Dozens of sheets of gold leaf adorn the edges of the image. Paint is also applied layer upon layer, a technique that creates an illusion of depth in the finished picture. An unfinished figure of Jesus is seated inside a blue oval. Eventually, he will be enthroned on a rainbow, representing God's covenant with Noah. The entire process will take about a month.
Smaller panels take about two weeks.
Grigorenko shrugged when asked how long it would take to finish the whole screen. But he hopes to complete the screen in February. After that, there's the now-blank white ceiling of the cathedral that needs to be covered in murals. More images of Christ, the Virgin and the saints. That will mean more time away from home.