This is classic 2D animation with a painterly stylization.
Key features of the style:
Hand-drawn outlines and fills — clean but not overly rigid lines, with smooth color transitions;
Painterly texture of the backgrounds — the backdrops resemble tempera, watercolor, and acrylic works: they have a “tangible” quality, slight graininess, and soft color patches, as if they were paintings on paper or celluloid;
Stylization inspired by Old Russian art — the character designs and ornaments reference icon painting, book miniatures, and folk росписи (decorative painting), though without literal copying;
Volume through complex chiaroscuro — instead of flat color, the figures use layered shadows and highlights to give the characters weight and expressiveness;
Contrast between characters and backgrounds — the characters are more stylized and graphic, while the landscapes are more detailed and atmospheric, creating an epic scale.
This style strikes a balance between traditional animation and historical stylization to convey the spirit of the bylina (epic folk tale) and Old Russian culture.
