Drawings and Prints

Manuela Schiano Arts

Latest Works

Latest Works

Yuki-onna II (‘snow woman’)
The yuki-onna is a yokai (supernatural creature of Japanese folklore) with the appearance of an indescribably beautiful woman with long black hair and white, sometimes diaphanous skin. She is usually dressed in a snow-white kimono when she appears along the mountain paths travelled by wayfarers, at other times she is naked and only her face,...
Hannya
“What seems to trap a woman between this life and the beyond is the anguish of being hurt by those closest to her.” Hannya is a woman who, consumed by jealousy, undergoes a transformation that has three stages of development. Namanari: It still has human features. A pair of small horns have sprouted on her...
Sakabashira
‘Sakabashira’ is a wooden pillar that has been installed upside down in respect to the original direction in which the tree grew; its rage turns it into a demon (‘yokai’). In the old dwellings where it manifests itself, at night you can hear it moaning and producing noises and shakes as if the wood was...
Ungaikyō ("mirror beyond the clouds")
This yokai is based on an old Chinese myth. The Japanese version tells of a haunted mirror, belonging to the category of tsukumogami (objects that receive a soul one hundred years after their creation), which shows demons reflected in its surface. People who gaze in an ungaikyō will see themselves transformed into the monstrous version of themselves....
Jigoku Dayū, “the Courtesan of Hell" and monk Ikkyū
A short summary of her story. Otoboshi, orphaned, was kidnapped when she was still a child and sold to a woman who was involved in prostitution in brothels. She became the highest-ranking courtesan (Dayū) and decided to change her name to Hell (Jigoku) since she was convinced that her status was determined by actions committed...
Schoolgirl
Themed work made for issue number 2 of Yūgen Studio Magazine (January 2023) @yugenstudio.it (IG) [ink on paper]
The green lizard
Inspired by a work of @nawanaka3mon . ink on paper
Tsukumogami
A weight
Make a wish - the Daruma doll
“The Daruma rewards sacrifice and unwavering force of will. The shape lets the doll return always to an upright position. Upon purchase, the doll is missing its eyes. Paint one eye in one of the circles while committing to your goal and ask for help to god. Then paint the second eye, giving the god...
Seto-Taishō
Seto-Taishō (‘General Seto’) its name derives from the material of which it is composed, ceramics called “setomono”, from Seto, an area famous for earthenware. The word is used like our “china” (chinoiserie) said in relation to this type of crockery.   Composed of these crockery and household objects no longer used, Seto-Taishō roams the kitchens...
Yanari
Yanari (house squeaker) are small onis that appear in houses at night, much more often in wooden noisy houses. They pop out from under the floor, ceilings and wooden furniture when it’s late at night. They run around the house making rumble and spite while everyone is asleep, scaring the unfortunate inhabitants of the house....
Echo
based on a photo of Munewari model @nawataneko, rigger @wykd_dave . [ink and mixed media on paper]
Eclipse
Eclipse “In this feminine darkness within us the daylight is disaster” based on a photo of Luigi C. Antonelli, models @lenticchia___ and Masa Shirow (thanks Masa Shirow for the valuable advice) mixed media on paper
Surrounded
inspired by a work of @hangknot and by the encounter with @masashirow . pencil + ink on paper
Phoenix
彼女 は 仕事 の 鬼 だ ('he is the ogre of work')
Inspired by a photo of Eric Shore, models @red.sabbath and Riccardo Sergnese (@kinbakuluxuria) . ink on paper
The futakuchi-onna ('the woman with two mouths')
The tengu's fan
The kotengu
The oldest version of tengu is known as tengu-crow (karasu tengu 烏 天狗) or small tengu (kotengu / shōtengu 小 天狗). His features are those of a gigantic kite capable of transforming himself into a monk, a woman or even a Buddhist deity, just to seduce and make the unlucky monk of the day fall...
The kitsune
Hashihime no otogibanashi
Illustration for a story written by Tess Degger for the megazine ‘Kinbaku Society of Berlin‘. . [ink on paper]
The Kejōrō (the hairy prostitute)
Menreiki
Broken
Shadow play
Inspired by a photo of @sugiuranorio, model Miho Ikeda,  ropes @nawanaka3mon . pencil on paper
The bath
Reification
model Sofia, rope @francescafarnese . [ink on paper] . Private collection
AKATEKO
Akateko (child red hand). A curious creature of unknown origins and legendary creepiness. Known as an “Akateko” ghost, this bizarre apparition takes the form of a child’s hand, disembodied and suspended from the branches of a tree and it is blood red as well. Luckily, apart from light naughty pranks played on passersby, the hand...

About Manuela

Manuela has been drawing since the age of two, immediately showing a strong attention to detail. She attended the State Art School of Naples and then, again in Naples, for only one year, the Academy of Fine Arts from which she retired having, in the meantime, discovered her passion for theater. Passion that totally absorbs her and that sees her as actress / director, author, set designer, maker of props and puppets, sound engineer and light designer. Passion that has lasted for thirteen years now, slowing down her work as a designer for a period of time but enriching it at the same time.
For some years the fascination for Japanese culture in general and for Japanese bondage in particular has taken to inspire her works. For each work there is a photographic reference which is then processed on the basis of the suggestion inspired by the vision of the image itself or by a myth of the Japanese folk tradition.
The prevalent use of ink led her to explore printing techniques, preferring screen printing.

In fieri

I am available for live drawing lessons, individually or in groups. For now in the city of Rome only. Use the contact form or email me for information about lessons.

Digital prints are now available on sale. Check my online shop ManuelaSchianoArts on Etsy.com

Talk to me!

Feel free to contact Manuela to provide some feedback on her works, give her suggestions, propose collaborations, commissions or to just say hello!