A Strong Message

Igor Raikhline looks beyond the subject matter to the meaning of his artwork

- Igor Raikhline

To start, I have a confession to make. I am not consistent in the genre that I paint. I can easily switch from a portrait of someone I encounter to fantasy art, as well as from landscape to still life. This is despite my knowing that it would probably be better for building my portfolio to present myself as a painter of a specific genre. Well, this is who I am, and it is too late to change myself, so I am trying to make the best of it.

Now, to my story—for me, the starting point, the initial push for a new painting, obviously, is getting an idea, and I am fortunate enough to have new ideas popping up all the time. They usually come by themselves and from unexpected places—taking a walk in the park, watching TV commercials or simply flipping through a magazine’s ads.

The next step is to make this vague something tangible, something that might make sense to pursue, to devote a good chunk of my time, to build a painting that might mean something to the art lover. Because I have a tendency to pursue a realistic style, I know the path will be bumpy and not fast and easy.

Then comes gathering supporting materials and weighing my options on whether this idea is worth following. It can come and go, and it can disappear as easily as it appeared in the first place. But a good idea never quits. It comes back in the middle of the night, it can keep worrying you for days, until you give up and pursue it, hoping for the best outcome. It is irrelevant whether it is a still life or a landscape, a portrait or any other genre—the project has to have meaning. It must be not only a great painting but it also has to have a strong message.