Clay toys were painted at the Museum of I.E. Repin

In 1967 four masters from a small village who were engaged in producing clay toys were awarded State Repin Prize. Significant Dymkovo toys collection known to the whole world has Art- Memorial Museum of I.E. Repin in Chuguev.

Museum workers continue to tell the children about the collection. At the Art Gallery pupils of one of the Kharkov schools participated in the museum class "Dymkovo toy" during which they got acquainted with one of the oldest Russian folk craft. Pupils tried to paint their own clay toy with Dymkovo patterns: dots, dashes, circles, ovals, straight and wavy lines and others.

That's interesting! This craft is very ancient. It is believed to have originated in the 15-16 century in the village of Dymkovo, near the city of Kirov, which is located on the bank of the river Vyatka. The tradition of making clay toys passed down from mother to daughter. The process of making Dymkovo toys is following: preparation of clay, molding, drying, roasting, whitewashing, and painting.

Modern mistress do not dig and temper clay nor clears it of impurities. All this makes the machine on one of the local ceramic production under the direction of technologist and the clay prepared already for work is packed. Until the mid-20th century Dymkovo masters used chalk, diluted on the skim milk, in which the toy was completely immersed. Today for whitening masters use a complex chemical mixture that is applied with a brush. Today for painting use acrylic and tempera paints.