Creative, competent, and informative - the comprehensive and unparalleled manual for every icon painter - now available again as a hardcover edition. This versatile book, written by a dedicated icon painter and instructor, covers all the essential steps in the creation of an icon: selecting and priming the wood, choosing the motif and making preliminary sketches, gilding, colors and binders, painting, varnishing, and inscribing icons. Practical tips assist not only the interested beginner but also the advanced painter. Numerous designs and motifs serve as a foundation for personal interpretations. Even those who do not paint will find many valuable insights into the history of icons and the spirituality of the Eastern Churches in this book.