Technology
Burning with gold and blazing with vermillion, Khokhloma painting has no rivals. A piece of wood is transformed into a work of art as a result of a long and difficult process. First one has to harvest the wood and strip the bark from the logs. Then the wood is seasoned in the open air for over a year, and only after that it is brought to the production facilities where its new life begins.
Materials
The materials used in making Khokhloma pieces are safe and unique. All items are made of hardwood timber, mainly linden. A special clay mixture is used for priming. Items are saturated with a boiled flax-seed oil varnish. The metallic tinting of the items is obtained by rubbing aluminum powder into the surface. Natural pigments are applied during the painting: soot, chrome yellow, cinnabar, and sienna. The pigments are milled and prepared for use on-site using recipes that have been passed down the generations. The painting itself is carried out using special squirrel-tail brushes, made by the artists themselves. Specially formulated lacquer, suitable for contact with food, is applied to the painted surfaces. The multiple high-temperature treatments make the items functional, durable, and safe in everyday use.
