Types of genre painting. Painting - what is it? painting techniques

There are works of art that seem to hit the viewer on the head, dumbfounded and amazing. Others drag you into reflection and in search of semantic layers, secret symbolism. Some paintings are covered with secrets and mystical mysteries, while others surprise with an exorbitant price.

We carefully reviewed all the major achievements in world painting and chose two dozen of the most strange pictures. Salvador Dali, whose works completely fall under the format of this material and are the first to come to mind, were not included in this collection intentionally.

It is clear that “strangeness” is a rather subjective concept and everyone has their own amazing pictures out of line with other works of art. We will be glad if you share them in the comments and tell us a little about them.

"Scream"

Edvard Munch. 1893, cardboard, oil, tempera, pastel.
National Gallery, Oslo.

The Scream is considered a landmark expressionist event and one of the most famous paintings in the world.

There are two interpretations of what is depicted: it is the hero himself who is seized with horror and silently screams, pressing his hands to his ears; or the hero closes his ears from the cry of the world and nature sounding around him. Munch wrote four versions of The Scream, and there is a version that this picture is the fruit of a manic-depressive psychosis from which the artist suffered. After a course of treatment at the clinic, Munch did not return to work on the canvas.

“I was walking along the path with two friends. The sun was setting - suddenly the sky turned blood red, I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned against the fence - I looked at the blood and flames over the bluish-black fjord and the city. My friends went on, and I stood, trembling with excitement, feeling the endless cry that pierces nature,” Edvard Munch said about the history of the painting.

“Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?"

Paul Gauguin. 1897-1898, oil on canvas.
Museum fine arts, Boston.

At the direction of Gauguin himself, the picture should be read from right to left - the three main groups of figures illustrate the questions posed in the title.

Three women with a child represent the beginning of life; middle group symbolizes the daily existence of maturity; in the final group, according to the artist’s intention, “an old woman approaching death seems reconciled and indulged in her thoughts”, at her feet there is a “strange White bird...represents the futility of words."

A deeply philosophical picture of the post-impressionist Paul Gauguin was written by him in Tahiti, where he fled from Paris. At the end of the work, he even wanted to commit suicide: "I believe that this canvas is superior to all my previous ones and that I will never create something better or even similar." He lived another five years, and so it happened.

"Guernica"

Pablo Picasso. 1937, oil on canvas.
Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid.

Guernica presents scenes of death, violence, atrocities, suffering and helplessness, without specifying their immediate causes, but they are obvious. It is said that in 1940 Pablo Picasso was summoned to the Gestapo in Paris. The conversation immediately turned to the picture. "Did you do that?" - "No, you did it."

The huge fresco "Guernica", painted by Picasso in 1937, tells about the raid of the Luftwaffe volunteer unit on the city of Guernica, as a result of which the six thousandth city was completely destroyed. The picture was painted in just a month - the first days of work on the picture, Picasso worked for 10-12 hours, and already in the first sketches one could see the main idea. This is one of the best illustrations the nightmare of fascism, as well as human cruelty and grief.

"Portrait of the Arnolfinis"

Jan van Eyck. 1434, oil on wood.
London National Gallery, London.

The famous painting is completely filled with symbols, allegories and various references - up to the signature "Jan van Eyck was here", which turned the painting not just into a work of art, but into a historical document confirming the reality of the event, which was attended by the artist.

The portrait supposedly of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife is one of the most complex works Western school of painting of the Northern Renaissance.

In Russia, in the past few years, the painting has gained great popularity due to Arnolfini's portrait resemblance to Vladimir Putin.

"Demon Seated"

Mikhail Vrubel. 1890, oil on canvas.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

"Hands Resist Him"

Bill Stoneham. 1972.

This work, of course, cannot be ranked among the masterpieces of world art, but the fact that it is strange is a fact.

Around the picture with a boy, a doll and palms pressed against the glass, there are legends. From "because of this picture they die" to "the children in it are alive." The picture looks really creepy, which gives rise to people with weak psyche a lot of fears and conjectures.

The artist, on the other hand, assured that the picture depicts himself at the age of five, that the door is a representation of the dividing line between the real world and the world of dreams, and the doll is a guide that can lead the boy through this world. The hands represent alternative lives or possibilities.

The painting gained notoriety in February 2000 when it was listed for sale on eBay with a backstory that said the painting was "haunted". "Hands Resist Him" ​​was bought for $1,025 by Kim Smith, who was then inundated with letters from creepy stories and demands to burn the painting.

In the making visual arts genres of painting were formed. If in pictures cavemen it was possible to see only what surrounded them, then over time, painting became more and more multifaceted and acquired a broad meaning. Artists conveyed their vision of the world in paintings. Historians identify the following genres of painting that have formed over the entire history of this art.

. The name came from latin word animal, which means animal. This genre includes paintings, the center of which are animals.

allegorical genre. Allegoria means "allegory". Such pictures contain secret meaning. With the help of the image of symbols, people, living or mythical creatures the artist is trying to convey this or that idea.

Battle genre. Image of battles, battles, military campaigns. These paintings are characterized by versatility, the presence of many characters.

Epic and mythological genres. The plots of folklore works, the themes of ancient legends, epics and ancient Greek myths were depicted.

Image of simple scenes from Everyday life. This genre is characterized by simplicity and realism.

Vanitas. The genre originated in the Baroque era. This is a kind of still life, in the center of which there is always a skull. Artists tried to draw a parallel with the frailty of all things.

Veduta. The birthplace of this genre is Venice. It represents an urban panorama, in compliance with architectural forms and proportions.

Image interior decoration premises.

Ippian genre. The name speaks for itself. These are pictures of horses.

historical genre. Canvases depicting historical events. A multifaceted and important genre of painting.

Capriccio. fantasy architectural landscape.

The name is of French origin, and means that in the center of the image is an inanimate object. The artists depicted mainly flowers, household items, household utensils.

nude. Image of a naked human body. Initially, this genre was closely associated with the mythological and historical genre.

Blende. The genre in which the artists used special tricks to create an illusion.

Pastoral. A genre that elevates simple rural life to a different form, embellishing it and deifying it.

A genre in which pictures of nature are depicted on the canvas. This is a three-dimensional direction, which includes the urban landscape, seascape, and other similar topics.

. In the center of the picture is the image of a man. The artist uses techniques to convey not only the appearance, but also the inner world of his hero. The portrait can be group, individual, front. You can also highlight a self-portrait in which the artist depicts himself.

Religious genre. This includes, and other paintings on religious themes.

Caricature. Genre, the purpose of which is to emphasize certain shortcomings of the personality, through comic effect. For this, exaggeration, distortion of facial features and proportions, symbolism and elements of fantasy are used.

Genres of painting can merge and closely interact with each other. Some genres lose their relevance over time, while many, on the contrary, continue to develop along with life.

Painting is perhaps the most ancient view art. Even in the primitive era, our ancestors made images of people and animals on the walls of caves. These are the first examples of painting. Since then, this art form has always been a companion human life. Examples of painting today are numerous and varied. We will try to cover this type of art as much as possible, to talk about the main genres, styles, directions and techniques in it.

painting techniques

Consider first the basic techniques of painting. One of the most common is oil. This is a technique in which oil-based paints are used. These paints are applied in strokes. With the help of them, you can create a variety of different shades, as well as convey the necessary images with maximum realism.

Tempera is another popular technique. About her in question when emulsion paints are used. The binder in these paints is egg or water.

Gouache- a technique widely used in graphics. Gouache paint is made on an adhesive basis. It can be used to work on cardboard, paper, bone or silk. The image is durable, and the lines are clear. Pastel- This is a drawing technique with dry pencils, while the surface must be rough. And, of course, it is worth mentioning about watercolors. This paint is usually diluted with water. A soft and thin layer of paint is obtained using this technique. Particularly popular Of course, we have listed only the main techniques that are used in painting most often. There are others.

What are the paintings usually painted on? The most popular painting on canvas. It is stretched on a frame or glued to cardboard. Note that in the past, wooden boards were used quite often. Today, not only painting on canvas is popular, but any other flat materials can be used to create an image.

Painting types

There are 2 main types of it: easel and monumental painting. The latter is related to architecture. This type includes paintings on the ceilings and walls of buildings, decorating them with images made of mosaics or other materials, stained-glass windows, and so on. easel painting not associated with a specific building. It can be moved from place to place. In easel painting, there are many varieties (otherwise they are called genres). Let's dwell on them in more detail.

Genres of painting

The word "genre" is French in origin. It translates as "genus", "species". That is, under the name of the genre there is a content of some kind, and, pronouncing its name, we understand what the picture is about, what we will find in it: a person, nature, an animal, objects, etc.

Portrait

The most ancient genre of painting is the portrait. This is an image of a person who looks only like himself and no one else. In other words, a portrait is an image in painting of an individual appearance, since individual person each of us has. This genre of painting has its own varieties. A portrait can be full-length, chest-length, or only one person is painted. Note that not every image of a person is a portrait, since an artist can create, for example, "a person in general" without writing him off from anyone. However, when he portrays a specific representative human race, then he works on the portrait. Needless to say, there are numerous examples of painting in this genre. But the portrait below is known to almost every resident of our country. We are talking about the image of A. S. Pushkin, created in 1827 by Kiprensky.

Self-portrait can also be added to this genre. In this case, the artist depicts himself. Exists companion portrait when in the picture there are people in a pair; and a group portrait, when a group of people is depicted. It can also be noted formal portrait, a variety of which is equestrian, one of the most solemn. It was very popular in the past, but such works are rare now. However, the next genre that we will talk about is relevant at any time. What is it about? This can be guessed by sorting through the genres that we have not yet named, characterizing painting. Still life is one of them. It is about him that we will now talk, continuing to consider painting.

Still life

This word also has a French origin, it means "dead nature", although the meaning would be more accurate "inanimate nature". Still life - the image of inanimate objects. They are of great variety. Note that still lifes can also depict "living nature": butterflies subsided on the petals, beautiful flowers, birds, and sometimes a person can be seen among the gifts of nature. However, it will still be a still life, since the image of the living is not the most important thing for the artist in this case.

Scenery

Landscape is another French word meaning "view of the country" in translation. It is analogous to the German concept of "landscape". Landscape is a depiction of nature in its diversity. The following varieties join this genre: the architectural landscape and the very popular seascape, which is often called the single word "marina", and the artists working in it are called marine painters. Numerous examples of painting in the seascape genre can be found in the work of I. K. Aivazovsky. One of them is "Rainbow" of 1873.

This picture is painted in oil and is difficult to perform. But it’s not difficult to create watercolor landscapes, so at school, in drawing lessons, this task was given to each of us.

Animal genre

The next genre is animalistic. Everything is simple here - this is an image of birds and animals in nature, in a natural environment.

household genre

The everyday genre is an image of scenes from life, everyday life, funny "incidents", home life and stories ordinary people in an ordinary environment. And you can do without stories - just capture everyday activities and affairs. Such paintings are sometimes referred to as genre painting. As an example, let's take Van Gogh's Potato Eaters (1885), presented above.

historical genre

The themes of painting are diverse, but it stands out separately historical genre. This is an image of historical heroes and events. The battle genre adjoins it, it presents episodes of war, battle.

Religious and mythological genre

In the mythological genre, paintings are written on the themes of ancient and ancient legends about gods and heroes. It should be noted that the image is of a secular nature, and in this it differs from the images of the deities represented on the icon. By the way, religious painting- it's not just icons. She unites various works written on religious subjects.

Clash of genres

The richer the content of the genre, the more its "companions" appear. Genres can merge, so there is a painting that cannot be put into the framework of any of them at all. In art, there is both a general (techniques, genres, styles) and an individual (a particular work taken separately). A separate picture carries something in common. Therefore, many artists may have one genre, but the paintings painted in it are never alike. Such features have the culture of painting.

Style

Style in is an aspect of the visual perception of paintings. It can combine the work of one artist or the work of artists of a certain period, direction, school, area.

Academic painting and realism

Academic painting is a special direction, the formation of which is associated with the activities of the academies of arts in Europe. It appeared in the 16th century at the Bologna Academy, the natives of which sought to imitate the masters of the Renaissance. Since the 16th century, methods of teaching painting began to be based on strict observance of rules and norms, following formal patterns. art in Paris was considered one of the most influential in Europe. She promoted the aesthetics of classicism that dominated France in the 17th century. Parisian academy? contributing to the systematization of education, gradually turned the rules of the classical direction into a dogma. So academic painting became special direction. In the 19th century, one of the most prominent manifestations of academicism was the work of J. L. Gerome, Alexandre Cabannel, J. Ingres. Classical canons were replaced by realistic ones only at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. It was realism that at the beginning of the 20th century became the basic method of teaching in academies, turning into a dogmatic system.

Baroque

Baroque is a style and era of art, which is characterized by aristocracy, contrast, dynamism of images, simple details when depicting abundance, tension, drama, luxury, a fusion of reality and illusion. This style appeared in Italy in 1600 and spread throughout Europe. Caravaggio and Rubens are its most prominent representatives. Baroque is often compared with expressionism, however, unlike the latter, it does not have too repulsive effects. Paintings of this style today are characterized by the complexity of lines and an abundance of ornaments.

Cubism

Cubism is an avant-garde art movement that originated in the 20th century. Its creator is Pablo Picasso. Cubism made a real revolution in the sculpture and painting of Europe, inspiring the creation of similar trends in architecture, literature, and music. art painting in this style is characterized by recombined, broken objects that have an abstract form. When depicting them, many points of view are used.

Expressionism

Expressionism is another important trend in contemporary art that appeared in Germany in the first half of the 20th century. At first it covered only poetry and painting, and then spread to other areas of art.

Expressionists depict the world subjectively, distorting reality to create a greater emotional effect. Their goal is to make the viewer think. Expression in expressionism prevails over the image. It can be noted that many works are characterized by motifs of torment, pain, suffering, screaming (the work of Edvard Munch, presented above, is called "The Scream"). Expressionist artists are not at all interested in material reality, their paintings are filled with deep meaning and emotional experiences.

Impressionism

Impressionism is a direction of painting, aimed mainly at working in the open air ( outdoors), not in the studio. It owes its name to the painting "Impression, Sunrise" by Claude Monet, which is shown in the photo below.

The word "impression" English language- impression. Impressionistic paintings convey primarily the light sensation of the artist. The main features of painting in this style are as follows: barely visible, thin strokes; change in lighting, accurately conveyed (attention is often focused on the effect of the passage of time); open composition; a simple common goal; movement like key element human experience and perception. The most prominent representatives of such a trend as impressionism are Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Pierre Renoir.

Modernism

The next direction is modernism, which originated as a set of trends in various fields art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Paris Salon of the Rejected was opened in 1863. Artists whose paintings were not allowed in the official salon were exhibited here. This date can be considered the date of the emergence of modernism as a separate direction in art. Otherwise, modernism is sometimes called "another art". Its goal is to create unique paintings not like the others. Main feature works - a special vision of the world by the author.

Artists in their work rebelled against the values ​​of realism. Self-awareness is a striking characteristic of this direction. This often leads to experimentation with form as well as a penchant for abstraction. Representatives of modernism pay special attention to the materials used and the work process. One of its most prominent representatives are Henry Matisse (his work "The Red Room" of 1908 is presented above) and Pablo Picasso.

Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism is the main direction of painting in Northern Europe from the middle of the 18th century to the end of the 19th. It is characterized by a return to the features of the ancient Renaissance and even the times of classicism. In architectural, artistic and cultural terms, neoclassicism emerged as a response to Rococo, which was perceived as a shallow and artsy style of art. Neoclassical artists, thanks to their good knowledge of church laws, tried to introduce canons into their work. However, they avoided simply reproducing classical motifs and themes. Neoclassical artists tried to place their painting within the framework of tradition and thus demonstrate mastery of the genre. Neoclassicism in this respect is directly opposed to modernism, where improvisation and self-expression are considered virtues. Its most famous representatives include Nicolas Poussin, Raphael.

Pop Art

The last direction that we will consider is pop art. He appeared in Britain in the mid-50s of the last century, and in the late 50s - in America. Pop art is believed to have originated as a reaction to the ideas of abstract expressionism that dominated at the time. Speaking about this direction, it is impossible not to mention In 2009, "Eight Elvis", one of his paintings, was sold for 100 million dollars.

One of applied types easel painting is theatrical and decorative painting - sketches of costumes for heroes and mise-en-scenes.

Monumental painting - painting of buildings

Painting on dry plaster - secco - was also common, but such works have survived worse to our times. most famous monumental painting- this is a large-scale painting Sistine Chapel in which Michelangelo took part. According to critics, the frescoes of the chapel can be equated with the Eighth Wonder of the World.

The most ancient works of monumental painting are rock paintings of the first people.

Decorative painting - applied art

Miniature painting - cute little things

Later, miniatures began to be called any small-scale paintings. They were used as souvenirs and memorable gifts. Despite its small size, this type of painting required great precision and skill. The most popular materials for souvenir miniatures were bone, stone and metal plates.

Advice 2: What are the types of easels: basic and popular

Drawing is one of the most interesting directions in creativity. But in order to paint a picture, you need to choose the right not only brushes and paints, but also an easel.

For some people, creativity, namely drawing, is an integral part of life in the form of a hobby or professional activity. Artists and amateurs attach particular importance to the materials and devices with which they work. So easels are an integral part creative process, so there is a need to consider these auxiliary items in more detail.

So in this moment there are three main types, these are: tripod easels, vertical panel easels (stationary), as well as sketchbooks. Each type of easel has characteristic features. For example, tripods are very easy to assemble and use. Such an easel can always be disassembled, while when folded, this device takes up very little space.

At the same time, vertical panel easels are very convenient, having the functions of adjusting the height and angle of inclination, but they take up a lot of space due to their stationarity. The principle of paper fastening or stretched canvas in these types of easels is practically unchanged. At the bottom there is a small panel for the location Supplies: pencils, paints, brushes and more.

Sketchbooks can be used outdoors for from nature. At the same time, when assembled, this device turns into a small suitcase with which you can make long journeys to the place where the canvas is written.

The most popular easels

Tripod easels are the most popular. This is due to their convenience and compactness. In addition, such an easel can be made independently if you do not want to spend money on buying it.

For work in the studio or at home, table easels, that is, easels with a vertical panel, are often used. This type is convenient when working in one place, since its transportation is hampered by the inability to disassemble the object into more small parts followed by assembly. At the same time, each type of easels is designed for a specific intended use, however, the tripod can rightfully be considered the most versatile, since it can be used both for permanent job in the studio, and for working from nature in nature, of course, if it is not too large.

Sources:

• Classification of easels

The art of decorating surfaces with paints and a brush is called artistic painting. The very concept of painting is seriously different from painting, as it is part of the space conceived by the artist.

Artistic painting was originally applied to any democratic and easily obtained materials: leather, wood, natural fabrics, clay, etc. Skills were passed down from generation to generation by masters, specific artistic techniques who helped wares. Over time, the most meaningful and expressive application of the ornament was chosen. In architecture, ceilings, vaults, walls, beams were decorated with paintings, and in everyday life, decor was applied to household items.

The systematization of various types of painting was first started in 1876 by Professor A.A. Isaev in his two-volume book entitled "Crafts of the Moscow province". Artistic painting enterprises are still developing their business in order to meet the demand in the markets of Russia and abroad.

Khokhloma painting

In the rich floral ornament the skill of a thin brush, which came from the monasteries, found application. From there, the secret was derived of how to paint dishes in gold color without the use of gold. The painting has not changed to the present, and the process from ancient times to the present day is the same. A blank of dishes is carved from wood on lathe, then primed with a specially prepared clay solution or use artificial primers. The dishes are covered with paint based on tin or silver, less often - aluminum. They paint according to the conceived motive and dry it in an oven, then varnish it and again do hot drying.

Since the product undergoes intensive heat treatment several times, the paints were chosen from those whose brightness was not affected by high temperatures. It is black, gold and cinnabar.

Gzhel porcelain

Gzhel is unique, since each artist, using classical and familiar motifs, creates the technique individually. the main role belongs to the experience of the master and the movement of his brush. At the same time, harmonious transitions from dark blue to pale blue appear on whiteness from one stroke. Only one paint is used, cobalt, and the drawing is done very quickly, the first time.

Matryoshka

These figurines of different sizes, nested in one another, originate from Japan. These dolls gained great popularity in 1900, after an exhibition in Paris. The main production took place in the village of Polkhovsky Maidan, which was famous for both painting and turners - after all, the shape of the nesting dolls had to be carved.

Polkhovskaya has distinctive features, by which it can be recognized among others. She has a face painted in small strokes, and a wild rose flower in the forehead area. The color of the scarf contrasts with the color of the sundress, and from the back the matryoshka is 2/3 scarlet or green. The apron is oval and runs from the neck to the ground.

The most difficult to process, straw-encrusted matryoshka from Vyatka.

Almost every girl, if her free time not overloaded with studies or dating, has one or more hobbies. Some of them captivate her with their originality for a short time, others are companions for life.

Instruction

The most common type of female hobby can be called all types of needlework: crochet, macrame, sewing, embroidery. Such a hobby does not arise from scratch, it traditionally comes from mothers and grandmothers who are engaged in them in the presence of their daughters and granddaughters. The little girl becomes interested, and she asks adults to show her, loops, knots, a line or a chain stitch. At first, it doesn’t work out, and she can even give up her new hobby for a while, but after a few years nature will take its toll, and now a teenage girl will sew her first jeans or knit a beret.

Not so time-consuming, leaving the evenings free for other activities, is floriculture. All women love flowers, and those grown by their own are of the greatest interest. Tracking the appearance of shoots, their increase in size and subsequent flowering is akin to motherhood, which is why it gives pleasure to many of the fair sex. If you don’t have the patience to care for roses and violets, you can start with chlorophytum, or simple cacti.

The earliest hobbies a young child has are drawing and moving to music. If there is a talent for them, then the undertakings will not be lost, but will develop into the ability to display the external and internal worlds through painting and dance. If there is no talent, but the soul insistently demands the expression of all her impulses, then the girl becomes a good photographer. Her photographs most often feature relatives and friends, significant places and corners of nature that captured the imagination.

Another method to realize your potential is to make crafts from various materials. This is clay modeling and soap making, carving and design. The latter can turn into a profession and become a good way to earn money. And carving can be called a kind of common, but far from all-encompassing hobby - cooking. Almost every girl is capable of cooking the simplest porridge and soup, baking pizza from everything that is in the refrigerator, but only a few of them have the art of preparing original dishes.

And finally, the general hobby of women of all ages and social categories is fortune telling. Most often on cards, but to achieve the result, they are also used, coffee grounds, palmistry and other divination methods. Knowing the past and the future cannot be boring, and specializing in a particular species can turn a girl into a real master.

Round and flat, with a wooden handle and plastic, marten and pony. A variety of shapes and types of brushes helps the artist to create masterpieces on canvas or paper. So, for example, a squirrel brush is used mainly for working with watercolor paint, and a linear brush is used for writing.

Brush shapes

One of the most common and versatile brush shapes is round. A bundle of such a brush is fixed in a round clip, usually metal. The brushes can be different sizes. A small beam is used to create miniatures, and a large beam is used for large landscapes. The round brush provides a uniform line of uniform thickness, although skillful artist can vary it.

It is good to work out large areas of the composition with flat brushes, they hold a lot of paint in themselves. Strokes with such a brush are smooth and wide.

brush called " cat eye»has an oval or domed shape. Such a brush is very individual in use and can be applied in the same way as round and flat.

A subspecies of flat brushes is contour, they have a similar shape, but the bundle is shorter and, accordingly, more elastic. Such brushes are used for oil painting techniques, they are easy to make flat strokes and clear contours.

Type brushes have a round long bunch with a thin, sharp tip, which allows you to write and apply contours. Such brushes are used with liquid paints.

Retouching brushes also belong to a variety of flat brushes, their peculiarity lies in the tip cut at an angle. These brushes are used to create very thin strokes and smooth and precise transitions from one color to another. This is due to the thin and sharp tip.

Line brushes, like type brushes, have a round, long beam shape and are used to apply inscriptions and create long, even lines. Line brushes are shorter than type brushes, but longer and thinner than round ones.

Flute brushes, in addition to painting, are used when applying makeup, namely, powder or blush. These soft brushes are designed for free painting with watercolors. They hold a lot of water, so they can draw long, solid, uniform lines without interruption.

Fan brushes have a thin bunch in the shape of a fan. They are used to create subtle color stretches, color transitions and contrasts.

Types of brushes

In addition to shapes and sizes, there is a significant difference in types of brushes, namely, what kind of hair the bundle is made of. The most common type of brush is the squirrel. Such brushes are made from processed tail hairs of a squirrel, since it is in the tail that the longest pile is. Squirrel brushes are very soft and delicate, so they require special care. They are used to work with watercolor paint or other water-based paint.

Kolinsky brushes are made from processed kolinsky tail hair. These brushes are quite soft and at the same time elastic. Therefore they are used

The great figure, scientist and Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci said: "Painting is poetry that is seen, and poetry is painting that is heard." And one cannot but agree with him. Real art is truly perceived comprehensively. We see, and contemplate, and hear, and in our souls we keep the works of art we like. And world masterpieces remain in our memory for many years.

Genres and types of painting

Drawing a picture, the master performs it in a certain state, special character. The work will not turn out to be full-fledged, worthy of love and attention, if only form and color are depicted on it. The artist is obliged to endow objects with a soul, people with charisma, a spark, perhaps a secret, nature with peculiar feelings, and events with real experiences. And genres and types of painting help the creator in this. They allow you to correctly convey the mood of the era, event, fact, it is better to catch main idea, image, landscape.

The main ones include:

• Historical- image of facts, moments of history different countries and epochs.
• Battle- transmits battle scenes.
• Domestic- Scenes from everyday life.
• Scenery These are paintings of nature. There are sea, mountain, fantastic, lyrical, rural, urban, space landscapes.
• Still life- illustrates inanimate objects: kitchen utensils, weapons, vegetables, fruits, plants, etc.
• Portrait- This is an image of a person, a group of people. Often, artists like to paint self-portraits or canvases depicting their lovers.
• animalistic- Pictures about animals.

Separately, one can single out another plot-thematic genre and include here works, the subject of which are myths, legends, epics, as well as paintings of everyday life.

Types of painting also mean separate ones. They help the artist achieve perfection when creating a canvas, tell him in which direction to move and work. There are the following options:

- Panorama- an image of the area in a large-scale format, a general view.

- Diorama- an image of battles, spectacular events curved in a semicircle.

- Miniature- Manuscripts, portraits.

- Monumental and decorative painting- painting on walls, panels, plafonds, etc.

- iconography- paintings on religious themes.

- decorative painting- creation of artistic scenery in cinema and theater.

- easel painting In other words, pictures.

- Decorative painting of everyday objects of life.

As a rule, each master of fine arts chooses for himself one particular genre and type of painting that is closest to him in spirit, and mostly works only in it. For example, Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (Hovhannes Gayvazyan) worked in the style of a seascape. Such artists are also called marine painters (from "marina", which in Latin means "sea").

Techniques

Painting is a certain manner of executing the plot, its feeling through the world of colors and strokes. And of course, such reproduction cannot be carried out without the use of certain techniques, templates and rules. The very concept of "technique" in the visual arts can be defined as a set of techniques, norms and practical knowledge, with the help of which the author conveys the idea and plot of the picture most accurately, close to reality.

The choice of painting technique depends on what kind of materials, type of canvas will be taken to create a work. Sometimes an artist can take an individual approach to his work, take advantage of a mixture of different styles and trends. This author's approach allows you to create truly unique works of art - world masterpieces.

In technical terms, there are several options for painting. Let's consider them in more detail.

Painting of ancient times

The history of painting begins with rock paintings primitive man. At this time, the paintings are not distinguished by the liveliness of the plots, the riot of colors, but there was a peculiar emotion in them. And the plots of those years clearly inform us about the existence of life in the distant past. The lines are extremely simple, the subject is predictable, the directions are unambiguous.

In ancient times, the content of the drawings becomes more diverse, more often they depict animals, different things, make whole biographies on the entire wall, especially if the pictures are created for the pharaohs, which was then very believed. After about another two thousand years, wall paintings begin to acquire colors.

Ancient painting, in particular, Old Russian, is well conveyed and preserved in old icons. They are holy and best example conveying the beauty of art from God. Their color is unique, and the purpose is perfect. Such painting conveys the unreality of being, images and instills in a person the idea of divine beginning, about the existence perfect art, which must be compared.

The development of painting did not pass without a trace. Behind for a long time humanity has managed to accumulate real relics and spiritual heritage of many centuries.

Watercolor

Watercolor painting is distinguished by the brightness of colors, purity of color and transparency of application to paper. Yes, it is on a paper surface that it is best to work in this fine art technique. The drawing dries quickly and as a result acquires a lighter and matte texture.

Watercolor does not allow you to achieve interesting tints when using dark, solid shades, but it perfectly models the color when the layers are superimposed one on top of the other. In this case, it turns out to find completely new, unusual options, which are difficult to obtain by other artistic techniques.

Difficulties with watercolor

The complexity of working in such a technique as watercolor painting, lies in the fact that it does not forgive mistakes, does not allow improvisation with cardinal changes. If you did not like the applied tone or you got a completely different color that you wanted, then it is unlikely that you will be able to fix it. Any attempts (washing with water, scraping, mixing with other colors) can lead to both a more interesting shade and complete contamination of the picture.

Changing the location of a figure, an object, any improvement in composition in this technique is essentially impossible to do. But due to the quick drying of paints on painting, it is ideal for drawing sketches. And in terms of depicting plants, portraits, urban landscapes, it can compete with oil paintings.

Oil

Each of the technical varieties of painting has its own specifics. This applies to both the manner of performance and the artistic transmission of the image. Oil painting- this is one of the most favorite techniques of many artists. It is difficult to work in it, because it requires a certain level of knowledge and experience: from preparing the necessary items, materials to final stage- covering the resulting picture protective layer varnish.

The whole process of oil painting is quite laborious. Regardless of which base you choose: canvas, cardboard or hardboard (fibreboard), you must first cover it with primer. It will allow the paint to lie down and hold well, not to stand out from the oil. It will also give the background the desired texture and color. There are a lot of types and recipes for various soils. And each artist prefers his own, specific, to which he is accustomed and which he considers the best option.

As mentioned above, the work takes place in several stages, and the final is the coating of the picture with varnish substances. This is done in order to protect the canvas from moisture, the appearance of cracks (mesh) and other mechanical damage. Oil painting does not tolerate work on paper, but thanks to the whole technology of applying paints, it allows you to save works of art safe and sound for the ages.

fine arts of china

I would like to pay special attention to the era of Chinese painting, since it has a special page in history. East direction painting has evolved over more than six thousand years. Its formation was closely connected with other crafts, social changes and conditions taking place in people's lives. For example, after the introduction of Buddhism in China great importance purchased religious frescoes. In times (960-1127), historical paintings become popular, including stories about everyday life. landscape painting established itself as an independent direction already in the 4th century AD. e. Images of nature were created in blue-green colors and Chinese ink. And in the ninth century, artists increasingly began to paint pictures that depicted flowers, birds, fruits, insects, fish, embodying their ideals and the nature of the era in them.

Features of Chinese painting

Traditional Chinese art differs in a particular style, as well as in the materials used for drawing, which, in turn, affects the methods and forms oriental art. First, Chinese painters use a special brush to create paintings. It looks like watercolor and has a particularly sharp tip. Such a tool allows you to create sophisticated works, and, as you know, the style of calligraphy is still widely used in China. Secondly, ink is used everywhere as paints - Chinese ink (it happens that, together with other colors, but also how self paint also applies). This has been happening for two thousand years. It is also worth noting that before the advent of paper, people in China painted on silk. Today modern masters of artistic business perform their work both on a paper basis and on a silk surface.

This is not all the technical possibilities of painting. In addition to the above, there are many others (gouache, pastel, tempera, fresco, acrylic, wax, painting on glass, porcelain, etc.), including author's options for art.

Epochs of painting

Like any art form, painting has its own history of formation. And above all, it is characterized by different stages of development, multifaceted styles, interesting directions. Not the last role here is played by the era of painting. Each of them affects not just a piece of the life of the people and not only the time of some historical events but a whole life! Among the most known periods in the art of painting, one can distinguish: the Renaissance and Enlightenment, the work of impressionist artists, modern, surrealism and many, many others. In other words, painting is a visual illustration of a certain era, a picture of life, a worldview through the eyes of an artist.

The concept of "painting" literally means "to write life", to depict reality vividly, masterfully, convincingly. To convey on your canvas not only every detail, every little thing, moment, but also the mood, emotions, color of this or that time, the style and genre of the entire work of art.