Looking at icons, we sometimes feel amazed at how the masters manage to capture our attention so successfully.
It's because of the very way they built their icons: we just feel their unique approach to the relationship between negative space and figures. All objects and figures in traditional icons are transformed to maintain the spatial integrity of the image. Each element feels native to the whole and to one another — they work as a perfect team.
We created this course Background vs Figure in Iconography to teach the main principles of space organization in iconography, so that artists who create new icons, frescoes and mosaics in our days can use the traditional concept of space.
This course consists of 5 weekly assignments, each including several video tutorials and practical tasks (see list below). Students are invited to complete a series of exercises of increasing complexity. The assignments illustrate specific principles of space organization and the meaning of background in iconography. They allow students to master the "blocking in" method of drawing, apply it to different kinds of images, and to see theoretical knowledge put into practice.
Background vs Figure in Iconography is suitable for anyone practicing — or wishing to practice — traditional iconography. It works equally well for those who have completed our previous online courses and for those who have never studied with us before.
For anyone interested in practically understanding how background and figures shape each other in iconography, and how mastering this relationship will make their icons more structured and meaningful
$200 USD (€175 EUROS) for 5 weekly assignments with unlimited drawing corrections + 5 pre-recorded zoom lectures. Payments are non-refundable.
6 weeks (5 assignments):
June 4 - July 16, 2026.
Assignments are published weekly on Thursdays: June 04, 11, 18, 25, July 2. One more extra week is given to finish all the assignments. Drawings are accepted for corrections no later than July 15, 2026.
Links to practical video tutorials, reference images, and a pre-recorded lecture per each of the 5 assignments. All materials are shared with students through Google Classroom. All the videos remain available to the students after the end of the Course
Learners are expected to share photographs of their drawings in Google Classroom Stream. Personal feedback from the instructors with their corrections / comments / recommendations is given within 48 hour (weekends excluded). Feedback is guaranteed for the whole period of the course either written in words or/and drawn directly on the emailed image.
Learners only need most basic materials, such as paper, pencils, eraser, eraser, and a compass with two needles (divider).
We made this program as extensive as possible, yet we split complex tasks into little manageable parts, making the assignments squeezable between routine work and family duties. We hope it will allow everybody to study with own pace. Plan to put in at least 1.5 hours for homework per assignment
This course consists of 5 weekly assignments with increasing levels of difficulty, from basic to more complex. If you are short on time, we recommend at least watching the videos. Either way, avoid rushing through the practical exercises! If you have more time, we suggest completing all the tasks for a better understanding.
This course was first launched in 2020. All the Zoom lectures were recorded, and the links to these recordings are published together with the weekly assignments. The lecture themes were related to the assignments, and discussions were dedicated to the most pressing questions of contemporary iconography.
Access to Google Classroom and all course videos is for registered participants only and must not be shared with anyone else in any form.
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