Crochet portraits by Ekaterina Penzina

Crochet portraits by Ekaterina Penzina
Talented 26 year-old Russian graphic artist, animator and painter Ekaterina Penzina (aka Katika) is from Yaroslavl. She received her first artistic knowledge in Yaroslavl art school. Then followed three-year course of jewellery design in a college, and six years of studying in the Ural Academy of Architecture and Art. However, the idea to replace the brush and paints with a hook and yarn came during her pregnancy, when women tend to do something “warm” and cozy: knitting or sewing. The inner artist and female nature – this is where her technique was born. Besides, it was her mom who played the main role in the decision to begin this direction of textile art. From early childhood Ekaterina learned knitting and sewing from her mother. According to her, crochet painting, and portrait in particular, takes about a week to create it. And the main inspiration for her – famous personalities, human eye, exotic animals, and even epic images of cars. Since 2006 Ekaterina Penzina has exhibited her crochet masterpieces at the national and international exhibitions and in some art projects.
More »

Wearing traditional Russian folk costume Alyonushka, Khokhloma stylized, handmade. Creation by Doll artist Larisa Isayeva

Russian doll artist Larisa Isayeva (kuklaelli) lives and works Yekaterinburg. She creates dolls on different themes – fairy-tale characters, movie characters, cartoons, literary characters, dancers, puppets of different nationalities, and more. Larisa Isayeva works in mixed technique, and in particular, she combines the modeling of polymer clay and textile parts on a flexible framework, as well as sculpting articulated dolls from polymer clay. Like cartoon characters, her dolls “come alive” because they are mobile and can change poses due to wire frame. According to the doll master, it takes her to 14 days to create one doll. In addition, many of her dolls are made in Russian style, for example, Khokhloma and Gzhel. Dressed in national folk costumes, made of fine textile – velvet, brocade, leather, lace, feather, embroidered with beads, and sequins.
More »

Garden beauty. Beaded Flowers by Svetlana Kosheleva

Beaded Flowers by Svetlana Kosheleva
Russian bead artist, craftswoman Svetlana Kosheleva lives in the northern Russian city of Ishim, Tyumen region. She started creating bead flowers in 2011 after she had seen flowers of beads made by masters. According to Svetlana, accidentally seen beaded work inspired Svetlana so much that she immediately started creating, and still can not stop. The desire for beauty, nature, flowers, that lived in a self-taught artist manifested in beautiful beaded compositions of Svetlana. “The work of beads is pleasing to the eye and soothes the soul. Looking at them you do not believe that such beauty is a man-made. Cleverly designed, they look alive …. and bring the tale to life! My passion – flowers, trees of beads and stone, decorated eggs, brooches and mini embroidery.”
More »

Troika. Russian Matryoshka art

First of all, Russian Matryoshka art is a tribute to the Russian culture. Indeed, handpainted doll with a Russian soul is the great cultural heritage of the country. However, Wooden Matryoshka dolls are famous not only because they can be put into each other like boxes for gifts. Each Matryoshka doll has a unique face and even character. According to one legend, these dolls appeared two thousand years ago, and are mentioned in the ancient Indian epic. And, then, to paint the dolls manually started during the time of the Trojan War. According to another legend, if you put a wish note into it, it will come true.
More »

Alma’s Weed. Michael Sherrill ceramic art

Michael Sherrill ceramic art

Born on 27 October 1954, self-taught master Michael Sherrill – recognized worldwide as one of the most honored and original masters of ceramics. He has lived in North Carolina since 1974, the state, known for its pottery tradition, which encouraged the development and training of traditional crafts. In 1974, he moved from his home in Charlotte mountains north-west, where he draws inspiration. In his work the sculptor uses clay, bronze, porcelain, glass. Michael conducts seminars, has developed a line of tools for potters and sculptors under the brand name “Mudtools”. At the present time – the board president of The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design. The Center is in service to advancing the understanding of craft and the field of materials-based arts both in practice and in academic settings.
More »

The map of the country. Vietnamese Rice grain painting

Vietnamese Rice grain painting
Talented artist Duong Huu Cuong has his own rice painting art studio ‘Ngoc Linh’ in Ho Chi Minh City, where alongside with him work 10 artists. The team of talented artists have been working on rice mosaics for more than ten years. The main subject of their art – portraits, traditional landscapes, animals. Each work of art begins with the choice of palette, which consists of basic four colors – white, yellow, brown and black. Rice grains are selected carefully according to colors and size. Masters can achieve subtle transition from one color to another by frying rice grains under the proper heat. Creating a beautiful rice painting requires lots of devotion and patience. It takes from six to twelve days to create a rice grain painting of 80cm x120cm. Of course, the larger picture, the more time is spent on it. Plots variety: .

More »

Movie poster. Frankenstein 1931 horror monster film. Universal Pictures. Directed by James Whale

Frankenstein 1931 horror monster film
From the artistic point of view, the film has become a perfect example of inspiration for artists engaged in movie posters creation.
A talented scientist Henry Frankenstein decides to surpass God himself. He creates a human being with his own hands. Glued together from the remains of corpses and the brain of killer creature immediately behaves aggressively towards the creator … Based on the novel by Mary Shelley, the film immediately became a classic of horror movies and Frankenstein monster took halo of cinematic monster. It is surprising that shot in the 30s movie impresses with its interesting scenario in which lies quite instructive idea.
More »