A term such as "study" is used to refer to works in various types of art that are common in Western culture. For example, one can single out visual and musical etudes, etude as a type of chess composition, theatrical etude used in pedagogy, in addition, it was called one of the simplest medium format cameras in the Soviet Union.
Since ancient times, people have made attempts to capture various subjects that arise in their lives. At first, these were images drawn from memory, but then, after some time, paintings drawn from nature firmly entered art. It is drawings from life and sketches of figures in modern painting that occupy a special place.
What is a sketch?
An etude in painting is a work of art that plays a supporting role and is completely drawn from nature. In contemporary art, in addition to auxiliary, the role of an etude can fulfill the main - to be a full-fledged work.
Initially, an etude in painting is the first outline that will make up the overall picture. It should cover the general sensations, which will later be preserved in the process of detailed drawing of the picture.
The process of creating an etude in painting involves the elaboration of light, color, the form of perspective and composition.
In the art of painting, etude is usually part of the picture. Often this fragment is a work that has independent value in the overall artistic composition.
In painting sketches, unlike musical sketches, among the entire mass of prepared sketches, those that are most consistent with the author’s intention and support the essence of the work are selected. After selection, the artist completely processes them and creates a large canvas.
According to the history of the origin, studies refer to the times of the Renaissance. The Renaissance gave a new impetus to the cultural development of fine art.
Below is an example of a sketch in painting.
The appointment of short-term studies in the visual arts
Depending on how the sketch is created, it can be short-term or long-term.
A short-term study in painting is an image that is performed quickly and reflects only general features that characterize the appearance of nature.
The purpose of this sketch is to capture a specific momentary state of nature. Events and phenomena that are fleeting and unique can be captured only in the form of a cursory sketch. Such events include, for example, labor-related processes, athletes' competitions and landscapes, the state of which is constantly changing with changing lighting, the movement of people, as well as animals. In order to have time to capture these moments, the artist has at his disposal only a few minutes or even seconds, while he can not examine in detail the nature and see all its details. The main advantage of a short-term study in painting is not its sophistication and completeness, but, first of all, emotionality, freshness and acuteness, perception of the situation seen. It is with the help of a sketch, the artist is able to expressively convey what is happening around.
Often sketches for paintings in painting are performed in a short-term way.
"Functions" of a Long Etude
A lengthy study in painting is a work that takes several sessions to complete, each lasting from two to four hours.
The main task of a long study is the depth and comprehensiveness of the study of nature. Particular attention is paid to the nature of its forms, movement, proportions, structural structure, coloristic features, lighting, etc. In the process of creating such an etude, a more detailed reflection of the appearance of nature takes place. After a careful study of the object being drawn, the artist has the opportunity to choose the tone, color and lines to fully reflect the inherent qualities of a pictorial-plastic nature. A lengthy study differs from a sketch in that it actively processes impressions of nature, and it is possible to find expressive means for their embodiment.
Stages of creating short-term studies
The stages of work on a study sketch in painting depend on the type of sketch itself.
Work on the creation of a short-term study does not have special stages, as it happens very quickly and fluently. Since a kind of sketch is made, there is simply no clearly defined sequence of actions.
Consistency in creating a long sketch
Creating a long study takes place in two stages.
The first stage (preparatory):
- there is an external study and analysis of the nature being drawn;
- the artist needs to find a compositional solution, that is, choose a place (point of view) from which the sketch will be performed;
- after that, a sketch and a sketch are created in order to reveal a compositional solution;
- the shape and size of the work is determined, its layout occurs;
- set color scheme;
- short-term sketches are made in order to study in depth some of the most important and complex aspects of nature;
- in the preparatory phase, you can also include the creation of a drawing for the painting (it is done on another, separate paper sheet).
The second stage (main):
- pre-prepared drawing for painting is transferred to a clean basis;
- undermining, registration and glazing;
- the creation of a long etude ends with bringing it to integrity.
Oil sketches
The use of oil paints in creating a work of art is characteristic of lengthy studies.
Oil paint in the visual arts began to be popular with European artists in the XV century. Since that time, using oil paints, artists have created the most famous works of all time.
Since oil paints are a very capricious material for drawing, in practice, artists developed a number of rules that facilitated their use:
- Before starting work, the canvas must be primed;
- Before applying the next coat of paint to the previous one, it is necessary to dry it thoroughly. This rule is very important, especially if paints that are grated in one oil, which dries very slowly (walnut, poppy seeds, sunflower), are used when drawing.
- Avoid applying too thick a layer of oil paint.
Despite the difficulty in the work, oil sketches in painting were drawn earlier and are now drawn quite often.
Famous Artists Using Oil
Many Russian artists used oil paints to create their sketches. Among them are such famous personalities:
- Isaac Ilyich Levitan. Most often painted long sketches in the form of landscapes. However, among his paintings there are portraits - his self-portrait, Nikolai Petrovich Panafidin and Sofia Petrovna Kuvshinnikova.
- Sergey Marshennikov. A contemporary Russian artist whose works are characterized by sensual realism. Long sketches also come out from under his brush. His paintings most often depict semi-naked women, sometimes even his own wife, Natalya.
- Dmitry Levin. A recognized master of the Russian landscape, who established himself as a talented representative of the Russian school of realism. He considers attachment to nature to be the most important source of his art. That is why most often in his paintings the Russian village is depicted by creating a long sketch.
Watercolor sketches
In painting, watercolor sketches are very common.
Masters who use watercolors claim that you need to draw with these paints only with confident movements. According to them, the bolder and sharper the strokes, the more effective the final result will be, and blemishes, stains and stains give etudes a style.
Before drawing with watercolors, the paper must be carefully coated with water - this way the paint will lie better. Slightly dried paper should be moistened again in those places where there are supposed to be stains (for example, water and sky). Start painting with watercolors should be from the darkened areas. According to the rules of watercolor painting, each next plan, going into the "depth" of the picture, should be colder and colder. Artists using watercolors never use pure colors — they use a palette.
Masters of watercolor
Great Russian artists did not neglect watercolor paints. Among the masters of watercolor the following artists:
- Fedor Petrovich Tolstoy. His brushes belong to many famous paintings painted in watercolor and oil. He most often used watercolor paints to depict still lifes. One of his most famous watercolor works is a painting depicting a bunch of grapes.
- Karl Pavlovich Bryullov. He also used both oil and watercolor for his paintings. Most often used watercolor paints for portraits - Maria Petrovna Kikina in childhood, Sylvester Fedoseevich Shchedrin and others.
- Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel. The representative of the symbolic direction of Art Nouveau. Most often painted religious works, but did not neglect still lifes. One of Vrubel’s most famous watercolor studies is “Rose in a Glass”.