Rendering Emotional Robots
Join Donato Giancola in his studio as he takes an old sketch, adapts the nature of the figures and creates robots and flesh for his painting Sorrow
The power of emotion is a favourite inspirational source that I draw upon to create narrative dramas. By leaving the story ambiguous, I invite interpretation to the resolution as the viewer personalises their experience with the painting. I make a conscious effort to find and preserve those forms of expression that best define our humanity.
Here I’ll be revealing how to bring conceptual narratives to a concrete reality. From having models act out the emotional moment to acquiring the right photographs for textures, the key word in developing this painting is ‘reference’.
I spend hours walking the streets of New York to dig up the perfect artefacts, and troll through dozens of books to discover images to embellish my concepts with. On a typical commission I may have up to 20 elements of reference from which to source ideas. Once these references are gathered, I pay close attention to what they reveal to me, from the way light reflects off a greasy metal
March 2015 surface, to the spacing and size of the cracks in painted pedestrian crossings. Sensitivity to details bring an image to life, instils within it a convincing voice, and creates a visual dialogue that I use to draw the viewer into my artistic illusions.
A defining characteristic of my work is the process I go through in creating a highly detailed preliminary drawing. This drawing is not only a wonderful way to solve compositional issues before stepping into colour and paint, but it’s an intermediate step that enables clients a chance for input into the project.
By sharing a precisely executed drawing I’m able to clarify my compositional and structural intent in the image, while implementing client changes in a media that’s easily and quickly manipulated. Time and aggravation is saved on both sides of the professional relationship. My mind is cleared as I step into the oil painting phase, knowing major changes from the client are now behind me. I may now concentrate on my process and deliver the best art possible.