The article is a reflection on the text and visual guide dedicated to landscape tone composition, which were written by N. E. Green, an outstanding english artist and educator of the 19th century. The analysis of his prescriptions on the landscape layout and graphic schemes for constructing landscape motifs, as well as the examination of texts of other 19th century painters and art theorists allow one to assert that light is the “main character” of artworks belonging to the classical European school of painting. The tradition of construing painting as “light-modelling”, or rather “shadow-painting” (chiaroscuro) goes far back in history and is particularly characteristic of the Antique and Christian cultural frameworks. Likewise, in world culture (including art, literature and music), light is usually regarded as one of the most significant religious and philosophical concepts, in other words, one of the key archetypes. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the depiction of light tends to evoke numerous conscious and unconscious associations for everyone creating and engaging with works of art. The author of the article discusses the rule of light and shadow distribution, elucidated and illustrated by N. E. Green, invoking the example of a picturesque composition based on a perfectly shaped ovoid (“egg”). To that end, he resorts to a 19th century manual for artists devoted to the principles of producing decorative and applied art pieces that are usually marked by their anthropomorphic nature; remarkably, this feature was explicitly emphasized by Ch. Martel, the creator of the aforementioned guide. Lastly, the article brings to the fore the fact that artists would often employ a number of template techniques when composing their paintings, yet these “templates” successfully corresponded to the psychology and physiology of perception, primarily visual, which would then pave the way for the creation of works that affected the viewer the way the artist had purposed.

The article is devoted to the description of methodological framework in the field of animal sculpture developed by the Honored Artist of Russia, S. L. Krivtsov. It elaborates on the primary stages of animal sculpture creation, as well as the major goals and objectives of the analogous course of study taught within the programs of higher, pre-vocational and additional art education at the Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts of Sergey Andriaka. Correspondingly, the principles of optimal theme choices are substantiated combined with the outlined task sequence. In particular, the article provides a detailed account of an original exercise personally devised by S. L. Krivtsov: it envisions a joint execution of a multi-figured animal sculpture composition (a round or relief sculpture) to be performed by a group of students at the program of additional or pre-vocational art education. The author discusses the specificities of teaching artistic reproduction and portrayal of animals at the institutions of higher education. Namely, he sheds light on the optimal choice of animals to be studied and maps out tasks that prepare students for their future practical activities as professional artists. The initial stages of creating an artistic animal image are set out, inter alia, studying of materials and sculpture design sketching. The article reveals the paramount objectives behind the course: development of voluminous spatial thinking, mastering of the work algorithm when creating sculptural images (round sculpture, relief, two-figure compositions), absorption of the basic principles pertinent to the construction of artistic images in sculpture, familiarization with the animal anatomy and their general bodily structure carved by natural evolution. Finally, the optimal choice of art materials utilized throughout the course on animal sculpture, in accordance with the authorial methodology of S. L. Krivtsov, is validated.

The author of the article, practicing artist and researcher at the Art Methodology Department at the Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts of Sergey Andriaka, outlines the fundamental principle of continuous education, devised by the Academy with the purpose of mastering fine art techniques taught to students over a period of five years; in particular, she exemplifies the concept by focusing on the hot enamelling technique. The article maps out gradual evolution of students’ skills from initial practical drawings to lifesize enamel sketching performed by applying the classical technique of multilayer watercoloring. Subsequently, it traces essential requirements for designing a fine watercolor sketch composition. Remarkably, the academic program links together decorative art forms and easel painting. It is for that reason that the mastering of hot enamelling encompasses a number of preliminary stages, primarily academic drawing and multilayer watercolor painting, as well as the production of paperand parchment-based watercolor miniatures. Such unity of the approach enables one to reach a new level in the development of enamel painting. Experience that students have accumulated from previous years of study is utilized to engage with and grasp the techniques of hot enamelling. The sequence of training-oriented exercises performed by first-year students of the Academy logically leads them to the creation of enamels in their third year of studies, in terms of composition and execution quality on par with easel painting. The article is illustrated by students’ art pieces predicated upon the aesthetics of easel painting and carried out with the usage of hot enamelling. Finally, it is accompanied by preparatory paperand parchment-based watercolor sketches.