Moscow-based artist Alexander Levchenkov draws from the techniques of applying oil paint to canvas from great artists of the Renaissance to the modern day. Levchenkov’s paintings reflect not only the methods of his ancient predecessors, but the subject matter as well, with many of his works containing historical scenes and subjects.
Gaining energy and inspiration from hundreds of years of masterful artistry “allows you to fully and reliably depict three-dimensional objects in space on the two-dimensional surface of the canvas,” says Levchenkov. “The essence of the method is that the whole process is divided into stages.”
Tea for Two, oil on canvas, 23½ x 31½"
He breaks down his process: “In the very beginning, I tint the canvas with some neutral color, for example, gray-green, on which I draw the main outlines.
I start working with color with liquid layers, allowing the paint to be translucent...After this layer is dry, I proceed to further saturate the paint surface of the painting. I try not to touch the shadows and leave them as transparent as possible. I use denser strokes to work in halftones and light. And the lightest parts of the picture are painted with very thick layers of paint, laying its mass in shape, thereby achieving the volume and vividness of the depicted object.”
Sagittarius, oil on canvas, 31½ x 21"
He continues, “While working, I try to make sure that the brightest and most contrasting moments are grouped in the center of the picture, and not appear near the edge or in the corner...I start the picture with the general shapes and large forms, which in the process of work are enriched and complicated by a detailed interpretation, and I finish the picture with small details.” —
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