Volkhov painting on wood

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Folk crafts are born where there is a need for utilitarian products - spoons, towels, spinning wheels. And also where there is a large amount of available material: wood, for example. And then - the desire to surround yourself with beauty, to preserve this beauty in daily used products, that is, the aestheticism inherent in every person. But where to get paints, because there are so many shades in nature? And soot, clay, crushed soft stone, chalk and other natural dyes are used. This is how the Volkhov painting arose. It developed on the banks of the Volkhov River in the 19th century.

Initially, it was quite simple and dim. Later, the appearance of colored paints brought such a variety to the color range of products that one can only marvel at unbridled fantasies, repeating either the soft lyricism of a coniferous forest and a lake, or the brightness of South Russian nature.

The entire Russian North was engaged in and famous for crafts related to wood carving and wood products. Arkhangelsk province, Kizhi, Permogorie, Ladoga region, Lodeynopolsky region. Today, the harsh and simple products of the old masters are increasingly being improved, becoming more elegant, intricate, and brighter. Masters take the best from each other, bring in their own, beloved and personal, and the next generation is already creating in the established traditions, but introducing its own “fashionable”. Folk art has always been the bearer of the cathedral principle.

"Gilded" and "krashenki"

Among others, Volkhov wood painting seems too simple and similar to other types of folk painting. But how beautiful are the unique painted spinning wheels she is famous for!

The first kind, “gilded ones”, are more elegant: their background is yellow-gold, on the front side there is a large flower, each petal is written out. This flower must be framed with a colored band with the name of the owner. And no symmetry is needed! And the reverse side of the spinning wheel is decorated with a simpler flower. The paint is easy to apply on a wooden sanded surface.

The history of "krashenok" is more ancient. There is no gold, but the elegance and craftsmanship of the decoration, the originality of each spinning wheel, surprise and delight.

Baroque features in the Volkhov painting

At the end of the nineteenth - beginning of the twentieth century, painting takes on the features of baroque. Products become elegantly lush, because they are decorated with a special technique of three-dimensional drawing. It's not just spinning wheels or tray boards. This is even furniture with rounded turned legs, earrings, jewelry boxes, Easter eggs.

The painting pattern of flowers is peculiar, notspecific, but "very beautiful", not like any of those growing on the banks of Ladoga and Volkhov. The products of the Volkhov masters have been decorated like this for a long time. But the flowers become magically beautiful, bright against a dark background of leaves or shadows after the penetration of baroque products to Ladoga, where exactly such flowers are used by Zhostovo painting.

Volkhov painting today

Today, this type of painting continues to exist in the form of new products, subject to the current fashion, looking for individuality, originality and warmth of human hands in products. Modern works of Volkhov masters of painting are today presented at international exhibitions, where they preserve the traditional decor of products. But painted wooden products are still needed, interesting and very useful in the interiors of modern dachas, and sometimes urban cottages. These are wall panels and furniture, kitchen utensils (s alts, spoons, trays, etc.).

Recommended to take a chance

Homemade artwork is very popular right now. One way to express your vision of the world is to paint a wooden board. You can purchase a ready-made cutting board and primed (solidly painted over) with paint. If there is no board, you can use plywood (hardboard). And now the paints are varied and available: oil, acrylic, a mixture of PVA glue with gouache. Try each and find yours. And the Volkhov painting in the photo will help you. An unsuccessful drawing can be scraped off or primed again with a background.

Try itcopy some drawing of the Volkhov masters. A high-quality master class of Volkhov painting will help you with this. You will understand how difficult it is to choose a color scheme and maintain this particular Volkhov style. But it will be interesting.

Good luck to you! And remember, the process is important, not the result. And if you like the result, try other types of folk painting: Mezen, Vologda, Penza, etc.