The original is painted around 6th century AD and found in the Monastery of St Catherine in Sinai Peninsula. It was painted at the time when late antiquity was “sliding into” Middle Ages. Therefore I  approached the icon as a “bridge” piece between the ancient (roman-hellenistic) and byzantine art- and I believe,  I leaned towards the ancient – That eventually led me take the following decisions in this Study of Christ Pantocrator:

– Use as less colors as possible- Ancient Greek painters were famous for creating their works using four – I limited to my  palette to 6.

– Use of Golden highlights in the stars, clavus, gospel and halo)

-Consider some elements, as the light in garments, erased by time – and rendered them in a softer not very geometric (as in later byzantine art) way

– Avoid additions such as the Christogramm (ICXC), or the inscriptions inside the halo and kept the stars on the top