never died out.

 

[Ezana]

Is Pageau a convert and did he begin his art prior to conversion?

He was a painter and studied contemporary art at university before converting to Orthodoxy from Evangelicalism. The iconographic carving began after he whittled away at a chunk of wood to make an Orthodox cross (to hang around the neck); he showed it to his spiritual father, who then encouraged him to eventually begin carving icons.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Thank you.

yeppers

 

[Not David]

Not sure how to feel about it, in a certain way they might not be Icons but if they had the style of one, then how it might be considered not honoring the holy?

 

[buzuxi02]

I have an interest in the theology of icons and I wish to recreate their style as an educational exercise for myself.

Is it alright to do so, so long as I don't regard them as icons or lead others to believe so?

Thanks

It depends what you mean by "recreate". If your looking to replicate icons with proper composition and proper Inscriptions then it's an icon.
If you take liberties and use obscure color hues and add to the piece then it wouldn't be appropriate to pass it off as an icon.

 

[Justin-H.S.]

you like our aesthetic, but not the ecclesiology.

 

[prodromos]

you like our aesthetic, but not the ecclesiology.

She is where she is with her present understanding. Instead of giving a thumbs down over where she presently disagrees, encourage where she agrees. I've heard of many who eventually came into the Orthodox Church after being initially attracted by her beauty. Your thumb down is not part of that beauty, nor does it reflect the love of Christ.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I've heard of many who eventually came into the Orthodox Church after being initially attracted by her beauty.

yep. I have an inquirer at my parish in that same boat.