Ask about the iconographer's training, reference tradition, board preparation, gesso, pigments, gilding, varnish, and inscriptions. Egg tempera, acrylic, and other techniques can all be described accurately, but they should not be presented as interchangeable. Dimensions and edge treatment matter for framing, stands, and prayer-corner placement.

For commissions, agree on subject, composition, language, colors, size, price, payment stages, and estimated completion before work begins. Review sketches or written specifications without expecting a sacred image to function like a conventional portrait. Shipping and insurance should reflect the icon's value, and care instructions should stay with the piece.