Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Moscow Government –
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Paint a tree with an ornament, sculpt ornaments from plaster and polymer clay, restore an icon or painting, visit historical sites and art workshops. Participants can do all of this. "Schools of the Restorer"– city pre-vocational training program, a joint project Department of Cultural Heritage of the City of Moscow And College of Architecture, Design and Reengineering No. 26 ("26 KADR"). Moscow schoolchildren aged 12 to 18 are introduced to the profession and cultural heritage sites, study painting and restoration techniques, and work with various tools and materials.
mos.ru correspondents attended the class and learned about the knowledge and skills acquired by program participants, why such projects are important for preserving architectural heritage, and how they help teenagers decide on their future careers.
Revealing the secrets of icon painters
The "School of Restorers" project has been running for seven years. All Moscow teenagers interested in preserving historical and cultural monuments are welcome to participate. Every week from October until the end of June, students work in a workshop at the restoration department of the 26 KADR College, located at 27 Trofimova Street, Bldg. 2. Under the guidance of instructors, they study theory and complete practical assignments, immersing themselves in the secrets of this challenging yet vital profession.
The workshop, located on the fourth floor of the laboratory building, is a creative atmosphere: plywood blanks, tools, and student works—paintings, plaster busts, and stucco decorations—are everywhere. The air smells of paint, wood shavings, clay, and freshly made glue. The latest lesson is devoted to icon restoration technology. At their desks, students are diligently sketching floral designs with pencils. "The hardest thing for me was choosing a design from several—they were all so beautiful," shares eighth-grader Alisa Oleynikova, continuing to draw intricate patterns on paper.
In the previous lesson, the students prepared bases glued together from several layers of plywood. Using a utility knife, they scored them horizontally to improve the adhesion of the primer to the wood and coated them with synthetic glue. Now the bases need to be coated with gesso—a white primer used by icon painters to coat boards.
"Crushed chalk is added to the boiled glue, then everything is mixed until it reaches the consistency of liquid sour cream. We'll apply the gesso to the plywood with a bristle brush to ensure it's thoroughly absorbed, and once the base is dry, we'll apply a second coat of primer. Then, we'll smooth the surface with a spatula and sand it smooth. We'll transfer the sketch to the wood using tracing paper, paint the background and details with tempera, and seal it with acrylic varnish. In the final stage, we'll "age" the board by adding scratches and paint drops, and then restore it," explains Alexandra Kapis, a lecturer at College of Architecture, Design, and Reengineering No. 26.
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Hammer, syringes and microscope
The young art restorers have access to a large arsenal of tools, the same ones used by college students and faculty. The boxes and drawers are filled with everything from brushes, art spatulas, a furniture stapler, screwdrivers, pliers, an axe, a hammer, a mallet, a chisel, a hacksaw, bags of sand and salt for weight, measuring cups, and many other items. There's even a first aid kit with syringes, scalpels, and gauze bandages.
"Syringes are used to precisely inject glue into a specific area of canvas or wood to strengthen the bond between the paint layer and the primer. This huge syringe is used in the restoration of monumental paintings. We also use bandages to reinforce frescoes on church walls so we can carefully remove them and transport them to the workshop," explains Oksana Berezina, a lecturer in the restoration department at the College of Architecture, Design, and Reengineering No. 26.
The training studio also has a glue pot, a refrigerator, electronic scales, and a sink. To study the composition of the primer on an icon or painting, restorers use a mechanical microscope with unique lenses. It moves left and right along aluminum tubes.
"We take a scraping of the soil from a section of the icon or canvas, add a drop of hydrochloric acid, and then examine the reaction under a microscope. If the sample fizzes, it means chalk was used; if not, it means gypsum. This microscope can also be used to determine the number of layers an icon is composed of. To do this, we need to examine a side section of a fragment glued to a glass slide and determine its structure," says Alexandra Kapis.
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Talent, perseverance and artistic thinking
Since 2019, more than 150 students have participated in the "School of Restorers" project. High school students gain knowledge about the profession and decide on their future career path, while teachers monitor potential students and assess their potential.
"By attending our preparatory classes, students have a full understanding of what they will be doing during their three years of study and in their professional life. We, in turn, recognize children who are capable of diligent work, painting, and decorative arts, possessing a steady hand and an artistic mind. These are essential qualities for a restorer, who bears a tremendous responsibility to the artist and future generations," continues Oksana Berezina.
Currently, 20 schoolchildren are involved in the project. Participants meet once a week on Saturdays, with each lesson lasting three hours. In previous lessons, the students delved into the theory and basic methods of restoration and sculpted with plasticine. After learning icon restoration technology, the students will move on to learning about easel painting restoration methods. A tour of the workshop where ceramic roof tiles from the Moscow Kremlin's Taynitskaya Tower are restored is also planned for the students.
"The classes here are very interesting. We draw sketches, prepare the ground, do sculpting, and learn a variety of interesting techniques. Since childhood, I've loved drawing and making various models and bird feeders out of wood, construction sets, and other materials, so the profession of restoration appeals to me. I'll definitely enroll in this college in the future," says eighth-grader Anna Grosheva.
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On the way to a profession
Project participants will have the opportunity to become students at the 26 KADR College and sought-after specialists in restoration and woodworking. Ninth-grader Ekaterina Lasitsa has been attending classes for three years now and is confident in her choice.
"One day, my mom and I went to the seaside and met a fellow traveler on the train who turned out to be a restoration specialist. She learned I was studying at art school and suggested I try my hand at it. During my classes at the 'School of Restorers,' I realized that this profession is very challenging, but interesting. You need to be able to draw, sculpt, glue, work with wood and various materials. Next year, I'll be applying to that department," the schoolgirl shares.
Another program participant, 16-year-old Zlata Proshchayeva, dreams of becoming an architect and considers restoration a favorite hobby. She also attends archeology and numismatics classes at the State Historical Museum.
"I've been attending the 'School of Restoration' program at 26 KADR College for two years now. I've always enjoyed restoration; I used to watch various videos on the subject, and I'm also studying drawing at art school. All these skills will be very useful in my future profession," says Zlata Proshchaeva.
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Upon completion of the classes, which will run until the end of June, participants in the "School of Restoration" will receive certificates. Registration for the program's new course will open next fall. mos.ru portalAdmission to the group is carried out without preliminary selection or requirements for the level of training.
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