Icon Painting Workshop for Beginners

Frontal Faces. Theotokos.

ACU Melbourne (Australia)
13–17 January 2026.

Register here

What We Will Do?

  • Draw a frontal face freehand
  • Prepare and use egg tempera in various ways
  • Learn different approaches to working with medieval icon models
  • Learn how to compose an image to suit the format
  • Paint the face and garments using egg tempera
  • SHORT DESCRIPTION

    This five-day foundational icon painting workshop is for iconographers who want to develop professional-level skills in freehand drawing and traditional painting.

    Over the course of the week, we’ll study the proportions, structure and expressive features of the human face. You’ll learn how to analyse ancient examples, understand their unique visual language, and apply those insights in your own work. We’ll also cover traditional methods for painting facial features and for drawing the maphorion (veil) of the Mother of God. Each day includes focused drawing sessions to build fluency and hands-on practice in the egg tempera technique.

    Model for this workshop: The mosaic of the Theotokos from the Archiepiscopal Museum in Ravenna.

    Model for iconography workshop - mosaic of Theotokos from Ravenna Archiepiscopal museum
     

    GOAL

    Making a new version of an old icon may seem easy, yet it is a complex mission. We have chosen a fragment of the mosaic Mother of God (Theotokos) from the Archiepiscopal Museum in Ravenna — however, we will not be copying it directly. The main focus of the course is learning how to draw a frontal iconographic face. Throughout the entire course, we carefully observe each student’s work and provide individualized feedback — including hands-on assistance when needed. You’ll receive personalised guidance throughout, with one-on-one feedback and hands-on support when needed. By the end of the course, you’ll have the confidence and skills to draw icon faces independently.
    The course also teaches how to work respectfully and creatively with medieval models, using them as inspiration to develop original icons as unique pieces of liturgical art.

    PROGRAM

    Each day, we will produce numerous drawings to help students build fluency in drawing and develop practical skill in egg tempera . The course follows this format: the instructor invites students to gather around the demonstration panel, where a particular action is shown and explained. Students are then asked to repeat this action on their own with advice or help of the instructor provided if needed.
    During the final day and a half, you’ll produce a shoulder-length image of the Mother of God based on the chosen model. This consolidates all the skills learned and helps anchor the method in your future personal practice.

    WHAT TO EXPECT

    FOR WHOM

    This workshop is ideal for anyone interested in iconography and the traditional techniques of drawing and painting. Whether you’re just starting out or a practising iconographer ready to move beyond tracing and copying, this workshop is designed to take your skills further.

    COST

    $960 AUD for five full days. Includes all tuition, materials and tools. Meals and accommodation are not included.

    SCHEDULE

    Dates: 13–17 January 2026.
    Times: 9:00 – 16:30 daily (Includes: 1-hour lunch break around 12:30pm, morning and afternoon tea breaks with lectures/discussions.

    ACTIVITIES

    Hands-on demonstrations, drawing and painting with personalised mentoring and comprehensive feedback, lectures and discussions.

    NECESSARY MATERIALS

    We’ll provide all the tools and materials you’ll need for the course. We recommend you also bring an apron, A notebook and pen/pencil.

    LOCATION

    Australian Catholic University (ACU)
    Art Space, 26 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, 3065, (Victoria), Australia
    See the ArtSpace on Google maps >>

    PRATICE

    The workshop will begin on January 12, 2026 and will end on Friday January 16. Each day of the course begins at 9:00 AM and ends at 4:30 PM. There is a one-hour lunch break around 12:30, as well as additional breaks for tea or coffee, which often coincide with practical lectures accompanied by slides. These lectures cover essential foundational concepts and are conducted as an open dialogue with the group, encouraging questions and discussion.

    The course follows this format: the instructor invites students to gather around the demonstration panel, where a particular action is shown and explained. Students are then asked to repeat this action on their own. Throughout the entire course, we carefully observe each student’s work and provide individualized feedback — including hands-on assistance when needed. We will start our study drawing frontal face proportions, construction, and structure with pencil on paper. After performing several exercises we will begin drawing and paint with egg tempera, learning the traditional construction of head, face and garments. During the final 1.5 days of the course, all participants will begin and complete a shoulder-length image of the Mother of God based on the chosen example, consolidating the skills acquired throughout the course.

    This course is conducted in a calm and quiet setting, without music or unrelated conversation. This atmosphere supports the slow, deliberate nature of icon painting and helps foster deeper focus and understanding.

    To make learning process more effective, we have developed a series of instructional drawings and guidelines to help students better absorb the material and feel more confident both during and after the course.

    Head Drawing Process - sample for Iconography Workshop in Melbourne

    PLAN

  • Day 1.

    Basic face proportions. How to draw face oval, nose, eyes, lips. How to connect head and neck to she shoulders. Pencil drawing, no models.

  • Day 2.

    Drawing process: The importance of modelling the shape of the face. Drawing the veil and the bonnet, finding individuality of the image. Drawing with a brush. Arranging the image on paper or icon board. Painting drapery with egg tempera - modeling forms with shadows and creating soft an gradual ransitions.

  • Day 3.

    Learning the basic principles of egg tempera: preparation of egg emulsion, mixing colours, varying the consistency of paint, learning to apply the paint evenly. Starting the final image.

  • Day 4.

    Drawing and Painting the final image of Theotokos on a primed painting panel. Learning how to make color transitions, glazing, highlighting. Basic methods of face painting.

  • Day 5.

    Drawing and Painting the final image of of Theotokos on a primed painting panel

  • Final Word: This is more than a technique course — it’s an immersive experience in the contemplative process of icon painting. You’ll come away not only with a finished work, but with a solid foundation in both freehand drawing and traditional tempera painting.

    Ready to Enroll?

    The full cost of in-person Iconography workshop "Theotokos. Symmetrical Faces", held from January 12 to January 16, 2026, is $960 AUD. This includes all teaching, as well as the tools and materials provided during the workshop.
    Please note: lodging and meals are not included.

    To reserve your place, a deposit of $160 AUD (approximately $103 USD) is required. The remaining $800 AUD can be paid at any time during the workshop.

    Important Registration Details:
    • The group is limited to 17 participants and registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
    • Registration payments are non-refundable, unless the workshop is canceled due to low enrollment.
    • Please provide a valid email address during payment. It will be used only for essential communication related to the workshop.

    Payment Platform:
    We accept payments with Icon Painting Workshop in Melbourne Australia. Paint Icon of Theotokos.
    Unlike Paypal, this platform allows you to freely choose the currency of your payment on the top of the payment page. If you encounter any issues during the payment process, please don’t hesitate to contact us — we’ll be happy to assist you.


    Refund Policy:
    If you are unable to attend the workshop due to health reasons, and this is communicated within 80 days from the date of payment, we will offer a full refund of your order.

    Additional Information:
    Assignments will be sent by email on Thursdays at 00:00 AM Tbilisi time (GMT+4).
    If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us directly.
    To stay informed about future courses and events, you can get in touch via the link in the top-right corner of this page or subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom.

    OUR TEAM

    Philip Davydov and Olga Shalamova. Sacred Murals Studio (originally: Saint Petersburg, Russia, since March 2022: Tbilisi, Georgia).
    Icon Painting Workshop in Melbourne Australia. Paint Icon of Theotokos

    Philip Davydov

    Iconographer, iconography instructor and web-site administrator

    Second-generation iconographer with M.A. from State Fine Art Academy of Saint Petersburg (faculty of Theory and History of Art).
    2001 co-founder of Sacred Murals Studio (St. Petersburg, Russia).
    Teaching iconography in US, Italy, Australia and other countries since 2005.
    2006 Member of Union of Artists of Russia
    2009 - 2022 Professor at Institute of Theology and Sacred Arts (Saint Petersburg).
    Head of Iconography School of St Petersburg Seminary - 2021

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    Icon Painting Workshop in Melbourne Australia. Paint Icon of Theotokos

    Olga Shalamova

    Iconographer and iconography instructor

    M.A. from State Fine Art Academy of Saint Petersburg (faculty of Theory and History of Art).
    2009 Member of the Union of Artists of Russia
    2015 - 2021 chief artist of the embroidery workshop at Feodorovsky Cathedral in Saint Petersburg.
    Author of the majority of our offline and online courses.
    Actively participates in exhibitions of contemporary ecclesiastical art in Russia and abroad.

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