Giancola is a monster of a painter! His oil technique is incredible and he is one of the most prolific and constant illustrator I know of.
He is one of the best and humble too!
This video is part of his new dvd and whomever desires to learn a few thing or two should buy it immediately.
The first one was a joy to watch even though I am no painter myself.

The problem with that kind of talent is that at first sight it looks like shit and a few blend after it s beautiful .
Amazing video and artist

He's really skilled but I still kinda think, that it's weak to paint from perfect ref..
It's like copying it.

It's very very nice... but as the user above me stated it's kinda weak painting from perfect reference. Sure it is still hard to do but nothing compared to old masters who didn't have a big fancy color photo next to their painting....

But anyway a really nice video :)

How could it be weak using reference when Masters like Michelangelo, Leonardo, Rockwell, Gerome, Degas and many others used every kind of reference?

I don't remember whom, but some of the most famous Italian artist used to project their pencil drawing on the canvas using a candle and a lens.
In your opinion there are so many tricks painters use and used, that they would all be swindlers and cheaters.

How?

really inspiring video. thanks

Even when it is a copy, you need the technique, the perfection and the skills. You need to know how to mix the colors and the talent to start the project with the perfect sketch. Time has changed for sure we use our better possibilities of today!
But if you see on the movie, how he breathe life with the colors into the eyes or the hand - it is amazing.
This is the art I like, not a unicolored blue picture on the wall with a book of explanation of impressions of the painter or an old battery on a rusty sheet of metal, were the main trick is, to sell it as art.

Best regards

Daddy@Cool

Very beautiful and inspiring!
Thanks for sharing!

EVERY drawing or painting is a "copy"! The old masters used "models" to paint - ALL masters use models or references. Even if you paint from your memory - you are just painting something you have seen! It is ALL copying, of course. So one either uses a GOOD reference and makes a GREAT painting (like Donato does) or one uses a POOR reference from memory, and makes a mediocre picture. Donato is a master! There is no doubt. He is even a master of process - which is gaining advantage with good reference material. He is a genius.

You people are idiots. Every Master painter of our age in the ages before us used a consistent amount of reference and there's nothing talentless about it

mkay ...