St. Clement - Post 14 - Working through it.

 Apparently, I didn't sleep well last night.  My mind was racing: colors, techniques, the next icon to be tackled after this one was done....I got to work at 8:30, and by 11:30 I was exhausted, and by 1:30 I was home....whereupon I fell asleep and didn't get up until after 4:30 pm.  A bit of dinner...and back to painting.  

Today was also frustrating, but I accepted the frustrations.  I decided that perfection was not an option, that I would make errors, that I would have to 'wash' some misplaced brushstrokes away.  With my own incompetence finally accepted, I finally proceeded with a 'two-steps-forward, one-step back' approach.

Lines were strengthend, colors brightened, the halo completed.  Clement's eyes are complete, and his face is coming to life.  The anchors on his pallium finally look better than a child's effort.

I tried adding the white 'light' to the folds in his garment, and that was a disaster.  As I cleaned it up, I struggled with the whole white-highlight thing.

On the one hand, it is 'standard practice' in historic icons to complete the icon by showing the 'uncreated light of God" showing through the saints very being, through their clothing, through nature itself, and I have enevfr quite mastered the technique.

On the other hand, I'm not partuclarly seeing that that specific technique is required in this icon, and perhaps that is my struggle: trying to incorporate an element because "I'm supposed to" rather than because the creative impulses are leading me there.

Overall, I am pleased with where we are at.  We are further along than I thought we would be, and I like what I am seeing...especially now that St. Clement is looking back at me while I paint!

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