Visual effects artist got credit on Russian films as combined filming artist. They were responsible for matte paintings and miniature tricks. Most of the Russian Film Studios have their special effects department usually with a technician in charge of FX camera operator and an artist for the matte paintings and miniatures.
I have found very little information about these artists and technicians. If anyone has information about any Russian artist of matte paintings or miniatures it will be welcome.
So far I have only a few Russian matte artists, Zoya Moryakova , Natasha Nikitina, Edward Malikov, Mikhail Krotkin , Arseni Klopotovsky, Lyudmila Aleksandrovskaya, and Tatyana Nikitchenko
After the Russian Revolution, some artists from this country went to German and France, where they developed a career in the Film Industry. Some of those artists became art directors as Eugene Lourie (hanging miniature expert) and Pierre Schildneck ( who became also matte painter after working with Percy Day in France and later went to live in Spain). Some others like Nicholas Wilke established in France as model makers specialized on hanging miniatures. You can find some samples of their works following the links.
“The same specialization as in Hollywood has been pursued in the Soviet Studios. The special effects department is very important and several young cameramen and designers specialize in “combined shots”, the Russian term for shots using painted or three-dimensional models, rear projection, traveling mattes, and so on. ”
From the Book “Le decor de Film” /”The History of Film design” by Leon Barsacq published at 1970.
The term “Combined shot” is commonly used for special effects work on Russian films.
1946 – Kamennyy tsvetok / The Stone Flower
1947- Zolushka
1953- Kompozitor Glinka/ Man of music
1956- Ily a Muromets
1956- Starik Khottabych /Flying carpet
1963- Korolevstvo krivykh zerkal / Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors
1963 – Mechte Navstrechu / Encounter In Space
1967 - The tale of Tsar Sartan