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New York Daily News writes an article about portrait artist Igor Babailov and his offiicial portrait of Pope Benedict XVI. BY DAVE GOLDINER DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Tuesday, April 15th 2008, 4:00 AM New York, NY Pontiff's aura colors artist's image Pope Benedict 's official portrait will be unveiled on Tuesday night - and the artist hopes it provides a unique window into the pontiff's soul. Painter Igor Babailov says he labored to create a realistic image of the holy father, but also to convey the inner power that lets him inspire billions of people worldwide. "There is this special aura about him," Babailov, 43, said Monday. "When he touches you, something special happens in the room." Benedict, who sat for several preliminary sketches with Babailov, will see the finished portrait for the first time tonight at the Vatican ambassador's residence in Washington . The life-size work of art depicts the pontiff, hands clasped in front of him, standing next to Jesus - images meant to show the power of faith and prayer. "We're all God's children," Babailov said. "We are all special people, and the Pope is no different." The painting is like an early birthday present for the Pope, who turns 81 tomorrow. It drew rave reviews from Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Vatican's ambassador to the U.S. "It is much more than an image but rather a painting of a presence," Sambi said. Babailov grew up in Russia in a family of artists. He is no stranger to painting famous people: He has done portraits of President Bush , Nelson Mandela , Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani . Perhaps Babailov's most important assignment was a portrait of Pope John Paul II in 2003. The late pontiff loved the work so much that he had it moved to his Vatican apartment as he lay on his deathbed. Babailov journeyed to Rome 18 months ago to start working on a half-dozen sketches of the regal-looking Pope Benedict. "It's a luxury to have so much time, especially with someone so important and busy," he said. "You have to get a feel for the person." dgoldiner@nydailynews.com With Bill Gallo

Official Portrait of General David H. Petraeus, US Military Commander and CIA Director - West Point Academy portrait by Igor Babailov. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Recent Official Portraits Gen. David H. Petraeus U.S. Military Commander, CIA Director (Oil on Canvas, 36" x 36") Official Collection: West Point Museum United States Military Academy at West Point, NY "It is not every day that a man sees himself captured by the hand of such artistry. Please know that it was my honor to be the subject of one of your works." ~ David H. Petraeus In preparation for the official portrait painting of General David H. Petraeus General David H. Petraeus Award "For Excellence" Presented to Igor Babailov by General David H. Petraeus, U.S. Military Commander, CIA Director, for the work on his portrait at West Point Academy Museum. OTHER OFFICIAL PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

Portrait paintings of precious Children - by Portrait Master artist Igor Babailov. Distinguished Family & Private Collections. Naples - Nashville - New York - Washington - Charlotte. Children UP Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA PORTRAITS of CHILDREN (selected portraits) "What can be more precious, than our precious children.." ~ Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA CLICK on portraits to see them CLOSER What You Need To Know When Commissioning A Portrait Painting PORTRAIT PROCEDURE The Portrait Master Approach

Portrait of Prime Minister Jean Chretien (Charcoal on Canvas), by Igor Babailov. Collection: Power Corporation of Canada. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Recent Official Portraits Prime Minister Jean Chretien 20th Prime Minister of Canada Portrait of The Right Honourable Jean Chretien , 20th Prime Minister of Canada (Charcoal on Canvas, 40" x 30") Collection: Power Corporation of Canada Portrait sitting with Prime Minister Jean Chretien at 24 Sussex, the official Prime Ministers' residence in Ottawa, Canada Original Graphite Portrait Studies, done in a life-sitting with Prime Minister Jean Chretien OTHER OFFICIAL PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

In this article, portrait artist Igor Babailov speaks out on the need to return to traditional academic training for visual artists.  Featured in the "International Artist" Magazine Why we must keep the traditions alive Igor Babailov speaks out on the need and the opportunities to return to traditional academic training for visual artists. by Igor Babailov Traditional academic education has become a touchy subject in the contemporary debate over what an art education should be. In the second half of the 20th century, the majority of art schools rejected the traditional approach in their programs, creating not only confusion and chaos in students' minds, but a diminished appreciation of fine art in viewers' eyes. Going back through centuries of art history, generations of artists agreed that traditional studies were a "must" for every art student, encompassing all "views" and "visions", Art, just like a house, needs a strong foundation to prevent it from falling apart in the future, and an academic education provides that foundation. But in the last few decades, human anatomy and drawing - the fundamental necessities for developing true artistic skill - have been completely erased from the pages of students' books. These subjects have been replaced by canvases covered in dribbles and splatters of paint, or by simple geometric colored shapes, and then they are told to believe that these are somehow as great as the old masters. What could possibly be more destructive to a sound art education? In the past 10 years of my teaching career, with students from around the world, I have met many "victims" of such modern-day programs whose talents were imprisoned in the bush of "free expression.." I see them seeking the guiding light of strong traditional instruction wherever it's available. Outposts of tradition Fortunately, academic training has not been completely stamped out. I received a sound traditional education when I was a student at the Surikov Academy of Fine Arts in Moscow, one of the very few old art institutions left in the world that has not been infected by the epidemic of "modernism". The Florence Academy of Art in Italy is another school of this nature, where I had the opportunity to instruct a figure painting class last summer. My good friend and a wonderful artist Allan R. Banks from Florida introduced me to this school. I was very happy to discover that the discipline of step-by-step academic curriculum is the main requirement for students of the Florence Academy. The Florence Academy of Art is a branch of the International Academy of Realist Art, and like the Surikov Academy, it is dedicated to the intensive study and teaching of the Old Masters' methods and techniques. It was founded in 1991 by Daniel Graves, who studied with Richard Lack in Minnesota and later came under the influence of Piertro Annigoni. Graves envisions the Academy as an institution with the potential to turn out a select group of highly skilled Realist painters. Here, internationally varied students can receive training from professional painters of different nationalities and educational backgrounds. The core of academic training Teaching at the Florence Academy was a great experience for me as well. Naturally, I was compairing it to the Surikov Academy, and the similarities in the educational approach were apparent. Both schools emphasize studying the human form, working from life and copying the Old Masters. Drawing and anatomy - the two most important subjects that every artist should know as well as the "two-times table" - are highlighted in both programs. In these courses, most of the hours are devoted to understanding and solving the problems of form and proportions, tonal (value) relationships and chiaroscuro. The students are also required to study composition, human anatomy, perspective and the technology of art materials - all of the ABC's for mastering an artist's skill. In drawing class, students learn the Old Masters' sight-size method of drawing: You stand in the same place in relation to the subject and to your absolutely upright easel, and draw the subject in the same size you see it. Working from a single vantage point marked on the floor, you take visual measurements by sighting along a plumb line. After this study, you step forward to work on the drawing from memory. The benefits to be gained from this exercise are enormous. It trains your visual memory, intensifies your ability to see proportions and foreshortenings, and coordinates your eye. As I always tell my students, the importance of good drawing skills cannot be overemphasized. In the words of Nicolas Poussin, "Drawing is the skeleton of what you do and color is its flash." Painting with the Masters Perhaps one of the most essential exercises in learning to paint is the copying of master works in the museums, a practice that's still maintained by both of these traditional academies. As a student at the Surikov Academy, I was fortunate to have access to such museums as the Pushkin Museum, the Russian Museum and the Hermitage. The students at the Florence Academy have similar opportunities, as the school is located in the center of the city, a short walk from the Duomo, the Accademia and the famous Uffizi Gallery. Academy students are given special permission to draw from originals at the Uffizi Gallery's Old Masters Drawing Room. Of course, copying involves more than expressing your feeling of the subject and reproducing it in your own words. To create a copy, you literally follow step by step after the master artist's procedure, getting to know his method, understanding his philosophy of the "stroke- treatment" and so on. Such practice allows you to understand how the great artists from the past translated three-dimensional form into two dimensions. The copying experience cannot be conveyed in just a few words. When your easel is only a couple of inches away from an original painting or drawing by, let's say, Rubens, it's as if you're having a dialogue with that master. This feeling is indescribable. And to have such an experience while immersed in history, surrounded by Renaissance sculptures, architecture and museum treasures - the whole atmosphere of Florence - is an incredible inspiration, generating a hunger for learning the secrets of the Old Masters. The academic experience The curriculum of the Florence Academy of Art is based on the tradition begun in Italy and developed in the academies of northern Europe, particularly in the major Realist ateliers of 19th-century Paris, best exemplified by that of Jean-Léon Gérôme. Similarly, the system of training in the Surikov Academy is based on the best traditions of Russian as well as European Realist schools, including French Academic tradition. Today's students in both the Surikov and Florence academies find themselves in the privileged situation of having models available almost all day, every day. As they work, they receive criticism that is continuous, precise, non-compromising and gauged to the individual progress. I believe that only by seeing the mistakes can you really learn. The Florence Academy of Art is continuing another tradition, in which artists are trained to master more than a single genre or medium, working in sculpture along with painting. Skill in drawing lies at the core of both these disciplines. In addition to the Drawing and Painting Program, the Florence Academy now offers two new programs of study - Sculpture and Intensive Drawing. There is hope As the spiral of modern art history continues to wind down, we can see the increasing demand for tradition in the visual arts. Although much damage to academic education has been done, there are more and more artists, organizations and schools around the world trying to bring the traditions back, to restore the values left to us by the Old Masters. Ultimately, the aim of such schools of Realist art should be to train artists who are able to draw to a very high standard; have a deep understanding and knowledge of anatomy, perspective and composition as foundations for great painting; have positive attitudes toward life and nature, and see it and express it in their works with uncompromising truth; and have a great knowledge of the Old Masters' methods and techniques, and apply them to their own works in order to preserve these methods for future generations of artists. Now, more than ever before, we Realist artists should join together in a worldwide effort to achieve these educational goals [for example, as found in the work of the American Society of Classical Realism (ASCR), The Art Renewal Center (ARC), the American Society of Portrait Artists (ASOPA) and other sound organizations, dedicated to a renewal in the visual arts]. Regardless of the geographical location and differences in "mother tongues", we have the same idols and the same principles. Our language of communication is our Art. Sharing it with each other and teaching it -- that is the key to the success and never-ending beauty and harmony of Realism. _________________________________________________________________________________________ International Artist Magazine is a Fine Art Magazine, published in Australia. This magazine has wide distribution and is read by serious and professional artists around the world. Mr. Babailov's article on Why we must keep the traditions alive is a direct result of his teaching at the Florence Academy of Fine Art, Italy. It is candid description of his personal views on Classical Realism and his experiences as a professional artist and teacher. The article has generated very positive response from its readers, worldwide. Why we must keep the traditions alive is featured on pages 18-20 of the February/March issue, 2000 of the International Artist Magazine. Igor Babailov's students, Figure Painting class Florence, Italy after K. Flavitsky's "Portrait of an Italian girl" by Igor Babailov Museum copy, Surikov Academy, 3rd year

Igor Babailov, Hon.RAA meets with his portrait clients in his Mid-South Studio and National Arts Club in New York City. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Studio Portrait Sittings The Mid-South Studio The National Arts Club New York City Mr. Babailov also travels extensively to the schedule and convenience of his portrait client’s location and caters to a distinguished professional clientele in the United States, Canada and around the world. PORTRAIT PROCEDURE The Master Approach What You Need To Know When Commissioning A Portrait Painting

Official portrait of The Honorable Michael Meighen, Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Recent Official Portraits The Honorable Michael Meighen Former Senator, Chancellor of McGill University, and grandson of Arthur Meighen, the 9th Prime Minister of Canada Collection: McGill University, Montreal The Honorable Michael Meighen (oil on canvas, 52' x 42') Collection: McGill University, Montreal OTHER OFFICIAL PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

Official portrait of Luke Gregory, M.A. - CEO, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, by artist Igor Babailov, in Nashville, TN, Distinguished scientists, doctors, Healthcare Industry leaders. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Recent Official Portraits Luke Gregory, MBA, MHA, MA CEO, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital Collection: Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN Luke Gregory, MBA, MHA, MA CEO, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Nashville, TN (Oil on Canvas) Portrait unveiling at the artist's studio with distinguished healthcare Industry leaders. OTHER OFFICIAL PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Family Portraits Martha-Ann Alito Oil on Canvas, 40" x 30" PORTRA ITS of WOMEN by Igor Babailov

Official Portrait of His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov, by Igor Babailov. Official Portrait Unveiling. Collection: Imperial House of Romanov, Madrid, Spain. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov (1917 - 1992) H.I.H. Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov (oil on canvas, 40"x 30") H.I.H. Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov , a direct descendant of Alexander II and Britain's Queen Victoria, was the Head of the Imperial House of Romanov from 1938 until his death in 1992. The Grand Duke's father was Kirill Vladimirovich Romanov (1876-1938), cousin of the Russian Emperor, Nicholas II. The Grand Duke's daughter is the current Head of the Imperial House of Romanov, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna. Official Portrait Unveiling Collection: The Imperial House of Romanov, Madrid, Spain OTHER OFFICIAL PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Pete Quaife Musician, artist, author Founding member and the original bass guitarist of the legendary British Rock group, The KINKS Pete Quaife (charcoal on canvas, 40"x 30"), portrait from Life by Igor Babailov, 1994 Pete Quaife and Igor Babailov Pete and Igor Great friends - Good times Pete Quaife at Igor Babailov's studio in front of the Columbus painting, with his incomparable British humor Paul McCartney and Pete Quaife Credit: Hilton Archives

Official portrait of C. Wright Pinson, MD, MBA, CEO of Vanderbilt Health System, Nashville, TN. By portrait artist Igor V. Babailov, Hon. RAA Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Recent Official Portraits Portrait of C. Wright Pinson, MD, MBA CEO, Vanderbilt Health System Portrait of C. Wright Pinson (50"x 42", oil on canvas), by Igor Babailov. C. Wright Pinson with the drawing study of him completed by Igor Babailov from life in preparation for the grand oil portrait. Dr. Billy Hudson, Dr. Julie Hudson, Igor Babailov, Hon.RAA, Dr. C.Wright Pinson Official portrait unveiling With Mr. and Mrs. Jim Ayers and Dr. C.Wright Pinson Collection: Pinson Hospital Hospitality House, Nashville, TN OTHER OFFICIAL PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov