Folk painting: types, patterns, motifs, techniques

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

Artistic painting in Russia is the bearer of the original traditions of the creativity of the people of the country and part of its arts and crafts. It connects the previous generations of Russian masters with the current ones. First originating as an integral part of some subsistence farms, decorative painting then grew into entire crafts of peoples, becoming a source of goods not only for domestic, but also for foreign markets.

Only individual masters and their families stopped doing these crafts, the occupation covered entire villages and areas, and thanks to them these types of painting got their names.

Types of painting

What types of folk painting can the average resident name? Almost everyone will remember Khokhloma. Of course, it is brighter than the rest, and it is more common, which is why it sinks into memory more firmly.

But that's not all. Russian culture is famous for its riches. Therefore, one should know and love these gifts of the national treasury.

Khokhloma painting

Time passes, and folk crafts based on it are also improving. In the modern world, they have long been elevated to the rank of real art. Khokhlomastands out and is considered one of the most perfect folk patterns for good reason, because the quirkiness of its weaves is known and loved throughout the planet Earth.

The origins of the Khokhloma industry

Khokhloma originates from Veliky Novgorod. There is a separate legend on this subject. Allegedly, in the Nizhny Novgorod regions, such a craftsman lived on the banks of the river that all his dishes seemed to be painted with gold - the patterns shone on it so. The folk craftsman quickly became famous throughout his district, and soon the tsar himself knew about him. The ruler was very annoyed by the fact that such an incredible master did not serve at his court. Then he sent his servants into the woods to look for a craftsman. They searched for him, searched, but to no avail. And the thing is that the master miraculously found out in advance that the king's henchmen were looking for him, and disappeared in an unknown direction once and for all. But before disappearing, he managed to teach his skills to simple artisans in the area.

But if you believe science, it turns out that in the Volga region this special skill came along with schismatics who fled from state oppression. Among the fugitives there were a lot of artists and icon painters of rare talents. So for their folk style, the artisans of the Volga region should thank them. And all this beauty was sold primarily in a village called Khokhloma. Hence it was customary to call these beautiful ornaments Khokhloma.

Distinctive features of Khokhloma

The main elements of Khokhloma painting are the following:

• the most popular is the combination of red and gold colors;
• using only two or three rich shades;
• Artistic drawing: there are always a lot of small details in the Khokhloma pattern;
• lines and shapes are always smooth, there is no strict geometry;
• work is always done by hand only;
• brightness of patterns and clarity of accents;
• in its classic form, Khokhloma painting is done on wood.

History of the Gorodets industry

Also, on the left bank of the Volga, not far from the wonderful masters of Khokhloma, there was Gorodets. This is one of the most ancient fortified cities in Russia and the birthplace of many different folk crafts. The painting, which originated there in the middle of the nineteenth century, was called Gorodets. Then the seats of the spinning wheel, called the bottom, stopped inlaid and began to paint.

Differences in Gorodets painting

The main colors in folk Gorodets painting are cinnabar and yellow chrome. These two colors are used to create the background of the entire mural, and green, blue, and, more rarely, blue and pink, for the pattern. White and black bring out the details. This type of art was related to the elements of Khokhloma painting by the conciseness and brightness of the images. Animal figures, flowers and genre scenes were made with free strokes, which were outlined in black and white. The painting decorated furniture, doors, shutters and spinning wheels.

The most common motifs here are flowers (usually lily pads with symmetrical leaves and roses) and animals such as birds and horses.

Compositionally Gorodets paintingdivided into:

• flower painting:
• floral painting with animals;
• plot painting.

In fact, this division is rather arbitrary, since even the plot painting still includes patterns with flowers.

The origin of the Gzhel craft

Gzhel painting is older, its history begins in the fourteenth century. For the first time, the village of Gzhel and the parish of the same name were mentioned by Ivan Kalita in one of his spiritual letters in 1339, and after a very short time, the village of Gzhel was already mentioned by almost all the grand dukes. It is believed that this name comes from the Old Russian "zhgel", which can literally be translated as "burn clay". According to scientists, there is a direct connection between the name of the village and pottery, since the name could not appear from scratch, which means that there was a craft.

What characterizes Gzhel?

This is an underglaze type of painting. This means that the product is initially fired, immediately after it is painted, and only then it is dipped into the glaze and sent to the oven for re-firing (why the paint changes color and the glaze becomes transparent). Traditionally, Gzhel drawings are paintings based on folk motifs: berries, leaves, bouquets, cereals, flower garlands, twigs. Flowers outwardly resemble lilies, poppies, daisies, peonies, carnations, roses and asters, but their shape is completely arbitrary, in fact they are just floral ornaments. There are also so-called "Gzhel nets", which are often used by artists whendesign - these are "antennae", "combs", "droplets" and "pearls". The masters of these areas have many secrets, they lie in the special techniques of strokes: all strokes are different and individual, they all necessarily differ from each other. They have certain names, and there are a lot of these names. It is also necessary to be able to correctly use white and blue colors, maintain their correct ratio.

History of Zhostovka painting

The above three types of folk painting are not exhausted. Zhostovo fishing is the same age as Gorodets and also dates back to the nineteenth century. Then some villages near Moscow, such as Khlebnikov, Ostashkov and, in fact, Zhostov, acquired workshops where craftsmen produced and painted lacquerware, the material for which was papier-mâché.

With the advent of the twentieth century, the demand for these products fell sharply, and the fishery fell into decline. By 1928, the large artel "Metalpodnos" united all small artels under its roof. The village of Zhostovo became its center.

Distinctive features of Zhostovo painting

Her main motive is a flower bouquet, usually placed on a red or black background. Sometimes, but much less often, other colors are used as a background. By tradition, in this decorative painting, all individual compositions are performed improvisationally. Nature and model are not used by the artist, he focuses only on compositional techniques and his own imagination, which is why you will never meet two identical trays. However, there are several typescompositions that have developed historically. Usually flowers are either depicted in baskets or in bouquets of several flowers. They can also be located along the perimeter of the tray, often they are complemented in this folk painting with birds, berries and fruits.

Before the stage of painting, the tray is sanded, primed, and then varnished. This is done in several stages. Masters use turpentine oil paints, which are applied with squirrel brushes, which are characterized by increased softness. The painting is applied in several layers, after each of which it is necessary to wait for a long drying.

All stages of drawing production have their own names. The first is the "underpainting". This is when the master takes a wide brush and draws a sketch of the composition. The main color is also determined at this stage. Tables are not used, everything is done right on your knees. The second stage is applied the so-called "shade" - all shaded places are emphasized. Then, with the help of white on the leaves and flowers, volumes are emphasized - this is called "flare". Next, a "drawing" and an entertaining "planting of seeds" are carried out. At this stage, petals, veins, stamens and pistils are drawn in thin lines. Everything ends with a "binding" - writing out a herbal pattern between leaves and flowers.

When the drawing is completed, the tray is covered with oil varnish in several layers, dried and polished. At the very end, chalk powder is taken, and a mirror shine is brought to them with the palms of the hands. The tray is ready.

Painting toys

Folk art includes another ancient form of craft - a toy.

The history of this type of folk painting is much older than all the others. This is really a mirror of the way of life, traditions, life of the ancestors. Toys that have miraculously survived to this day can tell a lot about antiquity. Wood and clay were very practical and affordable materials, which is why toys made from them were widespread and were the first to be decorated with painting.

Types and features of painting clay toys

Dymkovo horses will come to mind for many. But the oldest of those clay toys that have been found is more than fifteen centuries old. At first, these were the simplest whistle birds, which later turned into incredible works of applied art. First, the clay figurine was dried. During this process, the paints were prepared. They were bred on peroxide kvass, after which the finished paint still had to be ground on an egg. At first they took light tones, then moved on to dark ones. Its special handwriting also depended on the regions and their painting schools. The most famous of them are: Dymkovo, Filimonovo and Kargopol toys.

Dymkovo toys

These are very specific toys. Their horses, dolls and roosters are so bright and stately that it is not easy to forget them. Who is unfamiliar with the Dymkovo horse? They are always performed not without cheerfulness and humor in the image. The background of their painting is always white, otherwise contrasting colors are used: blue, purple, red, pink, orange.

Filimonov toys

Grandfather Filimon became so famous that his memory is still alive through these toys. Funny and bright elongated figures of riders, peasant women and soldiers are pleasing to the eye, striped animals are not far behind. Yellow background, rich colors: red, blue and green.

Kargopol toys

But these toys, on the contrary, are harsh: darker tones (brown and marsh) were mixed into the colors, which made them look gloomy. However, they also had humor in depicting scenes from people's everyday lives. Today, brighter colors are more often used: orange, red, golden.

Wooden toys

Wooden toys were originally created for educational purposes. Swords and bows are for dexterity; tops - we learn mechanics; various flutes and pipes, on the one hand, entertained, on the other hand, helped to make friends with music. There were many types of folk painting in the case of them.

Toys from Sergiev Posad

Sergiev Posad was the largest center of wooden toys. Here they made mainly genre crafts, such as hussars, ladies and monks. The tones used were rather sparing.

Balusters from Fedoseevo

Fedoseev's "balusters", that is, fun, were more complex genre toys. Their multi-figure combinations, for example, horse teams and carousels, were distinguished by their colorful execution and elegant colors. The background colors were usually green and yellow.

Matryoshkas

Everyone knows matryoshka. She is recognizable not only in Russia, butin almost every corner of the world. At the same time, this is the youngest of the folk toys; matryoshka dolls appeared only a century ago. It is believed that they developed from painted eggs - Easter eggs. For painting these figurines, bright and catchy paints are traditionally taken. Matryoshka symbolizes the mystery and breadth of the Russian soul.

It's safe to say that no matter what type of painting you take - time, location and characteristic features of the craft of a particular school always affect the result. However, not a single creation of the master ceases to be unique from this. From Zhostovo trays to Filimonov toys - all of them are designed to please people with warmth, beauty and originality, qualities carried by them through the centuries.