Archangel Michael – final part 4
Welcome back to the last of this series – the final stage of painting the face where everything (hopefully) all comes together with some final rose tints, deep shadow lines and snow highlights….
Hints of rose are applied to the lips (just the upper middle part – leave shadows in the corners), cheeks, side and lower tip of the nose, crease of the upper eye, the lower part of chin and a triangular shape in the corner of the eye. Take care to apply in a thin wash blending with care.
Rose tints can be applied as a wash on the face between shaded areas and highlights.
Options for the rose red are:
a. Yellow Ochre Light (Maimeri) with a pinch of English Red Light
b. Yellow Ochre Light (Maimeri) and vermilion.
Eyes:
Most of the eye whites are filled with the shadow tones and painted in two stages. The first is to mix raw umber and white – not using too much white or it becomes stark and opaque. Note the crescent shape of the eye and that the grey appears only on one side of the eye – the side opposite the direction that the face is looking. Leave the other side of the eye in the underpainting – something that I’ve completely overlooked with this one! Then apply the white crescent highlights around the iris. The pupil and edges of iris are black.
Adding the red line under the chin gives a glow. I add the final white ‘snow’ highlights last of all – if they look too stark, add a wash of French Ochre. At the final stage, add a glaze of dilute egg stock over the entire face.
Done, but not finished! Time to add the ribbons and hair band, add highlights to the garments and finish details of jewels then finally to add the name.
The background paint will be well and truly dry by this time and will be a lot easier to apply the lettering. I draw the lettering out on paper then trace it on. I rub white pigment into the back of the tracing paper and trace that down on the icon. This leaves a faint outline of the name which I can paint over with white egg tempera using a fairly stong blend of white to get a creamy consistency.
I fit a picture cord to the back with a small certificate of authenticity.
In wrapping up this mini- series, I’d like to wish you and yours a very happy and peaceful Christmas and as always, thank you for joining me here.
All the very best for 2025
Ronnie 🙂
PS Finished icon available to buy here
Icon Diploma Student 
2 Responses to “Archangel Michael – final part 4”
Christmas blessings and thanks for sharing the process of writing St Michael the Archangel, it is beautiful.
Many thanks Sue – and for taking the time to comment! All the best to you and yours this Christmas, Ronnie 🙂