Pholiant

Finished today

The Cowry shells one time represented money

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_money#African_shell_money

This mask symbolizes the transition to maturity.

http://www.sanaaafrika.com.au/?p=3526

Nearly finished Toussian mask

Did the blue and red today.
Some retouching still left to be done
Colours seem rather harsh due to flash
As blue pigment was not very common in Africa, Reckitt's blue was an attractive alternative.
Sadly, this one-time commodity is no longer available in Western Europe. I therefore use acrilic paints.

















The bird's body will be decorated with cowry shells.

Korsunskaya-finished

With a Ukrainian Rushnik  or towel

(Last gold lines added tonight)

Saw this East African woman today, as I left the railway station, wearing some kind of traditional Somalian dress, very bright vermillion in the afternoon light. A shining, almost Marian appearance.

My icon was walking there.

Vyaz (Вязь) or lettering reads:
Korsunsk[a]iya B[ogorodi]tsa - Korsun Mother of God

More about Vyaz: http://russianicons.wordpress.com/

She starts looking at me

Flesh-tones and highlights added
Still, the skin has turned out somewhat darker, (almost African) than originally "planned".
But then, she's in good company...

Częstochowska

Colours-the first numbers

Basic colours applied, except the skin tone [Sankir].
Many more layers of paint will be needed.

I also made a start on [decorative] Shponki.

Korsunskaya - painting by numbers

Lining was completed 2 days earlier, and I am happy about it.
Now it is time for planning asic colours:

1 ivory / off white
2 ochre
3 blue
4 maroon
5 Sankir [olive-brown]
[numbers on pieces of sheet]


I flatter myself that I kind of reproduced the facial expression:
(mirrored and trimmed)

Petrov-Vodkin, Kuzma (1878-1939) - 1914-15
The Mother of God of Tenderness towards Cruel Hearts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuzma_Petrov-Vodkin