Icon School - New Christian Icons

Icon School with Christine Hales

The aim of this Icon school is to provide solid and foundational teaching in the spiritual discipline of Icon painting (writing). The classes teach both how to paint icons and how to engage prayerfully in the practice of icon painting.

Offered live online through Zoom, these icon painting classes teach painting with egg tempera and natural pigments in the Byzantine tradition. Each live class is recorded and made available for students for their personal use to review and play back in their own time.

Additional Information for Icon School Online Classes

The course offers practical assistance and demonstrations for each step of the process as well as the theology and history of Icons. Each class covers a different aspect of painting Icons in order to form a complete series of classes that will give the student confidence and experience to create their own icons. Christine Hales is the founder of the American Association of Iconographers.

Proplasmos Method

November 11-14 Madonna and Child Icon Tuition:$125

There are two main approaches to painting Icons- the proplasmos method, and the membrane method. This class we are demonstrating the proplasmos method and using tis to paint our Madonna and Child Icon.

You can use this paypal link to register:

Membrane Method

January 19-22, 2021 Holy Face of Christ Icon Tuition: $125

We are studying the proportions of the face and the membrane method in this class. The student will learn basic facial proportions and how to use the membrane method for the Holy Face of Christ Icon.

You can use this paypal link to register:

The Recorded classes are also available for purchase. Each class not only paints a specific Icon, but uses a basic principle of icon painting as its focus for that icon.

Pre-Recorded Icon Painting Classes

Color Mixing 101

August 11-14, 2020 Good Shepherd Icon

This class teaches the Greek Tetrakromatikon method of color mixing. We paint the Good Shepherd Icon using the four basic colors. Drawing and Color Model are supplied . $125.00

Pre-Recorded Icon Painting Class

Color Mixing 201

September 22-25, 2020 Archangel Raphael Icon

This class builds on Color Mixing 101 by introducing value and tonal scales. There are demonstrations of how to apply this to icon painting and specifically to the Icon of Saint Raphael that we are painting in this class. $125

Private Lesson 1/2 hour Email Support

EMail Feedback

For specific help with class project or icons painted independently.

$50 per 1/2 hour

Contact Christine With Any Questions:

Egg Tempera Color Mixing 101

September 22-25, 2020 is the online icon painting class for my icon school that focuses on value, tone, and color mixing in egg tempera icon painting. I call it a school because each class is carefully structured to teach a specific aspect of icon painting in egg tempera. In addition to painting the icon of a particular saint, each class demonstrates a technique or method of icon writing that helps students to sharpen and develop their skills.

In the September zoom class, we will be painting the Archangel Raphael, patron saint of doctors, nurses, medical workers and travelers. This Icon school teaches classical concepts of Byzantine icon writing using egg tempera and gold leaf gilding. Each student receives a material list upon registration to help them with obtaining the necessary pigments, icon boards etc. Click Here to Register for the September Class. Tuition $125.

Each class is designed to foster a serious approach to the spiritual discipline of icon writing. I’ve been teaching for for more than fifteen years in churches and art centers like Holy Cross Monastery, West Park, NY, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM,, Mt. Calvary Monastery, Santa Barbara, CA, and Westminster Presbyterian Church, Albany, New York. I also hold a Masters Degree in Art Therapy which helps me to design workshops, retreats, and classes. It is a joy to pass on the gift of icon writing to so many people.

More Online Icon Classes

November 11-14, 2020, online through Zoom.

We will paint an Icon of the Blessed Mother and Child. This class focuses on teaching the proplasmos method of painting icons in egg tempera. Students will learn the difference between different icon painting methods as well as improving their painting skills. Tuition $125.00

Click Here to register.

January 19-22, 2021 Online through Zoom

We will paint the Holy Face of Christ in this class while also using the Membrane painting method. Additionally, we are studying the proportions of the face and the Byzantine method of facial proportions. Tuition $125.00

Click Here to Register.

Please Contact us with any questions.