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oh! This reminds me. I've been meaning to drop a suggestion for your studies. There's a lady who teaches classical Byzantine iconographic drawing - absolute beginner level. Even if you're not interested in becoming an iconographer it would be massively useful to teach canonical human figure proportions. The system she teaches is the original Greek/Byzantine style, and you learn how the human figure is constructed so if you master it, you'll never need another reference photo again.

Her name is Julia Bridget Hayes, and she's on Patreon. Her rate is very reasonable, even for struggling artists.

https://youtu.be/tm7VQxps2m4?si=Gl8GO2D5SMoO0HG9

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Hey I looked at the video. I'm subscribed to her youtube and have studied some of her vids. Looks like her patreon is the best deal after the free videos.

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Thanks! Will take a look!

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So gorgeous! I love your take on the icon and the impactful way you’ve used color! Beautiful work.

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Mar 31·edited Mar 31Author

Thank you, Jenn!

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Nice. I'm currently in Mexico. This morning around 9.00am a procession went in front of my place. It's not a main street at all. There were about 20 people in front, they singing and responding to prayers that were being broadcast from a car with a loudspeaker that was following them. Behind the car, two motorcycles followed reverently along. Very Mexican. Or at least, very Yucatecan.

The iconic art is really deep. It's such a different vibe from the Anglo-American more Protestant art or rather decoration you see or actually what you don't see in non-Catholic churches.

Reminds me quite a lot more of Taoist temples I saw in Taiwan, smells and bells, and lots of figurines and very archetypal-type images with super-strong textures and colors.

Here, I'm not sure the name, I should learn it, Our Lady of Guadalupe I think, has a shrine in something like every 10th house around here. You ever seen vendors selling the plastic figurines on the street. I wonder, how many plastic statues can people really buy? But, I'm always amazed at retail of any kind so, that's just me I guess.

The shrines, in people's houses, have electric lights. Like a Christmas tree I guess.

As I understand it, the Lady is very much a Mayan goddess dressed in different clothes. It's easy to understand her appeal. The loving Goddess, without which as infants we die, and without which as adults we dry up in despair and cynicism. Whether she's an actual energetic being in the universe as we apparently are, or whether she's a project of our minds doesn't really matter. Because if we can see and appreciate something or someone externally, it's only because that thing or person is in us already to some extent; we're noticing the likeness.

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Thanks for sharing that story! Here is the information on Our Lady of Guadalupe: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2018-12/our-lady-of-guadaloupe-feast-day-mexico-americas.html

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Thanks, great to know. And, Easter.

"Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again."

So many layers. Happy Easter!

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Mar 31Liked by Ulysses

Thank you for posting this! I’ve recently wondered what I would do to prepare in a way that felt appropriate to do an icon. And was curious what others do during the drawing and design process. How did you know it felt appropriate?

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You're welcome! I never had a thought of it being inappropriate.

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Mar 31Liked by Ulysses

I’m very likely overthinking it!

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