D’Antonio’s original paintings are typically conceived on location where composition, light, color and mood strike the artist and create an immediate impression. He begins by quickly photographing his subject to capture the lighting and play of fleeting, “magical colors” or action of the moment derived from the time of day. He may crop the photographs to achieve the desired effect, and uses them as reference throughout the painting process. D’Antonio is a believer in exact and well proportioned drawing. He starts on primed canvas and first renders an outline of his subject by “drawing with a brush” resulting in an almost “Matisse like” design. D’Antonio then paints into his composition, putting the first layers of paint on the canvas using dark, media rich undertones, gradually defining his subject with additional color. Multiple layers of paint and details follow. In the final stages, D’Antonio uses precisely located dashing brushstrokes of brilliant color to bring out light and depth in a manner compared to Sargent and Velasquez. These steps are used in translating the photograph and composition in John's mind onto the canvas. The result of this effect can be clearly seen in his “Rounding the Horn”, 2004.
immediate impression. He begins by quickly photographing his subject to capture the lighting and play of fleeting, “magical colors” or action of the moment derived from the time of day. He may crop the photographs to achieve the desired effect, and uses them as reference throughout the painting process. D’Antonio is a believer in exact and well proportioned drawing. He starts on primed canvas and
first renders an outline of his subject by “drawing with a brush” resulting in an almost “Matisse like” design. D’Antonio then paints into his composition, putting the first layers of paint on the canvas using dark, media rich undertones, gradually defining his subject with additional color. Multiple layers of paint and details follow. In the final stages, D’Antonio uses precisely located dashing brushstrokes of brilliant color to bring out light and depth in a manner compared to Sargent and Velasquez. These steps are used in translating the photograph and composition in John's mind onto the canvas. The result of this effect can be clearly seen in his “Rounding the Horn”, 2004.
