GOUACHE

Translated from French, the word "gouache" means "water paint". Gouache paints have great hiding power, are opaque, although they are diluted with water (see Paints).

Using the gouache technique, artists paint on paper, cardboard, plywood, thick silk. The works have a matte, velvety surface. But when using gouache, its own difficulties arise - the paints quickly brighten after drying. Considerable experience is required to predict the degree of change in tone and color.

Gouache was already widely known in the Middle Ages, when it made book miniatures (usually in combination with watercolor) in many countries of Asia and Europe, and in the Renaissance - sketches, cardboards, portrait miniatures. In Russia, the gouache technique reached a high level of development in the art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Artists V. A. Serov, A. Ya. Golovin, S. V. Ivanov painted large easel works with gouache, skillfully using its dense color to achieve impressive decorative effects.

Famous artists use the gouache technique in different ways. So, the picture of B. M. Kustodiev “Fair” was written in a corpus, in a decorative manner. The colorful clothes of people, buildings, the painter showed in a generalized way, especially the rows of tents, roofs and behind them a dark strip of forest.

B. M. Kustodiev. Fair.
1908. Paper, gouache.

B. M. Kustodiev. Fair.
1908. Paper, gouache.
State Tretyakov Gallery

A. S. Stepanov, known for his works dedicated to landscape and animals, was a remarkable master of gouache. One of his best works is "Wolves". Surprisingly vividly painted predators, hungry, alert. The moonlight is pale, the firmament is mysteriously illuminated. The silver-blue gamma creates a feeling of night cold.

Artists of the association "World of Art" often turned to gouache technique. Often they combined gouache with other materials. For example, in the work "The Walk of the King" A.N. Benois used, in addition to gouache, watercolor, gold, and silver. The use of the last two materials gave the picture a pomposity, so characteristic of the then inhabitants of Versailles.

A. N. Benois. Walk of the king

A. N. Benois. Walk of the king
1906. Paper on cardboard, gouache, watercolor,
bronze paint, silver paint,
graphite pencil, pen, brush
State Tretyakov Gallery

Very often posters, sketches of theatrical scenery, decorative design work are made with gouache.

How to work with gouache

To work with gouache, it is best to use a porcelain or plastic palette with holes for paints around the edges, or just a small flat white board (30x40 cm). The brushes are round and flat (see Brushes). You can use bristle brushes when working on decorative panels, posters and slogans. But here you will also need poster feathers or sticks sharpened in the form of a spatula. And when working on a large plane, use a flute - a flat bristle brush. Cover the surface with gouache several times, without waiting for the paint to dry. If you get bumps, level the entire plane with a wet flute. First, draw the strips sequentially from left to right horizontally, and then over the coating. Do not apply too thick a layer of paint: it easily cracks and crumbles. Gouache dries at room temperature for an hour.

It is better to work on a tablet, but you can also use an eraser - a plywood tablet with an outer frame that clamps the edges of the paper, or with two frames inserted one into the other.

Draw in gouache on white art paper, brown paper, or gray cardstock. To evenly stretch the paper on the tablet, place it so that its edges on each side are 2-4 cm larger than the tablet. Then dampen the paper on both sides with a sponge until it lays flat. After that, dry the paper with cotton wool, and grease the edges of the tablet with flour paste or dextrin. Start gluing from the middle of the tablet, evenly stretching in all directions. Fasten the corners with buttons. To dry, place the finished tablet horizontally on a flat place, paper side up. Your material for working with gouache paints is ready.

Valer- fine tonal gradation of one color.

Wet on wet - this technique is familiar to anyone who has done watercolor and is often used when you need to depict clouds or a foggy background covered with haze. In the wet-on-wet method, you dilute the paint a little more than usual, apply it to the paper, and quickly add another color of liquid dilution on top. After that, the colors will begin to blur, forming bizarre shapes with soft, blurry edges. If this did not happen, it means that you did not dilute the paints sufficiently or you were too late in applying the second layer, and the lower layer of paint had dried up by this time. To avoid this, I advise you to pre-moisten the paper with a brush dipped in clean water. This technique is good when you need to write a figure with clear outlines and not washed out color. At the same time, individual brush strokes remain visible in the picture. This is one of the classic gouache techniques and can be used to achieve truly amazing results. Particularly impressive are multi-colored, clearly shaped strokes of paint applied next to or on top of each other. Since gouache is opaque, light paint can be applied over dark paint, and vice versa.

Gouache fill with color transition - An artistic technique that is often used to create a beautiful background with a smooth transition in tone. Allowing you to achieve a smooth transition of color from dark to light or even reduce the color to a white background. It is carried out as follows: selected shades
are applied in horizontal stripes, after which we gradually begin to smear the paints (the paints should not have time to dry). Brush movement from right to left, then from left to right. You can also use a sponge to create a smooth transition.

impasto - a technique that consists in applying thick paint in thick layers. If you want to use impasto, take a tube that has already been used more than once: such paint will be thicker than new, just opened. Gouache can also be thickened with an acrylic additive or a special Aquapasto additive from Winsor & Newton, designed to apply the impasto technique when working with water-based paints.

carnation - the imposition of paints in several layers. It was used to depict human faces and body parts. The technique made it possible to achieve maximum realism in the image.

Glaze - a method that consists in applying transparent layers of other tones over the main color. By overlapping the base color with translucent layers, a new deep shade is obtained. For gouache, this method is available in the same way as for watercolor. Gouache needs to be diluted quite strongly with water so that it becomes transparent. Using the glazing technique, you can create a unique fog effect, gouache is suitable for this like no other material.

Smear is the mark left by the brush. In oil painting, strokes can be more expressive due to the greater density of the material and the thickness of the paint layer. Using the stroke technique, you can enhance the dynamics, give the work additional expressiveness. Smears write on paper of any humidity. But the best results can be achieved on slightly damp and dry paper.

Monotype (from the Greek "monos" - one, single and "tupos" - an imprint) is one of the simplest graphic techniques, the origins of which date back to the 17th century. The essence of monotype is the application of paints by hand on a flat and smooth surface, followed by an imprint on another surface (on a machine) or on paper folded in half. The resulting print is always unique, and it is impossible to create two identical works. Further, the resulting color or monochrome blots are either left in their original form, or a suitable image is thought out and the missing details are drawn.

Layered painting - the most important technical variety
- oil painting, requiring the division of the work into a number of successive stages (underpainting, registration, glazing), separated by breaks for the complete drying of the paint. When performing a large thematic composition, as well as during long-term work in general, multilayer painting is the only full-fledged oil painting technique. Until the middle of the XIX century. all the major progressive artists of the past used this technique as the main one. Later, the Impressionists and their followers abandoned it.
From a narrow technological point of view, not related to the technique of the old masters, the concept of multilayer painting can only correspond to registration on a dried paint layer (without underpainting and glazing).

Pastose technique gouache is also available. This technique consists of applying thick, opaque paint to the work surface. This technique is inherent mainly in oil painting. The texture, light and shadow in the paintings, written in impasto technique, depend not only on color, but also on the shape and direction of the applied strokes. Gouache can also work in this style, especially if it is based on PVA or acrylic. When working in a pasty technique and using ordinary art gouache, you need to remember that too thick a layer of this paint tends to crack and crumble after drying. Therefore, you need to very carefully add layers of thick gouache to the canvas in order to get the “golden mean” necessary for this technique and material.

Pointillism - in translation means "dotted". The technique allows you to achieve visual effects through strokes of a dotted or rectangular shape, eliminating the mixing of colors.

Uniform fill with a brush - used for painting surfaces or their parts. Done with a brush. Gouache should not be too thick (paint will fall in lumps) or too thin (spots will appear). Fill the contour start from the edges.

splashing - a very simple and pleasant way to create textures. With this technique, you can draw pebbles on the road, river pebbles, leaves and the like. It is best to spray gouache with a small paint brush (preferably new and designed to work only with gouache, not drying oil or water-based paints). Load the brush well with paint, pull its bristles back (away from the painting), and then abruptly release them. The bristles rush forward and a whole cloud of small droplets of paint will fly off them. In order not to splatter the whole picture, make a paper mask cut out from a newspaper or scrap paper and cover the part of the picture that should remain unsplattered.

SG raffito It is a technique similar to engraving. The essence of this technique is to scratch the wet paint with a pointed stick or the tip of a knife to expose the bottom layer of paint. When working with gouache, you must complete the sgraffito as quickly as possible - within literally a few seconds after applying the top coat of paint, because gouache, unlike oil paints, dries almost instantly. Using the sgraffito technique, you can create very beautiful unusual textures that look best in the foreground of the picture.

mixed media - in addition, gouache is perfectly used in mixed media painting. For example, the background is done with gouache, and the drawing on the background with acrylic. Flowers with gouache and acrylic are very spectacular. Gouache can also be used in combination with watercolor, pastel, tempera.

"Dry brush" - in painting and graphics, an auxiliary technique consisting in working with hard brushes that are weakly saturated with paint. As an independent technique, the dry brush is mainly used in the decorative arts. Reception outwardly imitates colored pencils. Easy to perform. Allows you to easily mix colors directly on paper.

Dry glazing - no less interesting method. A dry brush leaves a colorful trail, from under which the lower layers glow.

Sfumato - thin transition
veta in color. Softening of the outlines of figures and objects in the light and shade modeling in general, which allows you to convey the enveloping them as air. The sfumato technique, as the most important element of aerial perspective, was theoretically substantiated and applied by Leonardo da Vinci.

Stamping - Applying impressions with a sponge, cotton wool or even crumpled
sheet of paper. . Especially successfully in this case, you can imitate rough ground, thick grass or foliage. In addition to a sponge, texture can also be created with a strip of corrugated paper or cardboard folded several times - in this case, very unusual and unexpected effects arise.

Voronezh artist Olga Brazhnikova is known for her bright, sunny gouache works. The path to art was not easy for her, refusing to work as a designer, she entered the Voronezh Art College, and this year she graduated from the Pedagogical University with a degree in Fine Arts. Olga mainly works with gouache and destroys the stereotypes associated with this material. For Umbra Media, the artist showed her home workshop and told how her art has changed her life.

About study
"I ran away from work at the factory"

When did you realize that you wanted to become an artist?

- I always liked to draw, but in the view of my parents (my mother worked as an accountant, my father still works at an aircraft factory), an artist is a frivolous profession. So I had to go to aviation college. I don't understand how I could finish it. My ability to draw well helped, I made wall newspapers for tests. When my studies were coming to an end, I realized that I would not go to the factory for anything. And I went to an evening art school so that at least I had something for my soul. The teacher suggested that I enter the Voronezh Art College.

- How did your parents perceive that you want to become an artist?

They didn't believe that I would do it. There was a funny story. Dad said that he knew a man who could draw a portrait of Lenin on the sand with a stick! And if I can't do that, then I'm not an artist. In spite of everything, I was preparing for admission, went to courses for 2-3 months, studied drawing separately with a teacher. And when I entered, my parents supported me and were happy. And later, when my works began to be taken to exhibitions, they believed in me. After college, I ended up at a defense company, where I still work as a designer. I had a rather long break - seven years, but then I decided to return to painting and creativity. In 2013, she entered the Voronezh State Pedagogical University, from which she graduated this year.

About materials
"Few people believe that my paintings are painted in gouache"

— Why did you choose gouache, why is this material interesting to you?

- I became interested in gouache at the Pedagogical Institute. Previously, I perceived it more as a transitional stage to oil. But now it's my favorite material. It dries quickly, is odorless, gives textured strokes and vibrant colors. I write pasty, gouache is not diluted with water. I usually draw on thick paper. Oil, of course, is not so convenient to work in an apartment. Especially considering that my cat constantly strives to plunge into some kind of jar. Once I was painting in oils, briefly distracted, and she had already got into the blue paint and left paw prints all over the apartment. Then we scrubbed these traces all evening.

— What do you think about the fact that gouache is often called a "children's" material?

“I think this is a stereotype and prejudice. It was in gouache, according to my colleagues, that I developed my own style. When I post my work on the Internet, many people write how surprised they are that the paintings are painted in gouache and not in oil. Gouache is not children's creativity, but a worthy material. It seems to me that in general any material can create masterpieces, the material does not play a primary role here.

— What inspires you?

— I love cityscapes. Houses that have lived, and they have their own history, fascinate me. Usually I walk around the city, shoot stories, and then write at home. I love the riot of color, textured strokes. And among modern artists, I am very inspired by the watercolors of Arush Votsmush.

- In what atmosphere do you like to work - in silence, or with music?

— When I write, most often I listen to the good old rock. Some of my favorite bands are Aquarium and The Doors.

- It is widely believed that academic education "kills" the individuality of the artist. What do you think about this?

“It seems to me that education in the arts is more important than ever. When you watch the same video tutorials over the Internet, you are not an accomplice in the process, but this is necessary. I think that an academic education helps to acquire drawing skills. I studied with Alexander Starilov, he was a versatile artist, architect, and innovator. He believed that one should have a classical education, and then look for one's own style, the same primitivism is not born out of nothing. And I agree with him.

About implementation
"An artist is more than a profession"

— How do you manage to combine the work of a designer, creativity and family?

— It’s difficult, I write mostly on weekends. And the daughter is already an adult, you don’t need to be with her all the time, she already has a lot of her own interests. During the period when I did not draw, I constantly felt that I lacked it. Now I'm not going to give up painting, I like to be creative and search. Being an artist is for me the meaning of life and more than a profession. Creating a painting for me is some kind of mystery, although, of course, from a technical point of view, there is no mystery. But the process is always intriguing - I wonder what will come out in the end.

- What are your plans for the near future? Would you like to have your own workshop?

- I really want to participate in exhibitions, and not lock myself in my space. I hope that soon I will be able to make a personal exhibition at the art school. And the workshop is perhaps only a matter of the distant future. While all my work is placed in the apartment. We have recently renovated. The walls were specially painted white so that pictures could be hung. I organized the space for work so that I could feel the air around and there was a lot of light. Until it is overgrown with all sorts of interesting objects and details, but I think that this is not for long.

History and reference information about gouache paints.

Gouache

Gouache is a fine art term that describes a type of paint that is made up of a color pigment and a binder (traditionally gum arabic or dextrin). Unlike watercolors, gouache also includes white, which gives a matte finish. Artists working with this type of paint sometimes use various additives (acrylic, starch, honey) to increase the drying time of the paint or to give it specific properties (saturation, opacity, etc.). Gouache is thinned with water or liquid glue and is usually applied to paper, cardboard or silk.

Characteristics

There are a number of gouache properties that make this paint a good choice for many applications:

• It is an opaque and dense paint;
• it has a high drying rate, which allows you to speed up the work of the artist (for example, in the open air). It is worth noting that when drying, the color of the paint may not match the original;
• the possibility of applying paint in the thinnest layers or using the impasto technique;
• variety of paint choices.

Thus, gouache is excellent not only as the main medium for canvases, posters and illustrations, but also as a preparatory material for acrylic and oil paintings.

Story

As with watercolor, the original invention and use of gouaches is attributed to the craftsmen of ancient Greece. They were also characteristic of Oriental and European portraits of the twelfth century, and in Europe became popular from the 1300s. In general, gouache is not the artist's primary choice, although, like watercolor, it is used by many painters to create certain visual effects.

I still go to the blogs of various artists and look at the gouache that people work with. (I also have my own, but you have to see what people are doing.) I realized that for me personally, watercolor is not suitable for plein air. Need something more covering and drying faster. And at the same time less whimsical. Therefore, gouache seems now to be the best option for plein-air work, when the light, weather conditions change very quickly and there are really no amenities.

I have not yet matured for oil, I need to carry too many burdens with me, including canvases or boards for work, as well as a special box for sketches so that they do not smear during transportation. And already now, with equipment for working with watercolors, pastels and colored pencils, my shoulders just come off. So much so that after the last trips of last month I live with Voltaren. This is not a man, if anything. It is an ointment for pain in muscles and joints.

My favorite plein air painters right now are James Gurney and Nathan Fowkes. It turned out that both of them are illustrators, like myself, who go to the open air or draw from life for inspiration and for pumping artistic muscles. I didn’t specifically choose them according to this principle - it just happened that way. James is famous for his "Dinotopia" (by the way, his drawing book in Russian "Color and Light" was recently published, in English here: Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter (James Gurney Art)), and Nayten is an artist- animator (you can learn from him at www.schoolism.com). And I like it so much with what daring and speed both of these comrades work in the open air with gouache, that even the tips of their fingers prick - I want to rush and sculpt it myself with gouache or casein.

Works by James Gurney from here

Works by Nathan Fawkes from here

These are my heroes now, in general. I would like to move in the works from nature from detailed vytukivanie to a freer brushstroke. But not because I stopped loving to languish over the details - this will not happen, I adore them. But because I would like to see finished or almost finished works after the open air, which could be used for more serious canvases. Because now, while I'm bringing to mind the sketches from nature and finishing - from memory and from the photo - there is no strength for a larger repetition.

While looking for gouache varieties, I came across another talented illustrator, whom I will not refer to here, because he causes some internal contradictions in me. Moreover, I often came across the fact that it is useless to ask Western illustrators about materials or some subtleties of work. In 90% of cases, they simply do not answer and do not particularly spray on the topic of how exactly they work. I perfectly understand their position, but I consider it fu. But then it turned out that there is an even more superlative degree. A talented illustrator, whom I DO NOT refer to, answers all questions about the technique and materials used very clearly: "Please send me an email to purchase the information" (Send me an email to purchase the information). At first I thought that it was simply sealed when I saw the signature under one of the works after the list of materials used. Because purchase information is information about the purchase, but to purchase the information is the purchase of information. But no. A person really shares information only for money. And I still don't understand how I feel about it.

On the one hand, he is right. This information did not fall from the sky to him either. He invested time and money in his technique. It's scary to think how much money I've already spent trying to find the best materials for me. So does he. Why should he share now with someone for free? I myself have often encountered the fact that my detailed stories or thoughtful topics and lessons that people received for free were used for entire master classes, that is, they were monetized and everything passed me into someone else's piggy bank, including the piggy bank recognition. But there is also such a thing as creative exchange. Without it, there is no normal development. There is only stagnation. What if it was my information, which I shared from the bottom of my heart, that helped some very cool artist get on his feet?! After all, without him, the world would be much poorer.

Another moment. Personally, I'm not ready to pay a person for information that I can safely do without (well, I'll look further for what's there). For the master class - yes. And for one sentence, with which roller he applies paint or in what proportions he breeds - most likely not. Although, this is also a payment for the time spent on explanations! And suddenly this particular detail would help me more than any master class? A very difficult topic.

What do you think about this? Are artists doing the right thing by monetizing all their knowledge? Are they good or disgusting? Just, please, don't tell me about the golden mean, that you can share it for free and at the same time transfer it into banknotes by various master classes and sales. This is out of the question. This is so clear that it is possible and so smartly, like. What about the uncompromising "To buy this information, email me"?

The faces of people in most of the artist's paintings are darkened or turned to the side. This is done in order to express emotions and for the body to "speak". “I have always tried to show the world only the positive moments of life. I hope that my work brings joy, peace and comfort to the life of the viewer,” says Hanks.

Rainy watercolor Lin Ching Che

Talented artist Lin Ching-Che is 27 years old. He is inspired by autumn rain. Cloudy city streets cause the guy not longing and despondency, but a desire to pick up a brush. Lin Ching Che paints watercolor paintings. With colorful water, it sings of the rainy beauty of megacities.

Boiling fantasy of Arush Votsmush

Under the pseudonym Arush Votsmush, a talented artist from Sevastopol Alexander Shumtsov is hiding. The artist says this about his paintings: “I am not trying to prove anything to anyone with my work. First of all, I enjoy. It is pure creativity drug. Or a pure life - without doping. It's just a miracle."

The charm of Paris in the works of Thierry Duval

Paris-born artist Thierry Duval has traveled extensively. Hence the presence of entire series of paintings on a "geographical basis". Nevertheless, the author's favorite place was and remains Paris. The lion's share of works is dedicated to the city of lovers. He has his own technique of layering watercolor, which allows him to create paintings with almost hyper-realistic detail.

Evening Calm by Joseph Zbukvic

Today, Croatian-born Australian Joseph Zbukvic is considered one of the pillars of watercolor painting in the world. The artist fell in love with watercolor literally from the first stroke, he was struck by the innocence and individuality of this technique.

Secrets of the East through the eyes of Myo Wing Ong

The artist Myoe Win Aung devoted all his work to his native Burma, its everyday life and holidays, lay people and monks, towns and cities. This world is calm, dressed in gentle tones, mysterious and slightly pensive, like the smile of Buddha.

Incredible watercolor by Joe Francis Dowden

English artist Joe Francis Dowden paints hyper-realistic watercolors. And he believes that everyone can do it, you just need to know the secrets of technology. The secret of his inspiration is extremely simple: "Throw away watercolor textbooks and get lost in a real forest."

The Magic of Ballet by Liu Yi

The watercolors of this Chinese artist can be safely called art about art. After all, his favorite topic is the images of people who are directly related to him - for example, ballerinas or classical musicians. The way they are presented in the paintings is peculiar: people seem to emerge from a thin haze, emotional and very characteristic. To some extent, they echo the images of ballerinas by the French artist Edgar Degas.

Solar painting by Abe Toshiyuki

Abe Toshiyuki (Abe Toshiyuki) received an art education and devoted 20 years to teaching, not for a moment leaving the dream of becoming an artist. In 2008, he finally abandoned the teaching profession and devoted himself entirely to creative self-realization.

Country Morning by Christian Granu

French Christian Granu

Voronezh artist Olga Brazhnikova is known for her bright, sunny gouache works. The path to art was not easy for her, refusing to work as a designer, she entered the Voronezh Art College, and this year she graduated from the Pedagogical University with a degree in Fine Arts. Olga mainly works with gouache and destroys the stereotypes associated with this material. For Umbra Media, the artist showed her home workshop and told how her art has changed her life.

About study
"I ran away from work at the factory"

When did you realize that you wanted to become an artist?

I always liked to draw, but in the view of my parents (my mother worked as an accountant, my father still works at an aircraft factory), the artist is not a serious profession. So I had to go to aviation college. I don't understand how I could finish it. My ability to draw well helped, I made wall newspapers for tests. When my studies were coming to an end, I realized that I would not go to the factory for anything. And I went to an evening art school so that at least I had something for my soul. The teacher suggested that I enter the Voronezh Art College.

- How did your parents perceive that you want to become an artist?

They didn't believe that I would do it. There was a funny story. Dad said that he knew a man who could draw a portrait of Lenin on the sand with a stick! And if I can't do that, then I'm not an artist. In spite of everything, I was preparing for admission, went to courses for 2-3 months, studied drawing separately with a teacher. And when I entered, my parents supported me and were happy. And later, when my works began to be taken to exhibitions, they believed in me. After college, I ended up at a defense company, where I still work as a designer. I had a rather long break - seven years, but then I decided to return to painting and creativity. In 2013, she entered the Voronezh State Pedagogical University, from which she graduated this year.

About materials
"Few people believe that my paintings are painted in gouache"

- Why did you choose gouache, why is this material interesting to you?

I became interested in gouache at the Pedagogical Institute. Previously, I perceived it more as a transitional stage to oil. But now it's my favorite material. It dries quickly, is odorless, gives textured strokes and vibrant colors. I write pasty, gouache is not diluted with water. I usually draw on thick paper. Oil, of course, is not so convenient to work in an apartment. Especially considering that my cat constantly strives to plunge into some kind of jar. Once I was painting in oils, briefly distracted, and she had already got into the blue paint and left paw prints all over the apartment. Then we scrubbed these traces all evening.

- What do you think about the fact that gouache is often called a "children's" material?

It seems to me that this is a stereotype and prejudice. It was in gouache, according to my colleagues, that I developed my own style. When I post my work on the Internet, many people write how surprised they are that the paintings are painted in gouache and not in oil. Gouache is not children's creativity, but a worthy material. It seems to me that in general any material can create masterpieces, the material does not play a primary role here.

- What inspires you?

I love cityscapes. Houses that have lived, and they have their own history, fascinate me. Usually I walk around the city, shoot stories, and then write at home. I love the riot of color, textured strokes. And among modern artists, I am very inspired by the watercolors of Arush Votsmush.

- In what atmosphere do you like to work - in silence, or with music?

When I write, most often I listen to the good old rock. Some of my favorite bands are Aquarium and The Doors.

It is widely believed that academic education "kills" the individuality of the artist. What do you think about this?

I think education in the arts is more important than ever. When you watch the same video tutorials over the Internet, you are not an accomplice in the process, but this is necessary. I think that an academic education helps to acquire drawing skills. I studied with Alexander Starilov, he was a versatile artist, architect, and innovator. He believed that one should have a classical education, and then look for one's own style, the same primitivism is not born out of nothing. And I agree with him.

About implementation
"An artist is more than a profession"

- How do you manage to combine the work of a designer, creativity and family?

Difficult, I write mostly on weekends. And the daughter is already an adult, you don’t need to be with her all the time, she already has a lot of her own interests. During the period when I did not draw, I constantly felt that I lacked it. Now I'm not going to give up painting, I like to be creative and search. Being an artist is for me the meaning of life and more than a profession. Creating a painting for me is some kind of mystery, although, of course, from a technical point of view, there is no mystery. But the process is always intriguing - I wonder what will come out in the end.

- What are your plans for the near future? Would you like to have your own workshop?

I really want to participate in exhibitions, and not lock myself in my space. I hope that soon I will be able to make a personal exhibition at the art school. And the workshop is perhaps only a matter of the distant future. While all my work is placed in the apartment. We have recently renovated. The walls were specially painted white so that pictures could be hung. I organized the space for work so that I could feel the air around and there was a lot of light. Until it is overgrown with all sorts of interesting objects and details, but I think that this is not for long.

In a hot country summer or in a protracted blizzard. From the comfort of your home, you can find inspiration in ordinary fruits or unusual flowers. The subject does not try to turn his head, as in a portrait, and does not change shadows into light every second, as in a landscape. That's what makes the still life genre so good. And “dead nature” in French, or “quiet life of things” in the Dutch version, really enlivens the interior. Natalia Letnikova presents the top 7 still lifes by Russian artists.

"Forest violets and forget-me-nots"

Forest violets and forget-me-nots

The painting by Isaac Levitan is like a blue sky and a white cloud - from the singer of Russian nature. Only on the canvas are not native open spaces, but a bouquet of wild flowers. Dandelions, lilacs, cornflowers, immortelle, ferns and azalea... After the forest, the artist's workshop turned into "either a greenhouse or a flower shop." Levitan loved flower still lifes and taught his students to see both color and inflorescences: "It is necessary that they smell not of paint, but of flowers."

"Apples and Leaves"

apples and leaves

The works of Ilya Repin organically set off the brilliant setting of the Russian Museum. The Wanderer artist composed a composition for his student, Valentin Serov. It turned out so picturesquely that the teacher himself took up the brush. Six apples from an ordinary garden - mashed and with "barrels", and a pile of leaves covered with autumn colors as a source of inspiration.

"Bouquet of flowers. Phloxes»

Bouquet of flowers. Phloxes

Painting by Ivan Kramskoy. “A talented person will not waste time on depicting, say, basins, fish, etc. It’s good to do this for people who already have everything, but we have a lot of work to do,” Kramskoy wrote to Vasnetsov. And yet, at the end of his life, the well-known portraitist did not ignore the genre of still life. A bouquet of phloxes in a glass vase was presented at the XII traveling exhibition. The painting was bought before the opening of the vernissage.

"Still life"

Still life

Kazimir Malevich on the way to the "Black Square" through impressionism and cubism, bypassing realism. A vase of fruit is the fruit of creative research, even within the framework of one picture: thick black lines of the French cloisonné technique, flat dishes and voluminous fruits. All components of the picture are united only by color. Peculiar to the artist - bright and saturated. Like a challenge to the pastel colors of real life.

"Herring and Lemon"

Herring and lemon

Four children and painting. This combination in the artist's life unmistakably dictates the genre. So it happened with Zinaida Serebryakova. Numerous family portraits and still lifes, according to which you can make a menu: "Fruit Basket", "Asparagus and Strawberries", "Grapes", "Fish on Greens" ... In the hands of a real master, "herring and lemon" will become a work of art. Poetry and simplicity: a spiral lemon peel and a fish devoid of frills.

"Still life with a samovar"

Still life with a samovar

A student of Serov, Korovin and Vasnetsov, "Jack of Diamonds" - Ilya Mashkov liked to depict the world around him, but brighter. Porcelain figurines and begonias, pumpkins... Meat, game - in the spirit of the old masters, and Moscow bread - sketches from the Smolensk market of the capital. And according to Russian tradition - where without a samovar. A still life from the realm of festive life with fruits and bright dishes is complemented by a skull - a reminder of the frailty of life.

"Etude with medals"

Study with medals

Still life in Soviet style. The artist of the 20th century Anatoly Nikich-Krilichevsky in one picture showed the whole life of the first Soviet world champion in speed skating - Maria Isakova. With cups, each of which - years of training; medals that were awarded in a bitter struggle; letters and huge bouquets. A beautiful picture for an artist and an artistic chronicle of sporting success. Still life story.

GOUACHE

Translated from French, the word "gouache" means "water paint". Gouache paints have great hiding power, are opaque, although they are diluted with water (see Paints).

Using the gouache technique, artists paint on paper, cardboard, plywood, thick silk. The works have a matte, velvety surface. But when using gouache, its own difficulties arise - the paints quickly brighten after drying. Considerable experience is required to predict the degree of change in tone and color.

Gouache was already widely known in the Middle Ages, when it made book miniatures (usually in combination with watercolor) in many countries of Asia and Europe, and in the Renaissance - sketches, cardboards, portrait miniatures. In Russia, the gouache technique reached a high level of development in the art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Artists V. A. Serov, A. Ya. Golovin, S. V. Ivanov painted large easel works with gouache, skillfully using its dense color to achieve impressive decorative effects.

Famous artists use the gouache technique in different ways. So, the picture of B. M. Kustodiev “Fair” was written in a corpus, in a decorative manner. The colorful clothes of people, buildings, the painter showed in a generalized way, especially the rows of tents, roofs and behind them a dark strip of forest.

B. M. Kustodiev. Fair.
1908. Paper, gouache.

B. M. Kustodiev. Fair.
1908. Paper, gouache.

A. S. Stepanov, known for his works dedicated to landscape and animals, was a remarkable master of gouache. One of his best works is "Wolves". Surprisingly vividly painted predators, hungry, alert. The moonlight is pale, the firmament is mysteriously illuminated. The silver-blue gamma creates a feeling of night cold.

Artists of the association "World of Art" often turned to gouache technique. Often they combined gouache with other materials. For example, in the work "The Walk of the King" A.N. Benois used, in addition to gouache, watercolor, gold, and silver. The use of the last two materials gave the picture a pomposity, so characteristic of the then inhabitants of Versailles.

A. N. Benois. Walk of the king

A. N. Benois. Walk of the king
1906. Paper on cardboard, gouache, watercolor,
bronze paint, silver paint,
graphite pencil, pen, brush
State Tretyakov Gallery

Very often posters, sketches of theatrical scenery, decorative design work are made with gouache.

How to work with gouache

To work with gouache, it is best to use a porcelain or plastic palette with holes for paints around the edges, or just a small flat white board (30x40 cm). The brushes are round and flat (see Brushes). You can use bristle brushes when working on decorative panels, posters and slogans. But here you will also need poster feathers or sticks sharpened in the form of a spatula. And when working on a large plane, use a flute - a flat bristle brush. Cover the surface with gouache several times, without waiting for the paint to dry. If you get bumps, level the entire plane with a wet flute. First, draw the strips sequentially from left to right horizontally, and then over the coating. Do not apply too thick a layer of paint: it easily cracks and crumbles. Gouache dries at room temperature for an hour.

It is better to work on a tablet, but you can also use an eraser - a plywood tablet with an outer frame that clamps the edges of the paper, or with two frames inserted one into the other.

Draw in gouache on white art paper, brown paper, or gray cardstock. To evenly stretch the paper on the tablet, place it so that its edges on each side are 2-4 cm larger than the tablet. Then dampen the paper on both sides with a sponge until it lays flat. After that, dry the paper with cotton wool, and grease the edges of the tablet with flour paste or dextrin. Start gluing from the middle of the tablet, evenly stretching in all directions. Fasten the corners with buttons. To dry, place the finished tablet horizontally on a flat place, paper side up. Your material for working with gouache paints is ready.