Zamalevok

Whitened paints outline the overall silhouette of the composition and the location of the main color spots. In the painting, the artist uses a wide brush to sketch the silhouette of the bouquet on the working surface of the tray. Zhostovo painting is carried out without preliminary drawing with dense, somewhat whitened paints simultaneously on several trays. The cursive style of writing allows Zhostovo masters to paint 5, 6 or more trays per day. When creating a bouquet, the artist rotates the tray on his knee, as if placing the desired area of ​​its surface under the brush. In this case, you need to monitor the beauty and expressiveness of the silhouette of flowers, buds, leaves and stems, the rhythmic arrangement of colorful spots, and the ratio of the scale of painting of the form and the background of the tray. The painting is dried for 3-4 days in free air or for several hours in a drying cabinet, after which it is covered with light varnish and cleaned for the second stage of writing.

Tenezhka

Shadows are applied to the dried painting using glaze paints. This technique plunges the bouquet into the depth of tone. Glaze paints are applied with strong, rich strokes with a wide flat brush: blue (Prussian blue or ultramarine), green (emerald green) and red (kraplak). The shade is designed to enhance the sound of color and emphasize shady places in flower forms.

Pad

Dense corpus letter. The shapes of the bouquet are refined and highlighted using dense colors. Using bright, dense colors, the artist reveals (lays out) the volumes of flowers and leaves.

Glare

The overlay of highlights reveals volume and light and completes the sculpting of forms. Complements the gasket with bleached trimmings of flowers, buds and leaves.

Drawing

This technique quickly and easily outlines petals and leaves, and seeds in flower cups. Completes the cutting of the main forms of the bouquet with thin, musical lines, drawing the outlines of the petals and veins of the leaves. The artist depicts stamens and pistils in flower cups, which is called planting seeds.

Binding

Final letter. A grass pattern written with green or brown paint in the gaps between flowers and leaves. Zhostovo bouquets are characterized by bright colors: blue, red, green, yellow, white, orange, the sonority of which is especially emphasized by the black lacquer background.

Ornament

Painting with gold paint on the side of the tray. The sides of the trays are decorated with light, openwork patterns. The ornament is made with a squirrel brush and light varnish.

Trays are made from ordinary sheet iron. Forged products are primed, puttied, sanded and varnished, which makes their surface impeccably smooth, then painted with oil paints and covered with several layers of transparent colorless varnish. The most important operation that requires true creativity is painting. The subjects of painting are floral and plant ornaments and everyday scenes from folk life, landscapes, scenes of folk festivals, weddings and tea parties. The most common type of Zhostovo painting is a bouquet located in the center of the tray and framed along the side with a small golden pattern. In this construction one can see a certain reflection of the composition of an easel still life of the 19th century, enclosed in a gilded frame. But the motif itself received a more decorative and conventional interpretation than in easel paintings. It becomes part of a decorative item; special techniques allowed the craftsmen to organically fit it, as if “fusing” it into the varnished surface of the tray. The bouquet turned into an elegant group of flowers, laid loosely on a shiny lacquer background. Three or four large flowers (rose, tulip, dahlia, and sometimes more modest pansies, bindweed, etc.) were surrounded by a scattering of smaller flowers and buds, interconnected by flexible stems and light “grass,” that is, small twigs and leaves. The image seemed to be born from the shimmering depths, dissolving in it with transparent shadows and flashing with bright bouquets on the surface. The flowers, slightly “recessed” into the background, seemed light, semi-voluminous; these tactful angles and turns of the corollas did not visually break through the plane of the object.

Zhostovo painting and its writing technique, as well as the painting of each tray itself, is original and unique, because it is performed without any samples. Behind the captivating lightness and unconstrained artistry of writing lies enormous skill, developed by generations of talented, formerly unknown peasant artists. Zhostovo artists paint with oil paints and soft squirrel brushes. While working, the artist holds the tray on his knee and turns it when necessary. And the hand with the brush rests on a wooden plank lying across the tray. The artist first only outlines the future painting, paints freely with quick and precise strokes. And even repeating the drawing, the master improvises and adds something new. Zhostovo painting begins with “painting”; using whitened paints, the general silhouette of the image and the location of the main spots are outlined. The painted trays are dried in ovens for several hours. Using the following techniques, “shading” and “laying”, the shapes of flowers and leaves are built; First, transparent shadows are applied, then the light areas of the painting are “painted” with dense bright colors. This is followed by “highlighting”, that is, applying whitening strokes that clarify all the volumes. The painting is completed with elegant graphics of “drawings” and “bindings”. The elastic lines of the “drawing” easily run along the contours of the petals and leaves, expressively emphasizing their rich painting by contrast. Small branches, not accidentally called “pegs,” soften the transition to the background. Each master uses these traditional techniques that have developed in the craft in his own way, creatively playing with the decorative possibilities of brush writing (for example, “highlight” can softly “fuse” with the “lining”, or can clearly stand out on it). As a result, endless variations of similar motifs and images appear, but literal copies or repetitions are never seen among them. So each tray is a unique work of art. Sometimes painting, also known as Zhostovo painting, glows with a special flickering light. This master used mother-of-pearl fragments in the painting, placing them directly on the tray. The means of art in Zhostovo are clearly expressive. It has its own artistic system, painting techniques and original style, formed from a fusion of ornamental folk paintings and realistic still life painting mastered by folk masters.

Zhostovo’s art is based on writing techniques developed over generations, without which his artistic mastery would have been impossible. It is born in the very process of a kind of painting-painting, combining strict consistency and precision of craft techniques with improvisational creativity.

The charm of Zhostovo art lies in the sincerity, spontaneity of its content and means of expression. It is democratic in all its manifestations; its perception does not require special knowledge or training. Garden and wildflowers - both real and those born from the artist’s imagination, collected in bouquets and spread out in wreaths and garlands - this theme finds a lively response in every person and awakens a sense of beauty.

Amazing with its variety and color, splashing on a black or colored surface, the painting forms bright floral patterns, decorated with the finest details. Exquisite roses and scarlet poppies, simple daisies and touching cornflowers, pompous peonies and radiant asters are combined with unknown, but no less beautiful flowers. Birds and butterflies, various berries and fruits look lifelike on such simple and ordinary objects as trays. No matter how much you search, you will not find a single identical tray - each of them is unique! Where did such art come to us from, how are such beautiful things made, where can you take lessons in Zhostovo painting? This article will tell you about this and about the features of metal painting that are characteristic of craftsmen from Zhostovo near Moscow.

The history of lacquer painting

According to historical and archaeological data, the Chinese were the first to master the art of lacquer painting. Several thousand years ago, during the Shan Yin era, the inhabitants of China decorated everyday objects, weapons and ritual vessels with lacquer designs.

Following China, the art of varnish painting conquered the countries of Indochina, Persia and India, Japan and Korea. In each region, the technique of lacquer painting developed independently, based on the traditions of folk crafts, but also borrowing the experience of masters from other countries.

How did lacquer painting come to Russia?

European merchants in the 16th-17th centuries, trading with the countries of Southeast Asia, brought beautiful examples of painted lacquerware to their homeland. Inspired by the beauty and originality of oriental objects of various shapes and purposes, decorated with lacquer images, craftsmen from many European countries begin to make and decorate various things in the “Chinese” style.

Serious development of the production of objects decorated with lacquer painting in European countries such as Holland, England, Germany and France occurred only in the 18th century.

The Ural industrialist Nikita Akinfievich Demidov traveled extensively throughout Europe, where he became interested in the idea of ​​varnish painting. In 1778, in the Urals, in Nizhny Tagil, the craft of Ural flower painting on metal began to emerge.

The emergence of Zhostovo varnish painting on metal

Metal chests and trays, jugs and buckets, made in the Urals and decorated with lacquer painting, as well as other everyday items were sold not only at the local Irbit and Krestovskaya fairs, but also at the All-Russian Makaryevskaya Fair in Nizhny Novgorod.

Perhaps it was the products of the Ural craftsmen seen here that inspired the Vishnyakov brothers to varnish painting metal trays. Since 1825, the Vishnyakov family business has developed mainly as varnish painting of various papier-mâché products - snuff boxes, cigarette cases, albums, crackers and boxes.

Since 1830, most of the workshops located in the villages of the Trinity volost, such as Troitskoye, Khlebnikovo and Zhostovo, stopped making objects from papier-mâché, and switched to the production and painting of metal trays.

The proximity to the capital allowed the fishery to do without intermediaries and have a constant sales market, as well as purchase the necessary materials at reasonable prices.

History of the development of the fishery

Starting from the 30s of the 19th century, metal trays began to be made and decorated with varnish in almost all surrounding villages. At this time, Zhostovo painting was at the peak of its popularity. In the post-revolutionary years, the demand for the products of Zhostovo artists sharply decreased, which led to the unification of disparate artists into small professional artels.

In 1928, all small artels from Troitsky, Novosiltsev, Zhostovo and other surrounding villages united into a specialized artel “Metalpodnos” with a management center in Zhostovo.

The most difficult time for Zhostovo painting, as for most other folk crafts, was the 40-50s of the last century. It was at this time that the production of trays decreased significantly, but the production of children's goods unusual for the trade increased several times. Zhostovo painting for children consists of small wooden and metal trays, buckets and shovels, decorated with individual elements.

Modern history

Khrushchev's “thaw” brought positive changes to the life of the fishery. In 1960, the Metallopodnos artel was reorganized and received its current name - the Zhostovo Decorative Painting Factory. Attention from the government, active joint work of craftsmen and scientists, participation in various domestic and foreign exhibitions allowed the fishery to emerge from a long-term crisis.

Features of formation

As already mentioned, Zhostovo painting developed under the influence of Ural flower painting on metal. But Zhostovo craftsmen, who initially processed and decorated various objects made of papier-mâché, managed to transfer all their technological discoveries to metal trays. For their primers, they used their own compositions, as well as special copal varnishes.

The nearby center of Lukutinsky lacquer miniatures had no less influence on the development of the craft. The further stylistic development of Zhostovo painting was influenced by Rostov enamel and floral motifs of Ivanovo chintz, as well as painting on porcelain, carried out in factories near Moscow.

What and how are trays made from?

Modern Zhostovo trays are produced in two ways: stamping and forging.

Blanks for trays of standard shapes and sizes are made from ordinary sheet iron using special mechanical presses. Then, on an electric press, using special molds and a combined stamp, the edges are rolled up - beading. To make the sides of the tray rigid, they are rolled.

Zhostovo painting artists can work not only with standard tray shapes. There are 26 standard forms to choose from, from which the most appropriate one is selected. Then, if it is unique, a farrier (blacksmith) gets to work making a forged tray. To do this, a bracket is cut out of several metal sheets using hand scissors, which is subsequently, under the influence of a hammer, pulled out and knocked out. When rolling, a special wire is inserted into the edges of the tray, which ensures its strength, and then the edge itself is leveled with a hammer.

How are trays prepared for painting?

After the trays have taken shape and have been rolled, they are primed on both sides with putty consisting of chalk diluted in drying oil. Once the primed tray has dried in a special cabinet, the master primer sands the surface with sandpaper and then applies another coat of putty. Previously, the tray was covered in two layers of black soil consisting of kaolin clay, kerosene, Dutch soot and vegetable oil. Each layer was necessarily dried and sanded. Today, the traditional priming method is no longer used, but brown factory primer applied from a spray bottle is used instead. After drying, the primed tray is puttied and dried. The putty tray is then sanded by hand with pumice.

Only after this, black turpentine-based paint is applied to the tray, and after drying again, it is coated with 2-3 layers of black oil varnish. The dried and cleaned tray is handed over to the artist for painting.

How are colored backgrounds made on trays?

The Zhostovo decorative painting factory, in addition to trays with a traditional black background, produces products with red, blue, green and light blue backgrounds. To create them, a thin layer of light varnish is applied to the surface of the tray. Until it dries, sprinkle it with bronze or aluminum powder. After the metallized background has dried, it is painted with glaze paints of the desired color, resulting in an intense and saturated, but at the same time shimmering, as if translucent, background.

Painting on a colored background requires changes in both coloristic features and technical techniques. So, the highlights are only slightly defined, and the shadows are drawn out a little.

Zhostovo trays

Zhostovo craftsmen perform painting with special squirrel brushes and oil paints diluted with turpentine and linseed oil. Each artist works on several works at the same time. To create the ornament, white paint with varnish (gulfarba), sprinkled with aluminum powder, or the so-called created gold is used - gold powder diluted in turpentine or transparent varnish.

Zhostovo painting is performed in two stages: painting and straightening. At the painting stage, the artist uses a wide brush to draw the main silhouette of the composition on the working surface of the tray. To perform this, diluted (bleached) paints are used. Then the tray with the applied paint is dried for 12 hours in

After this, the master begins straightening and draws in light areas, applies colored shadows and paints highlights that add volume to the composition. The stamens of flowers and the veins of leaves appear as thin lines. Large elements of Zhostovo painting, such as large flowers, are associated with smaller stems, blades of grass and other parts of the composition. The very last thing to apply is the ornament on the sides.

The finished work is polished three times with colorless varnish and dried in ovens, after which the surface is manually polished to a mirror shine.

Main motives of painting

Most often, Zhostovo artists create simple flower arrangements in the form of bouquets, in which large garden and smaller wildflowers rhythmically alternate. As a rule, the basis of the composition is made up of several large flowers, such as a rose, aster, peony, dahlia or tulip, surrounded by a scattering of small flowers and buds and interconnected by thin stems, twigs and leaves. In addition to large garden flowers, some artists bring modest violets, lilies of the valley, bindweed or pansies to the foreground of the composition.

Bouquets of both garden and wildflowers can be complemented by images of fruits, berries, birds and butterflies. Sometimes painters depict only still lifes of fruits or bunches of berries, such as rowan, on trays.

In addition to flower arrangements, Zhostovo painting is also created, a photo of which you can see below. As a rule, she depicts scenes from the life of ordinary people, landscapes, landscapes, and horse troikas. By and large, Zhostovo painting (pictures are presented in the article) is truly a real art.

Expressive means of Zhostovo applied art

Initially, the compositions for the trays were borrowed from paintings, but each artist had his own interpretation of them. Today, masters implement compositions that have already become classic, but also strive to find new ones.

It should be noted that in each work of Zhostovo painting, the compositions are inscribed in a plane and related to the shape of the tray; they perfectly convey the conventional depth and volume of the painted objects. An important expressive means of Zhostovo art is the rhythmic and color balance of the drawing.

Is it possible to learn?

You can find out what Zhostovo painting is and how to paint using this technique in Zhostovo itself. The factory, whose products are famous all over the world, offers tours of the tray museum and master classes in lacquer painting. Almost every city has a travel agency offering excursions to the factory, where you can see how Zhostovo painting is done. A master class on it is also included in the program. You can organize a trip to Zhostovo on your own by first contacting the museum and checking its opening hours.

Zhostovo painting is a Russian artistic craft. Since 1825, craftsmen have been decorating wooden and metal trays in a special way, creating complex floral arrangements.

History of the fishery

The industry arose in the middle of the 18th century in the Urals, where the largest number of metallurgical plants were concentrated. In the 19th century, trays began to be actively produced in the villages of the Moscow province - Zhostovo and Novoseltsev. Soon the local fishery gained enormous popularity.

Beginning in 1920, quite powerful labor artels began to form in different towns. However, ten years later, folk crafts tried to supplant Soviet ideas that suggested the establishment of realism.

Only in the 1960s. artistic painting regained its impressive authority. Leading masters created not only bright and original compositions, but also captivated with their special flavor and genuine exclusivity.

Colors of Zhostovo painting

The classic presentation of the picture assumes a black or red background. More progressive modern concepts also allow the use of delicate pastel canvases to create a rich multi-color composition.

The Zhostovo factory produces products with a red, blue, green or light blue background. One of the most popular shades is “ivory”. Less common are “gold” and “aggressive” red canvases.

Canvases with a mother-of-pearl coating look especially elegant. Shimmers can “decorate” both the entire background and individual accents of the composition. Mother of pearl inlay was originally used in Fedoskino.

Primary colors

The color palette used by the masters of Zhostovo art is more than diverse and rich. The following color schemes are preferred for the background:

1. Black(#000000);
2. Ivory or wheat(#F5DEB3);
3. Red(#FF0000);
4. Blue(#00BFFF);
5. Azure(#007FFF);
6. Yellow(#FFBA00);
7. Burgundian(#900020);
8. Gold(#FFD700);
9. Amber(#FFBF00);
10. Brown(#964B00).

To create the drawing itself, you can use absolutely any color. Improvisation with tones and halftones is encouraged.

Elements and patterns of Zhostovo painting

Most often, Zhostovo artists create simple flower arrangements in the form of bouquets. The pattern is formed from harmoniously connected small flowers and large spectacular inflorescences, unopened buds and green foliage.

Popular flowers: rose, aster, peony, tulips, dahlias, complemented by thin leaves, buds and stems with small branches. In addition to garden compositions, artists often depict modest violets, cute lilies of the valley, touching pansies or bindweed.

Along with traditional lilies, immortelle, thyme and daisies, artists loved to depict completely unprecedented outlandish flowers that do not exist in nature. Particularly rich bouquets are complemented with fruits and berries. Sometimes butterflies and birds may be depicted in the center or in the background.

(Zhostovo painting with a plot picture)

In addition to flower arrangements, Zhostovo artists sometimes painted narrative paintings. These are scenes from the lives of ordinary people, various landscapes, luxurious landscape compositions. A popular motif is a trio of horses surrounded by flowers.

The main feature of painting is an improvisational approach to any drawings. Artists are not at all obliged to create according to strict templates and images, or to follow special patterns or nature. Given the amazing variety of artistic techniques, improvisational base and creative approach, each drawing is truly unique and inimitable.

Execution technique

Traditional painting involves the use of exclusively black canvas. Trays made of metal and wood of various shapes were used for fishing: from standard rectangular to complex combined ones.

Let's look at the whole process step by step:

Primer

At the primary priming stage, the products are treated with a special putty material and sanded. It is now that the master selects the background for the base, which will then be impossible to change.

Zamalenok

This is the basis of the ornament. Using diluted paint, the master forms the silhouettes of all the elements that will be present in the drawing. At this stage, the improvisational component is almost completely absent, and the basis for the future ornament is set strictly according to a pre-thought-out scheme.

Tenezhka

The shade allows you to give a translucent composition greater realism. Distinct shadows, “highlights” of light and halftones appear. Flowers become voluminous, leaves and stems look more natural.

Pad

This is the most critical stage. The interlining layer allows you to give the bouquet the utmost degree of realism, which distinguishes Zhostovo painting from other artistic crafts. The artist’s task is to “clarify” details and highlight individual areas. The master sets the tone of contrast or “evens out” the compositions through harmonious transitions.

Glare

Light and volume are built by superimposing highlights. The bouquet, as if exposed to the rays of the sun, begins to glow and shine. Now the composition has a special flavor and mood.

Drawing

This is a very interesting stage. The master’s task is to draw each element of the picture using a thin brush and a minimum quantity, adding realism to it. Seeds appear on the berries, pistils and stamens appear in the flower cups, leaves, grass and stems become voluminous and believable due to lacy additions and other complex accents.

(The main stages of painting in a visual drawing)

And then...

Binding

At this stage, a complex composition must be “implanted” into the background. To do this, the master uses thin blades of grass, tendrils, and ornate elements, which add even more volume to the canvas and make the entire composition whole and complete.

In order for the product to look finished and the style to fully comply with generally accepted canons, craftsmen resort to “cleaning”. This is the decoration of the side of the tray with various geometric lines, floral patterns, and floral wreaths. The edging can be very modest, only slightly emphasizing the frame, or very rich, not inferior in its splendor to the central figures of the composition.

Brief information

Art of Zhostovo

Zhostovo painting- Russian folk art craft developed in the village of Zhostovo, Mytishchi district, Moscow region.

Originated at the beginning of the 19th century. mainly under the influence of Ural flower painting on metal.

The classic Zhostovo style involves several floral arrangements:

Bouquet in a spread

Wreath

Branch from the corner

Bouquet collected

Masters of Zhostovo use oil paint. Zhostovo equipment There are two types: easel and glaze.

Many people don’t know what Zhostovo is. Nowadays, this art has become modernized and is acquiring non-standard approaches to painting. You can apply the painting anywhere. For example, I did a painting in the Zhostovo style.

It will be stylish, bright and extraordinary. Or you can give your loved ones an unusual gift with your own hands. I'm sure they will be delighted and even curious about what it is.

_______

Zhostovo painting technique

We will need:

1) Oil paints

2) Flaxseed oil

3) Pinene (thinner No. 4)

4) Brushes: synthetic round brush (No. 8, No. 10), kolinsky (No. 2)

6) Palette (not paper)

No palette? - use a saucer or ceramic tile.

Before starting work, you should apply a thin layer of Linseed oil on the surface to achieve the best effect!

So, how to draw Zhostovo bouquet?

Zamalevok

Using whitened paints I outline the general silhouette of the composition, the location of the main color spots.

It is very important to decide on the composition first. There must be large flower buds, medium and small ones are very important Not only to Zhostovo.

If it is difficult to compose a composition yourself, then you can take this one presented by the author as a basis.

Tenyozhka

On dried paintings I apply shadows with glaze paints. This technique immerses the bouquet in the depth of tone, which is very important in further stages.

What are glaze paints?- translucent paints.

Glare

At this stage I add highlights. This brings out volume and light and completes the sculpting of forms.

Drawing

With this technique I quickly and easily outline petals and leaves, seeds in flower cups.

First you can practice on the palette. In any case, you can always wrap a cloth soaked in thinner around the handle of the brush and erase the bad stroke.

Folk crafts are the glory of Russia. They contain the soul of the people, their desire for aesthetics and harmony. In works of decorative and applied folk art -...

From Masterweb

24.04.2018 00:01

Decorative and applied art of the peoples of Russia is the calling card of our country. Among folk crafts, Zhostovo painting occupies a special place, striking with the freshness of flower arrangements, as well as the purity and delicacy of the colors.

Development area

Zhostovo painting got its name from the place of origin and production. Metal trays painted with floral arrangements originated in the Moscow region. Their homeland was the village of Zhostovo near Mytishchi.

The predecessors of Zhostovo painting were paintings on trays, which arose in the mid-18th century in the Urals, not far from the location of the famous Demidov factories. Only in the first quarter of the 19th century, the former serfs, the Vishnyakov brothers, who had bought themselves out of dependence and had accumulated a small capital, opened their workshop in the village of Zhostovo. And a little later, the fishery began to develop in other villages near Moscow. Gradually, the Zhostovo workshop became a leader in the industry.

The Vishnyakovs were miniaturists, and therefore they painted not only trays, but also boxes, cigarette cases, teapots, albums and other household items. Osip Vishnyakov went to sell goods in Moscow and gradually saved money with which he was able to rent a shop on Tsvetnoy Boulevard. A special demand for Vishnyakov trays arose with the spread of tea drinking traditions in Russia. They were used as trays for samovars.

At the beginning of the 20th century, interest in folk crafts fell, and therefore, at the end of the 30s, scattered artels in neighboring villages and in Zhostovo had to unite. As a result, an entire factory for decorative painting of metal trays was opened - “Metal Tray”. And since 1960, the Zhostovo decorative painting factory saw the light of day.

Stages of product creation

From the beginning to the end of the production of the product, the process of creating Zhostovo painting goes through a number of stages:

1. Making a tray of oval, octagonal, round, rectangular or combined shape.
2. Primer of the workpiece surface.
3. Puttying uneven areas.
4. Leveling the surface of the base until smooth.
5. Varnish coating.
6. Painting with oil paints.
7. Two-layer coating of the product with transparent varnish.

Features of base manufacturing

Usually the tray base is hand-forged from sheet iron, for which good quality roofing steel is used. The sheets are first stamped and then rolled to ensure that the edges are rigid. When making trays of standard shape, large iron sheets are cut into blanks of the required shape and size. Then the tray is “cut” and “stretched” using an electric press. Using molds and a combined stamp, the sides of the future tray are formed. This process is called "beading" or "rolling".

Step-by-step painting of a Zhostovo tray

Here's how it goes:

1. At the priming stage, the background - the color of the tray - is selected and applied. Usually it is black, but there are also products with a blue, red, green background. Oil varnish is traditionally used to create a black background. The secret of the varnish is lost, but its base is known - a palm resin from Africa called copal. Thanks to a special varnish composition, the trays were unusually durable. According to the old masters of Zhostovo painting, their products are not afraid of either frost or heat and can only be compared with Chinese ones. At that time, this comparison implied the highest quality of the product.
2. At the second stage of Zhostovo painting, shading is created - the general silhouettes of the drawing are made with diluted paint and fired for several hours in a special oven. For painting and background, craftsmen use ordinary oil paint, diluted with linseed oil or turpentine, and a wide brush. When the artist writes out his bouquet, he usually rotates the tray, placing the brush under the desired area.
3. Shadowing is a stage at which shadows are also applied to the silhouettes with diluted paint to create a primary volume.
4. The laying stage is the most important in painting. It is here that the drawing is given volume, accents and highlights are applied using the whitewash method. Details are being finalized.
5. During the highlighting stage, highlights are applied so that the image appears illuminated from different angles by multiple light sources.
6. At the drawing stage, with a very thin brush and black paint, important small elements of the design are made: the teeth along the edges of the leaf, its veins, the seeds in the center of the flower.
7. The anchoring stage is necessary to attach the picture to the base, the background. This is done by drawing connecting elements: antennae, twigs, etc.
8. The last stage - cleaning - is intended for decorating the sides of the tray. The ornament is applied with gold powder diluted in transparent varnish or turpentine. This powder is called “created” gold. Or it is painted with white paint mixed with varnish - gulfabra. The gulfabra is sprinkled with aluminum powder on top. Sometimes the sides are painted with a so-called wreath - an ornament including flowers.

The complexity of Zhostovo painting lies in the fact that the applied drawing does not allow any corrections and is done immediately and with extreme precision. Each master uses his own special techniques to create a product. He writes not from nature, not from pre-worked samples, but by inspiration. Fantasy and imagination make each product unique and unique. As a rule, a master creates several products at once.

Zhostov's motives

Zhostovo trays are very elegant and festive. The range of themes and motifs of painting, formed over centuries, very vividly and figuratively reflects the traditions and soul of the Russian people.

The main motives of Zhostovo painting are:

1. Bouquets of garden and meadow flowers.
2. Floral motifs.
3. Floral ornaments.
4. Vases.
5. Fairy lights.
6. Scenes from folk festivals.
7. Landscapes.
8. Still lifes.
9. Scenes of folk life.
10. Scenes of folk weddings.
11. Tea drinking scenes.

The most popular image is a three horses galloping at full speed, harnessed to a sleigh and surrounded by flowers.

By studying the content of the plots and samples of paintings, you can learn a lot about the history and life of the Russian people. It is interesting that during the Great Patriotic War, all the metal in the country was used to make weapons. That’s why Zhostovo craftsmen painted cans and children’s metal buckets. Toy buckets were also melted down and used to make the base for trays.

Bouquet arrangements. Principles of compilation

Bouquets in Russian Zhostovo painting decorate the mullion, or middle part of the tray, its bottom. Typically, the basis of a bouquet consists of 3-4 large garden flowers: peony, dahlia, rose, tulip, etc. Small wild and garden flowers and buds are “stuck” into the outline of the bouquet: pansies, forget-me-nots, etc. They are connected together by flexible stems and twigs with leaves - the so-called "grass". On special occasions, bouquets include fruits and berries and decorate them with birds and butterflies. As a rule, one or several large flowers are located in the center of the composition. According to Zhostovo tradition, large flowers always have a pink tint.

Small buds become very pale, and against their background, large bright inflorescences protrude in relief from the plane of the dish. Squirrel brushes are used to paint flowers. They are chosen very carefully, since the hairs cannot be trimmed.

The margins or sides of the tray are also painted. But bouquet elements are not used in their design. Traditionally, the field is decorated with golden floral patterns in the form of intricate interlacing of stems and leaves - the so-called “grass”.

According to the tradition that came to Zhostovo art from the paintings of Fedoskino, the background or individual elements can be covered with mother-of-pearl. Such products look very elegant. Elements of Gzhel and Khokhloma can also be found in Zhostovo painting, for example “grass”.

Business cards of Zhostovo

Zhostovo trays are one of the calling cards of the craft. In order for the main pattern to protrude from the depths, reminding us of the reverse perspective, the craftsmen paint barely visible small inflorescences around.

The second business card is the sign on the tray: an image of the artist’s palette, tulip and brush. This is a long-standing, historically established stigma of workshops. The master leaves his autograph next to the mark or in the mark itself. Such a mark began to be allowed only after 1970, and in the old days only a mark with the signature of the factory owner was placed on products.

Another amazing hallmark of the Zhostovo craft are the so-called “smoked” trays, painted with a remarkable pattern reminiscent of a cracked surface. This painting technique is called “turtle-like”. Why smoked? Yes, because the trays are actually smoked over a candle flame. These are the most rare products of Zhostovo masters. It is known that two of these trays were in the collection of the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy.

Zhostovo trays in modern life

In the modern world, folk crafts, including Zhostovo, occupy their special place. The range of their areas of use is quite wide: from interior decor elements to elite table settings. In the home or on the dining table, the Zhostovo tray is a bright, elegant accent that gives the atmosphere a positive and joyful mood.

According to tradition, Zhostovo trays can be divided into two main groups: for use in everyday life (for samovars, fruit, food, etc.) and for decoration. In everyday life, people lack beauty and aesthetics; environmental problems and problems of lack of communication with nature support the desire to compensate for the deficiency by using elements of nature in the works that surround us in everyday life. People are especially drawn to products decorated with images of flowers. Apparently, this is why the fashion for such dishes remains consistently high. Designers use motifs from Zhostovo painting to create furniture, clothing, and jewelry.

Problems of modern Zhostovo fishing

With all the interest of residents and guests of Russia in Zhostovo folk art, it is necessary to note that artists have enough problems. The most pressing problem is the falsification of products, sometimes in violation of traditional technologies. By imitating the author's style, plagiarists try to profit from customers by selling low-quality and non-authored, and therefore not unique, goods. The quality of such products is extremely low, and the images are primitive and are not included in the “golden fund” of Zhostovo painting compositions.

Learn and teach

How can you learn to create products in the style of Zhostovo painting yourself? It's not difficult, you just need desire, mood and patience. Initially, you need to stock up on the necessary materials and equipment. Nowadays in hardware stores and supermarkets you can find trays, sugar bowls and other household items that are not decorated and may well serve as the basis for painting. And in art stores you can buy squirrel brushes of different sizes and oil paints, as well as the necessary solvents. How to draw Zhostovo painting and teach it to children? Let's try to figure it out.

The art of Khokhloma and Zhostovo painting is taught to children in the senior and preparatory groups of kindergarten. This type of work is not difficult. How do the guys learn? Step-by-step Zhostovo painting for children begins with sketching the future flower with a simple pencil. The sketch is in the shape of a circle. This blank is intended for dahlia. The technique used to paint a dahlia flower is called a “double stroke.” Two colors are selected. Light paint is applied to the brush, and darker paint is applied to the tip of the brush. The strokes are applied along the edge of the circle and performed in a certain sequence. This usually happens from top to bottom and from right to left. The second row is performed in the same way, and its petals seem to slightly overlap the lower part of the petals of the top row. Then the middle of the inflorescence is filled in the same way.

The step-by-step drawing of Zhostovo chamomile painting is reminiscent of drawing a dahlia head, and the “double stroke” technique is also used. The only difference is that the core is drawn first, and the petals are added to it in a certain sequence in one row: strictly above, below, left, right, then the spaces between them are filled evenly.

To paint a clover flower, you must first draw a circle with light pink paint, and then inside the circle, by dabbing from bottom to top in a fan arrangement, apply strokes of a darker shade, such as fuchsia. Using also dipping, the leaves of the calyx under the flower are depicted in green.

After drawing the central buds, the stage of drawing around the smaller flowers begins. To draw, for example, forget-me-nots, you can use cotton swabs instead of a brush. They are also depicted using the technique of dipping, but with the end surface. Using a thin brush, place a small white dot in the blue circle of the petal. By the way, children are not allowed to use oil paints. They paint using gouache.

Next comes the stage of drawing the “grass”. The leaves of the stems are also depicted with a double stroke. But their curved tips and curved stems are made by carefully twisting the brush counterclockwise. When depicting elongated curved leaves, strokes and twisting can be alternated so as to create a “zigzag”. When depicting more round leaves, use the “comma” technique.

Recently, interactive classes and master classes on Zhostovo painting have been held both in Zhostovo itself and in many additional education centers for both children and adults. If you have the desire, then nothing is impossible!

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