«Military camouflage»

1941 – 1945

From the first year of the war Iakov Chernikhov was working by order of the Department of Military Camouflages of the People’s Commissariat of Defense of the USSR on creation of the cycle “Military camouflage”. The research work designed as a manual for the military and special educational institutions was supplemented with 63 color compositions.

Iakov Chernikhov examined in detail the camouflage methods including coloration, blackout, decorative covers, chemical screens, artificial structures, luminous paints, as well as structural techniques enabling the visual characteristics of the surface and volume of defense installation to be altered.

He studied the methods of color illuminations with consideration for peculiar features of the installations dictating the character of the outline of camouflage cover in addition to the color design concept. Presented in the work is a selection of color combinations: bright, sharp compositions and dull color stains, formless stains and blurred combinations, arrangement of color layouts, light and shadow design concepts and axonometric constructions.

When creating the camouflage design, Iakov Chernikhov used the approach of the scale designing. Resting upon the thorough knowledge of stylistic nuances, he bravely combined the techniques of cubofuturism and folk brightly-colored pictures, adding the picturesque dramaturgy into the technical task of military camouflage.