The workshop
We produce in Tenerife, Canary Islands. This is exactly what we do and what we do not.
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The panel
Solid Nordic pine, 1.8 centimetres. A close grained, slow growing wood, stable against changes in humidity, which is precisely the problem on an island. Every panel is cut, sanded and sealed on both faces and on the edge, not only on the front.
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The ground
A priming layer closes the pores and leaves a surface with no uneven absorption. That step is what makes the colour behave the same across the whole piece, and go on behaving the same twenty years from now.
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The image
No half measures here: the image is a chromograph, a very high definition reproduction applied to the prepared panel. It is not egg tempera painted piece by piece, and we do not sell it as such. It is what allows the canonical model to be respected exactly and reaches a price a painted icon cannot.
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The finish
Everything after that is done by hand: mixed technique polychromy over the image, treatment of the edge, patina and a final protective coat. This is the step that makes two pieces of the same model not identical, and gives the surface the temperature of a panel rather than of a print.
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The twenty one days
That is the lead time, and it is not administrative slowness. It is what the sealing, the priming, the polychromy and the final coat each need to dry before the next one goes on. Rushing it shows up two years later as a crack.
What we do not do
We do not say our pieces are hand painted, because they are not. We do not invent devotions or change inscriptions to make them look better. We do not promise lead times that cannot be met. If you want an icon painted piece by piece, it exists, there are workshops that do it, and it costs what it costs. Ours is a different thing and it is worth what we ask for it.
What everyone asks
- Is it hand painted?
- No. It is chromography on Nordic pine panel with mixed technique polychromy and a hand finish in our workshop. We say it this plainly because some sell this as hand painting and it is not. What is ours: the panel, the ground, the finish and respect for the tradition.
- Why does it take 21 days?
- Because the sealing, the priming, the polychromy and the final coat each have to dry before the next goes on. Rushing it shows up two years later as a crack.
- Which icon is given at an Orthodox baptism?
- The icon of the saint whose name the child bears, if you know it. If not, the Virgin of Tenderness never fails in an Orthodox home. What matters is that it carries the correct inscriptions: a piece without letters is spotted instantly.
- Can I order a piece that is not in the catalogue?
- Yes. Write to us with the devotion, the format and the date you need it. Commissioned pieces fall outside the right of withdrawal, and we say so before accepting them.
- How is it hung and where does it go?
- The panel comes with its fixing and weighs between 0.6 and 1.8 kilos depending on format, so a single hook is enough. Avoid direct sunlight and bathrooms. In an Orthodox home the place is the corner facing east.
- When am I charged?
- Nothing is charged when you confirm the order. We write to you with the final amount including shipping, and there is no charge until you accept it.
Shipping
| Destination | Cost | Days after leaving the workshop |
|---|---|---|
| Canaries, Ceuta and Melilla | 6,90 € | 2-4 |
| Mainland Spain and Balearics | 8,90 € | 3-7 |
| Portugal | 12,90 € | 4-8 |
| Italy | 16,90 € | 5-10 |
| Romania | 18,90 € | 5-10 |
| Rest of Europe | 19,90 € | 5-12 |
Fixed price per order, not per piece. Add the 21 days of production to the transit time.
The Canaries, Ceuta and Melilla and deliveries outside the European Union may carry taxes at destination, payable by the buyer.
Workshop
Iconos Sacros
Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife