The art of Gzhel: the origins and modern development of craft. How to draw Gzhel?

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

The bright and unique, memorable and poetic art of Gzhel is popular all over the world. Scenes from everyday life and fairy-tale characters, floral ornaments, made in various shades of blue on a snow-white background, attract the eye and fascinate.

There are no two identical Gzhel items in the world, be it a cup, a sugar bowl or a plate, because each of them is hand-painted by the artist. In the article we will try to talk about the history of the development of the craft, the features of the painting that Gzhel is famous for, how to draw its patterns and where to start.

Where can I find it?

Just 60 kilometers from Moscow, on the banks of the Gzhelka River, is the ancient village of Gzhel. It got its name from the old Russian word "zhgel", which means "to burn". These lands are inhabited by Old Believers, who managed to preserve their traditional way of life and their traditions even in modern life.beliefs.

How it all began

Clay has become the starting point, thanks to which the art of Gzhel originated and developed through the centuries. It is in these places that the Gzhelsko-Kudinovskoye deposit of refractory clays is located. The locals mined it and made necessary household utensils, decorating it to please themselves and others.

Since the 17th century, Gzhel peasants sent clay to the Moscow Aptekarsky Prikaz for state needs. In the 18th century, clay from these places helped solve the mystery of porcelain and was used to create the first Russian products from it.

In the 19th century, there are fewer and fewer craftsmen working alone, they unite in artels, and the most successful open their own, albeit small, factories.

The revolution of 1917 destroyed artels and workshops, left Gzhel craftsmen without work. Only in 1933 was the Gzhel ceramics factory established in the village of Turygino, where they began to produce blue-white, and not multi-colored, as before, mugs, plates and other things necessary for the Soviet state.

In the post-war years, folk craft is actively developing. In the works of that time, one can already see how the art of Gzhel, the origins and modern development of craft, harmoniously combined, bring the skill of artists to a new level.

In 1972, the Gzhel Production Association was established, uniting all existing production facilities at that time.

How is it made?

The art of Gzhel begins with the creation of a sketch of the future work. According toto him, special master modellers mold a model from plasticine, from which a plaster mold is already cast. When it hardens, it is cut lengthwise into two equal parts, into each of which slip is poured through rubber hoses - purified clay diluted with water. After drying, the product is taken out of the mold with residual traces of the connectors, which are cleaned by straighteners. The cleaned item is sent to a furnace with a temperature of 900 0C.

How is Gzhel painted?

After the hot stove, it's time for painting, which begins with the transfer of a drawing invented by the artist onto a product placed on a spinning turntable. The craftsmen have only one chance to recreate the intended pattern with precise movements, because the porous material instantly absorbs the paint. A spatula, brushes, a glass palette and a jar of black cob alt oxide - that's all the tools. Cob alt is a special paint intended for painting on ceramics. During application, it remains black, changing color to blue only after firing. There is only one paint, but there are many shades of bright blue on finished items! Such diversity is achieved by special techniques of Gzhel writing.

Features

Gzhel art refers to the so-called underglaze painting, that is, performed on a burnt shard before glaze is applied to it. After the drawing is applied, it is dipped into the glaze, after which it is fired again, but already at a temperature of +1350 0С. The main painting techniques are a wide brushstroke, which allowscreate a smooth transition from dark blue to slightly blue. The pattern forms a solid stroke, both wide and narrow, fading into a thin line.

Today we can talk about the established system of Gzhel writing and the fact that a special and unique style has been created - Gzhel.

Views

The whole variety of Gzhel painting comes down to the creative use of its three main types:

• Vegetal, depicting stylized and generalized herbs, berries, cereals, leaves, garlands and bouquets. Most often, masters paint roses and daisies, lilies and carnations, poppies and dahlias, asters and peonies.
• Ornamental. It includes a variety of "checkers", "antennae", "droplets", "pearls" and "combs" - nets used to fill the internal space of large elements, such as a circle or a star.
• Storyline. These are heroes and scenes from fairy tales, situations in everyday urban and rural life, various states of nature and landscapes noticed by the artist.

How to draw her?

If you liked Gzhel, how to draw it, we will tell you. First, do not immediately try to draw a large and complex composition. Best of all, having prepared white and blue gouache, squirrel brushes and a jar of water, try your hand at depicting simple straight lines, nets and dots, blades of grass and curls, arcs.

Then, when all this is mastered, you can begin to study the basic strokes used in painting. Try to make a drawing using the Gzhel technique with your son or daughter. ForIt's not just fun for kids, it's great educational fun! Such a joint activity will not only bring the family together and provide an opportunity to communicate, but will also help your child develop fine motor skills, perseverance, observation and memory.