A_P_I133_2015_

DRAWING FROM THE SOUL READER INTERVIEW

“Study classic paintings by the old masters,” advises

Natali Kayurova, and “don’t be afraid to make

mistakes.” Crucially, find something to get involved

with .“Find the subject that is the most attractive for

you,” she says. “Then the process itself will inspire

you and will bring you joy. If you put a bit of your soul

DESIGN TIPS

wanted to try to combine those two art movements,
to enhance my abilities in classical painting, but also
not to deviate from my style.

YOUR WORK HAS A WONDERFULLY RUSTIC
FEEL, HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE THAT WHEN
WORKING DIGITALLY?
I practise a lot on paper and sketch with pencil and oil.
I got acquainted with Photoshop about four years
ago, but I still find new things in the program to try
and new techniques in painting to experiment with. I
aim to make digital paintings that look similar to my
previous works on canvas, to achieve this I use
custom brushes and filters.

HOW DID YOU START WORKING AS A
PROFESSIONAL ARTIST?
I always followed the principle that there must be
something more than just having a commercial
benefit to your work. I think it is great when an
artist is motivated by this idea. For example, I was
always attracted to monumental painting, so I
painted the walls in the concert hall of Moscow
back in 2010. Then I wanted to broaden my
horizons and try my hand at being in a huge
company and become part of a large team of
developers. I got a job atWargaming.netas an
artist. It was great, I received lots of experience
and made some new friends. It became obvious
though, that I had to move on, so now I work with
the brilliant people in the school of computer
graphics, CGTarian (www.cgtarian.com), as an
instructor in the basics of drawing.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE TEACHING WITH
YOUR PERSONAL PROJECTS?
The course lasts for eight weeks, and runs every
three months. The students have lectures and online

meetings, I then explain the lectures further and

answer their questions. At the end of the week,

students send me homework, which I check and

review for each of them. Students often write to me

and ask for advice about something they are finding

difficult at various times during the week. So I have

no set timetable for school, it is just a part of my life. I

have not been freelancing, which means I have

roughly three days for personal projects.

KAYUROVA EXPLAINS HOW SHE INSPIRES HER STUDENTS

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I draw inspiration from different sources. It can be good

music, work by famous artists of the Renaissance, and

sometimes fiction. I might even see some amazingly

beautiful and complicated natural phenomena just

walking down the street. I like the fact that I can express

my emotions through drawing. It’s very difficult and

exciting to make a static picture alive and full of sense

and feelings.

Russian Stuff: Not everything Kayurova creates is

inspired by fairy tales, as seen here

in the picture, you will make it.” Much of Kayurova’s

work is an echo of all life on Kamchatka, with

Kayurova noting that when she paints where she

grew up she does not “need to invent, because I

have lived in this atmosphere for a long time - all

that is in my mind just bursting onto the canvas.”

Kamcha: Kayurova makes good use of Photoshop’s

layers and custom brushes