Portrait Painting Process
ENVISIONING A PORTRAIT
“I work a lot from life and am interested in the interaction between the artist and subject. This conversation, this give and take, this improvisation, this dance, is essential to my work. Whether working from photos or in person, I paint life.” Maniscalco
Preparation
Because each Maniscalco portrait is destined to become a precious heirloom, cherished for generations to come, Robert approaches each painting as a unique creative adventure. He prefers to get to know his clients before he commences work on the portrait. He works from a combination of life sittings and photographic studies which he takes himself whenever possible. He is also known for his mastery of the posthumous portrait (portraits created from existing photographs).
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It is very important that the initial concept of the painting be developed as a collaboration. Robert encourages his clients to visualize the mood and setting of the portrait, it’s composition, what the subject will be wearing, the background, personal objects, where the painting will hang, the story we are telling and other conceptual elements. The more input at this stage the better.
At the photo session Robert’s gentle and caring approach helps his sitters feel relaxed and present. Robert believes an excellent portrait should tell the story of the sitter by the way they stand, the angle of their gaze, body rhythm, setting, lighting, expression. He combines elements from his photographic, compositional and color studies with the intuitive impressions of the sitter, revealing their unique personality.
Each stroke of paint is an artistic choice, imbued with the love, warmth and humanity of an exceptional artist. In this sense a Maniscalco portrait goes far beyond the limits of photography; each canvas stands alone as a rich, compelling work of art. To accomplish all this Robert travels to the sitter’s home, office or where ever the subject would like to be painted, to get a sense of the them in their own environment. During this session he takes a number of photos. He then goes back to his studio to work out the final composition and color scheme through a series of studies and sketches. The painting is developed in several stages. When it is nearly complete he returns to apply the finishing touches from life.
Timing is Everything
Maniscalco excepts a limited number of commissions per year. Although he has a waiting list he occasionally accepts requests to have the work finished for a particular occasion if adequate time is allowed to complete the painting according to his high standards of excellence.
Get Framed
Once the painting is complete it will be framed according to Manisclaco’s high design standards and specifications. The price of the frame is not included in the artist’s fee.
Get Going
A 50% deposit, along with all travel expenses, is accepted upon the commissioning of the portrait to secure a place in his docket. Final payment is due upon completion of the portrait.
Robert is not only a portrait artist.
Find out about Robert’s
other commission artworks:
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Maniscalco Gallery on Facebook
I’ve been meaning to #paint this #portrait for some time. “The #Longshoreman”is my latest #oilpainting and is a #deep #exploration of #character.
maniscalcogallery.com/product/the-longshoreman/
#art #artcollector #artist #artistsoninstagram #charlestonartist #charleston #lowcountry #portraiture #sc ... See MoreSee Less
Here's another#oilpaintingnting. I wanted to explore#colorcolor#depthdepth of pain#underwaterwater. Breathing was the main issue. (budum-chink) But seriously, I enj#paintingnting the effects of#breezereeze, as it rippled on the surface of#coy #pond#pond. Cut/paste the link into your browser and comment o#websitebsite. Here's good also. Your feedback helps guide me as#subjects #resonate #resonate. 🥰https://maniscalcogallery.com/product/coy/ ... See MoreSee Less
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.Learn something you didn’t know about the discipline of getting values right, once and for all. ... See MoreSee Less
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.This #painting's been percolating for a while. Please enjoy, "Perhaps #Love." I went full out #romance with this one but I made up for it with my introsoective #commentary. Please leave your #review on the #link, if you would, mates. #Charleston #sc #art #artist #artoninstagram #artcollector #poeticart #beauty #prettywoman #waitingforlove #perfectlove maniscalcogallery.com/product/perhaps-love/
Just won First Place in oil at the Berkley Artist guild annual show. ... See MoreSee Less
Here'#Youtubeu#videovideo of my re#furryfriendsi#paintingnting demo. It include#originalginal music and follows#portraitt#processocess all the way to#finishinish, all in about 4 minutes! ... See MoreSee Less
My Furry Friends Demo - Maniscalco Gallery
maniscalcogallery.com
Here's my Youtube video of my recent "furry friends" demo. It includes my original music and takes the portrait all the way to the finish.