The article covers the basics of the author’s original technique developed with the purpose of mastering coloristic landscape by means of small watercolor sketches briefly drawn from the window of a moving vehicle. Such exercises enable the artist to successfully cope with the complex composite landscape-painting in the future. the proposed method brings subtlety and accuracy of perception of color, light and air in the atmosphere of the landscape, and also activates visual memory and analytical abilities of the painter, his ability to find the exact tonal and color relationships between the sky and the earth. It allows the painter to literally memorize states of nature at different times of the year and day, under different weather conditions, and also learn to depict the state of nature from memory. Working without a preliminary sketch, the artist acquires the skill of drawing with a brush. One of the important elements of this method is work with a limited palette, in compressed tonal range. the author recommends an optimal set of art materials for the performance of the proposed tasks.

This article introduces the key elements of original methodology for teaching a polychrome landscape in watercolor. The methodology has been successfully tested at the Sergey andriaka Moscow Specialized School of Watercolor and academy of Watercolor and Fine arts, as well as the educational centre “SIRIUS”. The so-called “basic motifs” are an integral part of the methodological support of educational process. They enable students to master the methods of executing landscape motifs in the technique of multilayer watercolor more quickly and efficiently. the realization of each motif is exemplified with pictures of stages: the first shows drawing, the rest demonstrate the layers of watercolor painting. Palettes for each layer of watercolor painting are illustrated in the attachment. One of the fundamental principles of performing basic motifs is working with a limited palette of colors, with compressed color-tonal range and mandatory inclusion of the three primary colors - red, blue and yellow.

The article aims to conceptualize the results of research which addresses renaissance graphic art masterpieces and is based on the author's personal experience in mastering authentic historical techniques of drawing and studying the classical european art school. The article describes methods for creating a multilayer drawing by means of various graphic techniques and a wide range of art materials (metal point drawing, inks, soft materials, etc.), paper grounds, textile supports and paper tinting with grounds based on several pigments, including crystalline, as well as toning paper with dry pigments. Optical properties of artist’s own grounds for graphics are discussed. the author characterizes principles of working with color, particularly the use of warm and cold colors, the introduction of three basic colors in the composition of the ground for a graphic work. The article also describes methods of work with texture in the masterpieces of renaissance graphics, the use of incised/indented lines (‘grafia’) and the polishing of a drawing.