Xuzi Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Why are icons all drawn in the same style? They seem... flat, almost, in the way they're drawn. (and I don't mean that in a negative way, just in a discriptive way. they seem sort of medieval to me in their styling) Is this part of "Holy Tradition"? Or is there another reason for it? Can someone paint a picture of, say, the Virgin Mary in a more modern style, and still call it an icon? I've been curious about this. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Since they are to be used as a focus, a modern style would probably make it harder rather than easier to focus? How would you modernise her? Jeans and a veil would make her look like a cute young Muslim and a more 3D style would make her look like a re-enactor, wouldn't it? :confused: Just bumping, with guesswork thrown in for the sake of conversation... Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xuzi Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Since they are to be used as a focus, a modern style would probably make it harder rather than easier to focus? How would you modernise her? Jeans and a veil would make her look like a cute young Muslim and a more 3D style would make her look like a re-enactor, wouldn't it? :confused: Just bumping, with guesswork thrown in for the sake of conversation... Rosie LOL, I do mean a more modern *artistic* style. Like could something like this: be considered icon material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Rosie, you always make me laugh. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBasil Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 No, I think that would not work for an icon. This is a helpful and short article. http://www.stpauldenison.org/icons.html Quoted from the article: Because icons are theological in nature. there is no effort made to be physically accurate in their presentation as you would have in a photograph. Rather the opposite is true, naturalism is absent, perspective is inverse with the vanishing point not in the distant background but focusing in the foreground at the ones looking at the icon, drawing them into it. Icons contain and speak the Gospel truths with images in the light of the Sacred Tradition of the church. They must be distinct from other types of images just as the Gospel is different from all other literary works. Also, certain colors and symbols are included to represent certain things or people. http://www.antiochian.org/1103744287 There's a lot more, but I will leave that to those who can explain it more clearly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 There are rules to writing icons (it's called writing, not painting, because it's sharing a message). One has to undergo intensive training to write them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 LOL, I do mean a more modern *artistic* style. Like could something like this: be considered icon material. This doesn't look like a religious image to me. It looks like some kind of sexy romance novel art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 This doesn't look like a religious image to me. It looks like some kind of sexy romance novel art. :lol: I don't know why, but that really struck me as funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 This doesn't look like a religious image to me. It looks like some kind of sexy romance novel art. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) . Edited March 22, 2011 by Parrothead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I'm not EO, but the tradition of icons stems from Byzantine art. This is a wiki page, but it's pretty interesting because it discusses different perspectives on the Byzantine tradition. Here is a monastery that gives classes on icon writing. Their site includes a little history and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Everything about an icon is meant to have meaning or tell a message. That is part of why it is called "writing" and icon, and sometimes "reading" an icon. There is a lot more going on in those images than one would first suspect ;). Someone already mentioned the foreground and background issues. There are also rules about shadow. When painting an Icon light eminates from inside the person. So, shadowing becomes an issue. Also, as one writer puts it...no precious moment Icons! Think about the white dot reflecting in precious moments eyes, you won't find that in an Icon. There's a start! There are reasons the people are painted long, I just can't remembmer it all right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 "Deeper Meaning After having looked at several icons, one may notice that icons only seem to have a width and a height. Depth, the third (physical) dimension, clearly discernable in virtually all other traditional paintings (not including modernistic or abstract works of art) seems to be absent. Mother of God Hodegetria ("She who shows the Way") 14th century The "third" dimension of an icon goes beyond what the eye can see, as it is spiritual. Icons have a profound spiritual meaning. An icon is a Window into Heaven. This Window into Heaven will enable someone who is praying to the person depicted in the icon, to directly connect with that person : our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Mother of God, an Angel or Saint (also see The Essential Feature of Icons). Many icons are miraculous as many people who prayed to them were cured of their affliction. An icon is an efficient means for knowing God, the Holy Virgin, Angels and Saints. An icon is not a work of art that only illustrates the Holy Scriptures. It constitutes a confession of religious truths (5). In view of the foregoing, it can be readily understood that an icon painter needs to be more than an artist. An icon painter, or iconographer as they are commonly called, is a theologian as much as he is an artist (6). Painting (writing) an icon, presupposes, on the part of the iconographer a lifestyle of prayer, meditation and fasting (also see Summary). Quite simply, icons are truly unique, there is no form of expression in the West that is equivalent or similar to icons." The Iconoclasm Controversy is also very interresting - lasted almost 100 years after 726..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xuzi Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Very interesting! Thank you! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 There are rules to writing icons (it's called writing, not painting, because it's sharing a message). One has to undergo intensive training to write them. This. Btw, Roman catholics have iconographers as well. Fr. William Hart McNichols is renowned and respected in both the RC and EO. the icons symbols all have meaning and history behind those symbols. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) ... An icon is a Window into Heaven. This Window into Heaven will enable someone who is praying to the person depicted in the icon, to directly connect with that person : our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Mother of God, an Angel or Saint... Is the icon the only way to directly connect to Jesus in prayer? Edited March 22, 2011 by tntgoodwin clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBasil Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Is the icon the only way to directly connect to Jesus? No. There's prayer and Eucharist to name two other ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Sorry, I edited my post to clarify it. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Is the icon the only way to directly connect to Jesus in prayer? No, of course not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 No, of course not. Ok, thanks! I didn't think so, but the bolded part that I quoted seemed to imply that, so I wanted clarification. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Is the icon the only way to directly connect to Jesus in prayer? Not at all! ;) We just have multiple device's! Think telepathy (prayer), Icon (skype), Eucarist (hand in hand), written prayers (poetic sharing). I'm sure the list could go on, or other examples could be used. That's just what I had off the top of my head (and half a cup of coffee!) :D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 This. Btw, Roman catholics have iconographers as well. Fr. William Hart McNichols is renowned and respected in both the RC and EO. the icons symbols all have meaning and history behind those symbols. Here is a link to his website gallery. Click a category to see more of each type. His stuff is absolutely beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Here is a link to his website gallery. Click a category to see more of each type. His stuff is absolutely beautiful. Beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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