Can you teach me Byzantine Iconography?

Writing The Divine - Introductory Course to Byzantine Iconography

For many years, one of the questions I’ve been asked most often is:

“Can you teach me iconography?”

It has been a dream of mine for a long time to create a course where I could share the beautiful and ancient tradition of Byzantine iconography with others. After years of preparation, I’m very happy to say that this course has finally become a reality.

Writing the Divine: An Introduction to Byzantine Iconography is an eight-week, hands-on beginner course in Byzantine icon painting, which I’ll be teaching at the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne.

The course has been created especially for people who would love to learn iconography but may have wondered where—or how—to begin.

No previous experience in iconography or icon painting is required.

Over eight weeks, I will guide students through the traditional process of writing a Byzantine icon, step by step, from beginning to end.

Together, we will write an icon of the Mother of God (Theotokos), learning not only the practical techniques involved in creating an icon, but also gaining an understanding of the artistic language, symbolism and traditions that have shaped Byzantine iconography for centuries.

Every stage of the process will be demonstrated and taught carefully, allowing students to build their icon gradually over the eight weeks.

To support you throughout the course, every single step has also been carefully documented in words, photographs, diagrams and video in a comprehensive 70-page course manual, with accompanying instructional videos for each stage. Every student will receive their own copy.

The class size will be intentionally small so that I can work closely with each student, and all materials are provided.

At the end of our eight weeks together, you will have experienced the complete process of writing a Byzantine icon—and created your own icon of the Mother of God to take home.

For me, this course is about more than learning a painting technique. It is an opportunity to pass on a beautiful living tradition that has been handed down from one generation of iconographers to the next.

I’m very much looking forward to sharing it with you.

Learn more and book through the Hellenic Museum:

Writing the Divine: An Introduction to Byzantine Iconography

https://www.hellenic.org.au/event-details/writing-the-divine

Or through my website:

https://www.ikonatelier.com.au/learn

I look forward to writing with you.

Apostolos