If you've ever dreamed of owning your own studio, but haven't made up your mind, then today's interview is for you! This is an inspiring example about a girl who made her dream come true in Moscow - she created a drawing school under her own name, which began with a studio-workshop. The name of this girl is Anastasia Tsapko-Filimonova.

- Tell us about your school? How long has it existed, what classes and for whom are they held?

— I taught painting classes for children and adults in various studios in Moscow. And the very idea of ​​the school did not come immediately, but, as it were, gradually formed. To begin with, I was looking for a place for my creativity, where I could draw to order, painting not at home, but coming to my creative workspace. Once I met Polina Polukeyeva (jewelry designer), and she had her own workshop on Novoslobodskaya, and this meeting turned out to be fateful. She invited me to her place, to get acquainted with her work iiii .... I stayed there. We stayed there for 2-3 months, but already in three months I managed to conduct a couple of my classes and understand that we need to continue. We moved to a workshop near the Dostoevskaya metro station, repainted the walls, made cosmetic repairs, we moved in, it was the May holidays - a lot of sun and happiness! The workshop was located near the metro, we had windows, before that there was a workshop in the basement. Joyful, we began to create - Polina brooches, I commissioned paintings and taught classes. Gradually, there were more and more classes, every evening girls came to me to create and draw new beauty - oil paintings, acrylics, watercolors, collages, which was not there ...

- At some point, Polina decided to move out, since she did not need a workshop, and she had new creative plans, which, by the way, she embodied. I began to rent one workshop, at first there was a panic that I would be alone, but there was little time to think, I had to act. And 7 days a week I introduced painting and drawing classes for small groups. Writing them down, reminding everyone about classes, coming up with a lesson plan. At that moment, I started dating my future husband, and thanks to his support, his help in the website, in all the technical details, in the internal structure and organization, everything worked out! Without this, the school would probably not exist today! And I am sure that in many successful projects there is always external support, since it is difficult and difficult for one, especially when you are responsible for many actions.

And after six months of the existence of the school on Dostoevskaya, I finally found the first teacher - Alina Roenko. And it became a new impetus! Alina brought new knowledge, new topics, and I was able to exhale a little. And gradually I began to recruit a group of teachers, some still teach with me, some went free swimming or discovered new activities, but I am grateful for every experience of working with them.

The arttsapko drawing school has existed for 2 years already, during its existence about 15 teachers of different directions taught at the school. Now the focus of the school is shifting to online courses. AT this moment there are 13 online courses in different areas - the basics of drawing, watercolor, botanical painting, creative techniques ... Our audience is girls from 25 years old who are fond of creativity in free time living in different corners peace. We also train professional artists who want to improve their skills. Each online course is designed so that everyone, step by step, can learn for himself the technique, material and new theme. Through the review of materials, the concept of chiaroscuro and color wheel, smoothly moving on to sketching and drawing the final illustration.

Where did you learn to draw yourself?

— I studied at the Moscow Institute of Art and Industry, faculty of environmental design. Personally, I did not finish art school and college before this, but immediately entered the institute. Many people ask me if there is any point in art institute? The answer is: it is purely your personal choice. I know cool artists who have no education, they are self-taught. I also know cool artists with higher education. The main thing here is your goal of getting an education: for someone for a crust, someone is really interested in learning, getting to know different people, plunge into the atmosphere. I am grateful for studying at my institute, it was new for me.

What are your favorite art materials? Do you keep artbooks or do you only draw on large formats and single sheets/canvases?

— My favorite materials of this month are oil and graphics. That's how opposite materials, connected in one whole. And, frankly, I think that you need to experiment with materials, look for different methods, methods, techniques in order to understand yourself better. If it's oil, then I paint on canvases from A3 size, but it's not about the scale, but about the idea of ​​what I want to paint. If graphics, then this is A5-A4 format, no more. I don’t do sketchbooks regularly, but now I’m doing graphics, as I’m taking a course in experimental graphics. An interesting experience, I'm sure it will be interesting to review this sketchbook in a few years.

— I know you have online video courses at your school. Tell me more about what topics? How effective is this training in your experience?

— As I said, the focus of the school is changing to the direction of online courses. At the moment there are more than 13 online courses in different areas: watercolor, creative techniques, the basics of drawing, an art book ... This training is effective, with your desire and aspiration. Many write to us from other cities of Russia and even Europe that there is no such plan of schools and such topics as we have, that we really want to come to you, but there is no way. And our online courses allow you to stay in touch with us. The main advice for those who have chosen to study online with us is to create a creative corner at home, buy materials in advance, and start devoting 20 minutes to studying. Start small, so you gradually get involved and want to continue. If there is no drawing, stop. The main thing to remember is that the process is important here. If you draw online and watch the same lesson for the second time, you can put your favorite background music for complete relaxation and at the same time focus. Staying in the topic of like-minded people, post your work on Instagram with the #arttsapko_online tag! In general, I think that the future is in online learning, erasing all the boundaries of the world, by pressing just one button on a tablet, phone or computer, you move to a completely different atmosphere, be it a school of drawing, cooking, makeup!

— What can you advise to those who are just starting to learn to draw?

- To begin. Do not postpone for tomorrow, for holidays, for vacation, for the evening, weekdays and so on. Just start here and now. For example, start with our free mailing list of classes, where you receive letters with tasks and examples of what to draw, upload photos to Instagram as you do it. Or just start with a pencil sketch on a napkin, with a visit to the first master class, gradually you will get involved or not, because after trying it personally you will definitely understand whether it is for you or not. So grab a brush / pencil in your hands faster!

We all love to put stamps on ourselves. "I can not sing". "I can not draw". "I will never be an actor." And without even trying, we sincerely believe that all this is true. And people who have the talent to do what we like so much, we elevate to the rank of celestials. And we don’t think that maybe it’s not so much about talent, but about the absence of fear of the new, the desire to develop and the confidence that a person can do anything. It is this confidence that conquers us Nastya Tsapko, teacher of the studio "I want to draw!" . The motto of the studio is "Anyone Can Draw" Nastya extends to all spheres of life. In addition to working in the studio, she opened her website Art-sreda, helps people make the holidays stylish and unforgettable, and it seems that she is not going to stop!

- You teach at the studio "I want to draw!". Tell me about your work.
- When I first came to the studio, I began to teach classes for children and adults. Now I am an art director of a children's studio. That is, I am responsible for all children's classes - I recruit groups, discuss programs with the presenters, watch how the classes go, and help. I remember well how I myself started working here - ten children in the class, each one says and does something different ... Therefore, I help the girls, I advise them to draw with the children for 15 minutes, then rest for 5 minutes. We turn on the music, each presenter brings his own music, the one that he likes. This is how our mood is conveyed to the guests.

- Do you bring your favorite music directly? What if someone likes Limp Bizkit or Rammstein?
- Well, I have both Nirvana and Metallica in my player. Of course, I do not put it, it is too harsh for both children and adults. We need something calmer and more fun. Such music, under which you can dance with children, get distracted and continue to draw. In children, after all, attention switches very quickly - they begin to tell something, go about their business, and we need them to draw at least a little. Therefore, from time to time we try to switch their attention. But we never force! If the child does not want to draw at all, I can take the lesson in a different direction. We do not have a school, there are no exams, tests. We want both children and adults to have a rest here, to enjoy what they are doing. If a child wants to paint an easel, let him paint! Therefore, we have all easels and painted ones!

What I like most about the studio is that there are no restrictions here. I can take live roses and make a cartoon out of them, we can draw with plasticine or draw a picture on the pavement. I have always longed for that kind of freedom. Wherever I worked before, there were boundaries, work schedules. And then each leader chooses a convenient time for him, a convenient format for classes.

- And besides the studio, what do you do?
- I have my own website. It's called Art-sreda. It is written about everything that I do now and what I did before. By education, I am an environmental designer, that is, I work on the external and internal appearance of buildings. For a year and a half I worked as an interior designer in a store "Old Man Hottabych". There was a certain schedule, I spent 12 hours a day at work. I realized that this is not mine, I can’t sit at the computer for so long, painting, graphics are closer to me, I like to do something with my hands. And communicate with people. The studio helped me get started doing what I love. But I don't want to limit myself to the studio. Now I am also engaged in the design of children's parties, weddings. I never do classic weddings with swans and balloons. A wedding or a holiday can be done, for example, in the style of Dior. Remember the Natalie Portman commercial? There were tea roses. You can use them, a Dior bow, and other elements. I recently made children's holiday in space style. I came up with the idea that stardust from spangles from Christmas tree garlands fell on the children, there was also a rocket from which the children looked out. Parents were also very pleased, maybe even more than the children. But in general, it is very difficult to push people to something new. Many think standard, afraid to experiment. Therefore, the designer must know psychology, be able to persuade a person, show what is really beautiful. I don't limit myself to decorations either. I myself conduct weddings and holidays, I try to come up with something original, and not to hold the same type of competitions that are boring to everyone. Last wedding, for example, was entirely in verse. That is, everything in general is important for me - both the design and the atmosphere.

- Have you ever studied psychology?
- Professionally, no. I read for myself books on child psychology, motivational books, watch movies. And I try not to just read it and forget it. What I liked and useful, I save and periodically review.

- Are you going to do something else?
- You always want something more, but not always enough time and energy. But I tell everyone and try to show by my example: you can’t limit yourself. If you want to draw, draw! If you want to dance, dance! We must constantly expand our horizons. I think so. And I try not to limit myself in my desires and aspirations. There are very versatile people around me, and the environment is very important. What kind of people will be next to you, so you yourself will be.

- The motto of the studio is “Everyone can draw!”. Do you think this applies to everything?
- Yes! Everyone can do everything! And draw, and sing, and dance. The main desire. It's just that some have talent from birth, and some need to develop abilities. I also didn’t draw since childhood, I didn’t go to art school. I started drawing quite by accident.

- How?
- In the 11th grade, I was going to become a translator, I wanted to travel. But then I thought that this work would be connected with documents, but I would not want that. I was also interested in history. You see, very far from painting! But there was no desire to sit in the archives either. My father helped me to choose drawing. Apparently, he felt that office work did not suit me at all. He suggested that I take up painting or go to the choir.

- To the choir?
- Yes! I must pay tribute to my parents, they also never limited me - if you want - draw, if you want - learn math. And they themselves are mathematicians by education. We chose the institute together with my mother. As a result, they chose MKhPI (Moscow Artistic and Industrial Institute), because it is very beautiful - there are paintings everywhere, beautiful paintings. I have never seen such institutions. Before that, I went to RUDN University, to Moscow State University. Everything was very serious there - high ceilings, gray walls. And here - red, gold, paintings! I went to preparatory courses and began to learn to draw. I had no idea what it was to draw from nature.

- But you still had the ability, the inclination to draw?
- Nothing like this! A person can start drawing at any time. At the first lesson, we drew all sorts of plaster things - cubes, pyramids. Maybe you have seen that artists sometimes close one eye and measure something with their finger. We all had no idea why the artists did it, but everyone was very smart and did it too. Then they confessed to each other, it was very funny! The first three months were very difficult for me. My brain flipped 360 degrees. I had to learn to see all these shadows, penumbra, how one color is reflected in another. I kept thinking what they want from me?! At first, I had no idea where I was going. After studying for three months, I told my parents: let me finish my studies for the six months that you paid for, and leave. But another three months passed, and I began to succeed, I got involved. The entrance exams to this institute were earlier than the final exams at the school. So I entered before I even graduated from high school. I passed the exam in drawing badly and came to appeal. The only one of all. And she assured the teachers that she drew everything correctly. Now I understand all my mistakes, but then I had a lot of ambitions!

- Could you imagine yourself as someone else now? Not an artist, not a designer.
- If you imagine well, then yes. It would definitely be the field of art, for example, music. I would really like to go to vocals sometime in the future. Just for myself. I once studied vocals, and my teacher said that 80% of success is technique, and 20% is natural ability. And they can be developed at any time, from any age. She was visited by a woman who began to sing after retiring at 60.

- At what point did you finally realize that painting, design is exactly what you would like to do?
- After working in the "Old Man Hottabych". It was interesting for me to discuss the design of the apartment with clients, to come up with it. But mostly people didn't want anything special. But there were also those who wanted to put a lot of things into one room: the tiles were black and red, the walls were sheathed with something ... I tried to dissuade people from this. In "Old Man Hottabych" I realized that I wanted to work in the field of design and painting, but in a slightly different direction.

- How did you get into the studio "I want to draw!"?
- Online look at me I read an interview with Masha, who created the studio, and wrote to her. We met, talked, then I came to Masha for a lesson. And she says: “This is your job. Lead." That's how it all started. I began to conduct classes, then - to write programs. I mean, I wasn't really looking for anything. I just liked Masha, I liked what she said in her interview, we matched. Not everyone you read about on the Internet, you will write. But on the Internet it is quite possible to find something worthwhile.

- Who is easier to work with - children or adults?
- Differently. Adults are very reserved. They are afraid to take a brush, mix paints, do not want to draw in front of someone. Children, on the other hand, are very violent. They might throw something at you laughs). They may not listen to you at all, start telling some kind of fable of their own - where he was, what he did with his mother. Someone can sit under a chair and cry, one boy closed me in the studio. There are very different children. For example, we have a boy who is very fond of drawing roses and princesses.

Some guests come here just to relax, and there are those who draw professionally. People who study at the British School of Design come to me, here they work on their portfolio.

There are very closed people which are difficult to reach. They want to say, “Relax! I don’t rate you, I don’t take the diary, I don’t scold you! With age, we have some standards, frameworks. The studio exists in order to liberate people and show that at any age you can freely communicate with everyone.

- And what was the most memorable case with children or with adults?
- Just with that boy who closed me in the studio. Once he came out of the toilet without pants! I tell him: "Go to the toilet, put on your pants and come back." And he laughs. Then he climbed onto a high stool and began to jump off it. It was my first visit to the children's studio. After him, I'm not afraid of anything, and all the children seem like angels.

There was also a boy who called me "baby". He came in and said: “Hi, babe!”.

Are you tired of constant communication? It happens that there is no mood, you don’t want anything, and everyone is waiting for you to light and inspire them.
- Vice versa. When I start talking, my mood rises. There are days when I don’t want to communicate with anyone, but I, fortunately, have enough days off. Yes, work is constantly changing. I work on the computer and draw by myself. Because of this change, it is possible to be less tired. If I sat at the office at the computer all the time, I would be much more tired. The worst thing about office work is when you have already done everything, but you have to sit until a certain time. Is the weather good there or you need to go home. And what to do? You start thinking up some stupid things for yourself. This has always killed me! Many people work like this all their lives, but it doesn’t fit in my head!

- Do you draw for yourself?
Yes, but not as often as we would like. Usually I draw on trips or with guests. I find it easier to draw with other people than by myself. It is usually believed that the artist sits alone, meditating. I can't do that. I feel more comfortable when there are people around.

- Do you have your paintings hanging at home?
- Not. I don't have any of my paintings at home. They hang in my brother's office, in the apartment of my grandparents, in the "Old Man Hottabych" until now.

- You basically do not hang your paintings at home?
- No, it doesn't matter. I just don't have much in my room. I have a very bright room, and nothing hangs on the walls. Once a designer came to our institute who said that when he needs to come up with something, he does not communicate with anyone, does not watch TV and the Internet, is not interested in what others have come up with, but simply sits in a bright room. room and starts painting. That is, his inspiration comes from within, not from outside.

Everyone can learn to draw, and this does not require natural talent or many years of study in a special school. Just 1-2 lessons with a professional, and you will feel confident with a pencil and brush, even if you have never noticed the ability to fine art.

Arttsapko - online drawing school

At the Arttsapko school courses you:

• Learn the basics of painting and drawing.
• Master the technique of drawing with a marker.
• Learn to work with watercolor.
• Get familiar with experimental graphics techniques.

The Arttsapko online project is a drawing studio for adults, so online courses and intensives are dedicated not only to beginners, but also to professionals. The training will be of interest to artists, designers and illustrators seeking new forms and ideas.

All training programs include free lessons so that you can make a buying decision based on the experience you get. Courses are available for viewing around the clock, and after the purchase they remain with you forever.