The Big GameFacets of Vrubel
For those who want to learn to paint in oil
A Great Game in oil painting. We paint a copy of the famous picture by Mikhail Vrubel, "The Swan Princess".
This time one of the most enigmatic and beautiful paintings of Russian art awaits us.
Over 5 big streams we will step by step create our own copy of "The Swan Princess" and try to unravel the particular artistic language of Mikhail Vrubel.
Why "The Facets of Vrubel"?
His painting seems to be assembled from a multitude of separate facets — strokes, shades and reflections. Form does not dissolve in smooth transitions but is built up like a crystal. It is this principle that we will try to understand and apply in our own work.
5 streams — from the first drawing and the large color relationships to the final highlights and details.
"The Facets of Vrubel" — a Great Game about color, light, texture and one of the most unusual painterly languages of Russian art.
The Great Game "The Facets of Vrubel"
Mikhail Vrubel. "The Swan Princess"
By the end of the game, you will have your own professional-looking oil painting
For those who want to learn to paint in oilThe Big GameFacets of Vrubel
A Great Game in oil painting. We paint a copy of the famous picture by Mikhail Vrubel, "The Swan Princess".
This time one of the most enigmatic and beautiful paintings of Russian art awaits us.
Over 5 big streams we will step by step create our own copy of "The Swan Princess" and try to unravel the particular artistic language of Mikhail Vrubel.
Why "The Facets of Vrubel"?
His painting seems to be assembled from a multitude of separate facets — strokes, shades and reflections. Form does not dissolve in smooth transitions but is built up like a crystal. It is this principle that we will try to understand and apply in our own work.
5 streams — from the first drawing and the large color relationships to the final highlights and details.
"The Facets of Vrubel" — a Great Game about color, light, texture and one of the most unusual painterly languages of Russian art.
The Great Game "The Facets of Vrubel"
Mikhail Vrubel. "The Swan Princess"
Plans
Join us and make your own piece
You can choose the payment currency in the header, top right
What the course gives you
Using "The Swan Princess" as our example, we will learn to paint white on white and discover dozens of shades within it: cool blues, lilacs, pearly tones, silvery hues, and warm shades.
We will also work on the Princess's face — its complex, cool skin tone, expressive eyes, soft features, and the contrast between her dark hair and fair face.
We will pay special attention to the famous kokoshnik headdress. We will explore how to convey pearls, silver, colored gemstones, and intricate ornamentation without painting every detail, while preserving a sense of preciousness and shimmer.
We will paint wings and sheer fabric, look for reflected colors, explore the complex twilight background, and learn to create the pearly glow that fills the painting
Course programme
Lesson 1
August 27, 7:00 PM MSK
Lesson 2
September 3, 7:00 PM MSK
Lesson 3
September 10, 7:00 PM MSK
Lesson 4
September 17, 7:00 PM MSK
- 9/24/2026
Lesson 5
September 24, 7:00 PM MSK
References
Course results
Mikhail Mishinsky
Artist, teacher
Feedback
Paint your piece following the lesson and send a photo of it. The teacher will look at what worked and what to fix and reply right here; you will also get an email.
- 1Work
- 2Review
- 3Chat