Russian Decorative Painting

Book excerpt: Priscilla Hauser, the queen of decorative painting, and Boris Grafov, a Russian-born painter whose native village is world-renowned for its art, have produced a luminous follow-up to their Russian Folk Art Painting. This radiant new volume features bright arrangements of flowers, fruits, and leaves, bordered in gold or silver filigree, and set off by a black lacquered surface. It’s a style with a timeless appeal, and Hauser and Grafov provide comprehensive instructions for creating ten beautiful patterns on furniture and other objects. All the necessary skills are explained, with plenty of advice on preparing the surface, wielding the brush, and mixing colors. Start by painting the intricate borders of wreath and linked motifs, then, make the designs more luscious with every colorful layer.