Sculptor Dmitri Lyndin/The Russian Approach

Summer months I have been attending the studio of prominent Rostov, my birthtown, (Russia) sculptor Dmitry Lyndin, who had graduated first from Grekov (Rostov), same art technichal school as director of Russian Academy in Florence, then Mukhina Sculpture Academy in Moscow. His monumental works are installed over town, from huge commissioned war themed patriotic pieces to poetic bronzes of schoolchildren and animals like dogs or huge horses.

https://xn--d1aihic4f.xn--p1ai/eskizy-rabot

Sculpture of writer Anthon Chekhov, Taganrog

Our studies started by him making me draw 3 min gesture sketches from live model. Again? I thought. As i found out, i was doing everything wrong. I was focusing on contours while he worked with huge geometric archeforms, encouraging to exagerrate.

Same happened with portraiture, when i was drawing a fellow moviemaker who volunteered as a model, in that starting with measurements and outlining shadowshapes.

Lyndin showed me how to start his way. Big movements with graphite in multiple lines, so to find the right shape somewhere in middle, also starting with geometric construction of cylinders, balls including invisible sides and quadrates.

I found this article, and it explains. (c)missoulafineartstudio.com

We had a few questions about what makes a Russian method unique.

Two Ways, Optical vs Conceptual.

What we do in class is based on what we see. Our basic Studio method is primarily based on What it looks like.

Meanwhile the Russian method is concerned with What it is.

They do this by conceptualizing the form, thinking primarily in 3D.

My model Zina

WIP day one