From Photo to Art--Carlotta Champagne Nude, Part Three

If you regularly follow this blog space, you'll know that I like to write about how I transformed a photo reference into artwork.  This is the third drawing that I created from a photoshoot my friend Rob Domaschuk conducted in my home a few years ago of Playboy model Carlotta Champagne.  I have blogged about previous drawings of Carlotta before, and it's always fun to visit the "before and after" of the art.

As stated in my prior posts, Rob and I booked Carlotta to pose at my house, so I could have some reference shots for future artwork.  Carlotta was a true professional, happily posing nude on my pool table and next to my bar, wearing a tie, a fedora, and nothing else.  We got several great shots, and the first drawing I did was of Carlotta in a power pose next to the bar, removing the tie and giving her a whip for an Indiana Jones style drawing.  I chose a more whimsical photo from this set for the second drawing, which I started at Glamourcon 2007.

The following year, I wanted to do something different, and challenge myself.  I liked the photos with the hat and tie, but I wanted to take one of the images and capture Carlotta's unique beauty, and nothing else.  So I chose a head shot and decided the hat and tie would go.  This proved to be a bit problematic--not only did I have to draw her head with no hat, but also her left breast, which got cropped in the reference photo.   I also couldn't decide on a hairstyle; Carlotta's hair fit nicely with the fedora, but it wasn't to my liking for my drawing.

Truth be told, I have struggled with this drawing for over 3 years (off and on); it was almost abandoned at least 2 times, and as recently as a couple of months ago.  But I got excited about it again,  after finishing a commission, and forced myself to go darker in shaded areas, particularly the hair.  I tend to draw too lightly, and I tried some tricks to go darker, so I'd have more contrasts.  Considering where this drawing was at not too long ago, I'm happy with it.  You can see this and more art at Fine Art America.