προπλασμός κατα Μπαμπινιώτη =το φόντο ζωγραφικού πίνακα (στούς βυζαντινούς αγιογράφους)

Icons are built up using layers of colour. See this extract from (my unpublished translation of) 'In Rhythm' by George Kordis : 'As far as land is concerned relational perspective is rendered mainly through light. Thus, in the series of parallel levels that form the ground, the light enters in at the first plane in front and the darker part (the dark base colour or proplasmos) is applied behind. This gives the impression that the ground is moving from the artistic surface towards the viewer.' Another extract: 'As is well-known, in Byzantine art there is no internal or external source of light. People and objects are illuminated for purely artistic reasons, and not for naturalistic ones. Things receive form not because light falls on them but because their plasticity has to be rendered, given that there is no depth in the icon, and because they must be directed outwards. Thus iconographers begin with warm and dark colours (proplasmos) and finish with cold light colours (highlights, middle tones, and fleshy tones). Working from dark colours through to fleshy tones creates movement from the surface of the icon towards the viewer.'

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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-03-13 21:08:34 GMT)
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These 2 solutions were arrived at in collaboration with George Kordis, icon painter.