Book graphics in the creation of the fine artist Stefan Sadovnikov

Abstract

Since the 1980s, visual artist Stefan Sadovnikov has been involved in book graphics. In this field, the artist managed to approach various genres of literature: poetry, prose, scientific literature, etc. According to the illustrated topics, the graphic techniques approached by the graphic designer are: pencil, pen, gouache, including computer techniques. The strong part of his illustrations consists in appealing by the artist to the plastic principles related to the sign and symbol. Analyzing the book illustrations signed by the fine artist Stefan Sadovnikov, we notice a wide range of allegorical symbols and metaphors created by the artist based on various principles of agglutination, interference of shapes and plastic lines, specific especially to the thinking of sculpture artists. By plastically combining the human figure with the object, the artist personifies the ideas of home, city, music, poetry and love. The artistic image appears as a quintessence of the human character’s relations with the object. Thus, in several illustrations created by the fine artist Stefan Sadovnikov, inanimate objects came to life and features identical to human character and spirit.