Woman portrait
 

Dear artists,

My name is Andrey. I'm from Moscow. I am restorer. For years of my work I've got experience and enough of knowledge of technology of old school of painting. And I can pass on my experience to you. In these portraits I've tried to use as much as possible some methods of Old Masters.

My friends-artists, with whom I studied in the art-academy, gave me advice to paint portraits. I paint portraits not so long. In these portraits, I'd like to learn your opinion on them. Please, send your responses and criticism on e-mail: [email protected].

Best regards, Andrey

Andrey:

I have no words for this! Just wow and nothing more!!

Congratulations and thanks for being around showing this beauties!

Can you tell us more about your methods?

Regards
Rui.

Welcome Andrey,

These portraits are wonderful. The first one is especially breath taking!

Welcome Audrey! Your work is beautiful. The clothing is absolutely breathtaking!

Welcome Andrey, this is absolutely breathtaking work! Wow!

Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

Rui:
Thank you for your massage. What is it concrete methods of painting you interst? It's a lot of them...

Thanks for your kind words, Mary.

Thank you very much.

Hi Andrey,

Welcome to the forum.

I am very impressed of your paintings and hope that you will participate i the critique of paintings presented here.

I know that Russian schools do teach the traditional skills of drawing and painting, but would like very much if you would tell some more about how it actually works, please.

You have presented a traditional portrait, and a very fine one, beside a more "modern" one. How do you feel it should be?

Allan

Andrey,

Very beautiful paintings. Your first painting shown is exquisite. Offering critique would be extremely difficult .

Would you tell us the size and type of support you are using -- rigid panel, linen, cotton?

Also, are we viewing the full composition, or have you cropped in some?

Wow - very impressive!

Andrey,

You should be handing out advise instead of soliciting criticism.

The seated figure is stunning! I am sure that many American portrait artists who see it will be very glad you live in Russia.

I especially like your use of color. The beautiful balance of the cool pinks with a complementary olive background. Your skin tones are radiant. The overall design is elegant and the subject compelling and sensual.

I do like the seated figure the best and feel it is far more sophisticated than the standing one, which is not as subtle. The seated figure seems to be more a real person, not in the sense of academic realism, but in having a presence.

These are very beautiful paintings, Andrey, and I really hope you'll post more of your work here. I'm wondering about the first painting in particular. Did you underpaint in a single color (as in a grisaille method) or did you begin with direct color? (I'm guessing that the second painting was done in a different method?)

Most of the Russian work I've seen has been "Russian Impressionism" and this work is clearly not in that style.

My jaw dropped when I opened this thread, absolutely beautiful! I look forward to seeing more of your work on the forum and hearing more about your process.

Jean

Thank for your response, Linda. I answer your question. I don't use grisaille method. I began the underpaint with direct color. And than I continued work in the mixed technique of painting: "mechanical" and "optical".

Thanks, Mike. In my work I use high quality linen. The size of large portrait is 85cmx120cm. And the composition is a little cropped.

Well, specially on the seated figure, I was thinking about asking if you used some kind of grisaille or verdaccio underneath, but you already asked you didnt and used more of a direct method of painting.

Please, post more of your work. :)

Rui.

A warm welcome to you, Andrey,

Thanks for sharing your wonderful work, that woman in pink is a spectacular piece. I really can't offer any suggestions, but would make some comments.

Your use of edges and control of your color saturation make her spill right out of the canvas toward me. The drawing is beautiful, the composition is very commanding. The color harmony is beautiful and unified, and lends grace and dignity to a beautiful subject. Would you post some close ups of the face and hands?

They just couldn't be more perfect. Congratulations, and I hope you continue to post your work

Welcome Andrey,

Great work!

Could you post some close ups?

Hi, Allan.
I'll necessarily participate in a forum. I need a few time to accustom to the new informative environment for me. If I have understood you correctly , you wish to learn more about the Russian art education and how it actually works. It seems to me, my comprehensive answer to your question can occupy many pages, because the Russian Art academy was mark by celebration the anniversary of 250 years recently.
Dear ALlan, could you formulate more particularly your question which I'll answer you with pleasure .
Once again I thank you for warm words.
Yours faithfully
Andrey

Hi, Terry
Thanks for a warm response.
All best,
Andrey

Hi, Kim
Thanks. I looked your site . I've liked your works . Very convincingly and stylishly. I wonder, the young model in dark blue shawl your muse or the relative?
All best
Andrey

Hi, Sharon,
I thank you for your letter. If you want, we can talk more in detail about colour and about harmony of these portraits .
Best
Andrey

Hi, Jean . I'll continue participation in a forum and I hope soon to show some more works in classical style.
Best regards
Andrey

Hi, Rui,
In a portrait of lady in pink I used multicolor underlayer or prime paint layer. From the first I try to paint accurately as much as possible to not spend a lot of time for correction of mistakes. Therefore I use simultaneously some palettes sometimes up to 6. Thus I solve a problem very precisely in prime layer, gradually correcting a color and key \Whistler's method \ .My other works I'll show necessarily, but a little later

Hi, Chris.
Thank for your response. I'll necessarily make zoom a little later. I'm sorry, but I'm not guided absolutely well yet at a forum because I was registered only several days ago there.
Best
Andrey

Thanks, Linda.
I hope to continue to communicate with my colleagues on forum.
All best
Andrey

Hi Cluademir .
Thanks for your response. I, certainly, can make zoom. Tell me what details you interest?
All best
Andrey

Thank you Andrey,

I am aware that Russian Art Academy

Andrey,

What a stunning piece. Your technique is awesome. I am looking forward to your future posts.

Jerome

Dear Andrey,

Just saw this post of yours today. I have been trying to catch up lately with the posts after about 3 weeks of having no computer.

Fantastic pieces! You paint with such mastery of technique, and the realism is very credible. Congratulations from all the way over here.

Do you prepare your own canvas? The reason I ask is because the measurement you gave (120 x 85) is not a standard stretcher size (or IS it over there?), so I presumed you prepared this for the specific purpose of this portrait.

Welcome to the forum!

Carlos

Hi, Allan
I'm sorry for silence. I'll try to answer your questions. In Russia each art academy has the own technique of training. It is very difficult for me to answer in the letter how students study drawing and painting in academies. I think, that the basis of any technique is daily, thoughtful work with nature . Step by step, from simple forms to complex, etc. plus knowledge and understanding of elementary laws of a composition.
I use some palettes to hold all process under control. I have a large (basic) palette and a some additional palletes: a palette of light, of shadow, of warmth and of cold. Very conveniently in the work. You can try.
All Best.
Andrey.

Hi, Carlos,
Thanks for your letter. That's the point that ideas of the artist not always coincide with the standart sizes of a canvas. Therefore sometimes I prepare for canvases myself.
All Best,
Andrey

These are really beautiful Andrey, lovely poses and your rendering of clothing is superb.

Not much else to say really, look forward to seeing some more.

Chris