Gzhel is a traditional Russian painting for ceramic products. This name is associated with the settlement of the same name and the surrounding villages, which are part of the so-called "Gzhel bush". It was there that the Gzhel painting was born and developed.
History and features of Gzhel
According to historical documents, Gzhel gained fame as a center of ceramic production back in the XIV century. The dishes made by the craftsmen were so good that they were supplied for the royal court.
The porcelain, which is produced by craftsmen from Gzhel, corresponds to folk traditions. Craftsmen paint their products by hand, machine Gzhel painting simply does not exist. The colors of the Gzhel painting are from white to bright blue, cobalt color. It is with cobalt that the Gzhel dishes are painted. A single garment can contain up to 30 different shades of cobalt blue, from an almost translucent, sky-light blue to a vivid deep dark blue.
Gzhel painting has fascinated connoisseurs of beauty for a long time. Kustodiev, a famous Russian painter, even called her patterns "witchcraft blue flowers."
Interestingly, the drawing remains black and white before firing. This is how the master sees it while working on the product. Ceramics acquire their bright blue colors when exposed to high temperatures.
Patterns and strokes of Gzhel painting
Most of the Gzhel patterns are based on a droplet stroke. This name was given to him, as he is very similar to a drop of rain. With the help of this stroke, leaves and twigs, flower petals are drawn. Sometimes flowers are decorated with droplets, for example, by placing them along the stem. By changing the size of such a droplet, the master can create very beautiful patterns.
Another stroke, rather unusual, is called a "shadow stroke", or they also say that it is a stroke on one side. It is done in such a way that a dark shade gradually turns into a light one. The shadow smear technique is not easy to master. To complete it, you first need to correctly distribute the paint over the brush, gaining more mass to the edge. Typically, thick, rounded brushes are used for such strokes.
Leaves, buds and flowers typical for Gzhel painting cannot be confused with patterns from other traditional Russian techniques.
Gzhel rose is a very common pattern that conveys the spirit of the entire style. It happens that the rose is painted large and somewhat sweepingly, and sometimes it is painted with a thin brush. Animals and birds are also typical characters in the paintings. Master birds have been especially fond of since ancient times. On products from Gzhel, you can find a variety of birds, they sing, and fly, and sit, and peck grains. If the surface for Gzhel painting is large enough, then the artist can even depict a landscape.
