Restoration Commission: Painting the Ceramic Nativity Icon

Restoring a damaged piece of art is always a challenge, but when it comes to ceramics, the difficulty level increases tenfold. After weeks of meticulous work rebuilding the missing frame, sanding, and priming the ceramic Nativity icon, I finally reached the most crucial and daunting stage—the painting process.

This stage isn’t just about applying paint; it’s about color matching, blending old with new, and preserving the historical character of the piece while making sure the restored sections don’t stand out. In this article, I’ll take you through the challenges I faced, the techniques I used, and how I approached one of the most delicate restoration commissions I’ve ever worked on.

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The Restoration Commission Dilemma – To Repaint or Preserve?

As I stood back and examined the now fully reconstructed Nativity icon, a question hit me: Should I fully repaint the entire piece or only focus on the restored areas?

While the parts I worked on looked brand new, other areas—like the figure of the Holy Mary—still had visible wear, small chips, and signs of age. This created a contrast that could either tell a story of time and preservation or look unbalanced and disjointed.

I debated between fully restoring the entire piece or keeping some of the natural aging intact. In the end, this wasn’t my decision to make—I needed to consult with the client.

Nativity Icon Restoration – Painting @Dressart3d.com

Consulting the Client on the Final Look

After discussing the options, we agreed on a balanced approach:
✅Repainting the damaged areas to restore the overall look.
✅Keeping some of the weathering to maintain its antique character.
✅ Re-sculpting and painting missing details to enhance visual harmony.

Now that the direction was set, it was time to tackle the most complex part of this restoration commission—color matching and painting on ceramic.

The Challenges of Painting on Ceramic

Painting on ceramic isn’t as straightforward as painting on resin or plastic. Ceramics, especially glazed ones, have a slick and glossy surface, making adhesion tricky.

Three Colors, Three Different Painting Techniques

For this project, I needed to perfectly match three key colors while also using different painting techniques to replicate the original brushwork.

🎨 The Aged Ceramic White – This required airbrushing to achieve a smooth, natural blend with the original ceramic surface.

🎨 The Yellow Halos – These had to be hand-painted to replicate the original brush strokes.

🎨 The Deep Blue Background – This was the most difficult section, as it covered a large surface area and required precise blending with the original paint.

Each of these colors needed a custom mix to ensure an exact match, which led to the next challenge…

The Art of Color Matching – Mixing Paints for Ceramic Restoration

If you’ve ever tried to match a color exactly, you know how frustrating it can be. A slight difference in shade or tone can make the restoration stand out instead of blending in seamlessly.

Mixing Paints – A Lesson in Patience

For the ceramic white, I used a combination of Vallejo Air colors, as they have the right consistency for airbrushing. I mixed pure white, bone color, and drops of orange to achieve the warm, slightly aged look of the original ceramic.

For the yellow halos, I was fortunate to have a Vallejo base yellow close to the original. A slight adjustment with white gave me the exact tone I needed.

For the blue background, things got complicated. I had to combine three Vallejo shades of blue with a touch of purple to recreate the exact depth and richness of the original paint.

Nativity Icon Restoration – Painting @Dressart3d.com

Pro Tip – Mixing for Large Areas

If you’re mixing a custom paint for a small area, you can use a palette to test and refine the color.

However, for large areas like this project, it’s best to mix the paint in a clean, transparent pot. This allows you to:
✅ Test small amounts in the airbrush without wasting paint.
✅ Adjust the mix gradually without losing the original ratio.
✅ Ensure you have enough consistent color to cover the entire area.

After hours of testing and adjusting, I finally had my three base colors. Now, it was time to start painting.

The Painting Process – Precision and Patience

With the colors mixed and ready, I started the painting process.

Step 1 – Airbrushing the Ceramic White

Since the ceramic white was the largest and most prominent part, I began with airbrushing. This allowed me to:
✅ Achieve a smooth and natural blend with the original ceramic.
✅ Keep the paint layers thin to avoid texture buildup.
✅ Ensure a consistent finish over large areas.

Since some sections couldn’t be masked completely, I knew I’d need to go back and touch up areas where overspray landed on the blue and yellow sections.

Step 2 – Hand-Painting the Yellow Halos

Next, I tackled the yellow halos, which required hand-painting with fine brushes to replicate the original texture.

Unlike the ceramic white, which needed to be smooth, the halos had a visible brushstroke texture that had to be matched perfectly.

Step 3 – The Deep Blue Background

The deep blue background was the most challenging part. Since it covered a large area, I needed to:
✅ Use different brush sizes—thin brushes for edges, wide brushes for blending.
✅ Match the brushstroke texture of the original paint.
✅ Carefully blend in restored areas to avoid visible seams.

At one point, I was so confident in my work that I left an entire original section untouched. Let’s see if the client can spot where it is!

Nativity Icon Restoration – Painting @Dressart3d.com

What’s Next? Sealing and Final Reveal!

With the painting process complete, the next step will be sealing the entire piece to protect the paint and ensure longevity.

Stay tuned for the final reveal—if all goes well, this Restoration Commission will be a success!

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Final Thoughts – A Restoration Commission Like No Other

This ceramic Nativity icon restoration has been one of the most complex projects I’ve ever worked on. The combination of color matching, ceramic texture, and large-scale brushwork pushed my skills to new limits.

But that’s what I love about restoration commissions—they challenge you to grow as an artist and problem-solver.

Can you spot where I left part of the original blue paint untouched? Let me know in the comments!

➡️ Stay tuned for the final reveal, and don’t forget to check out DressArt3D.com – Unique 3D Printed Painted Miniatures & Merch to support more exciting projects! 🎨🔥

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