Creating Art...Behind the Scenes

Sometimes when creating a commission, the client requests very specific things in the artwork, elements in which I need to find the proper reference photo to make the illustration work.

This was an illustration for an erotic e-book, and the author/client was very specific as to the 'look' of the protagonist--red hair, fair skin, beautiful and innocent. I actually modeled the character's face on the author, but I needed a beautiful, curvy body as reference.

I found a gorgeous photo of Playboy's Miss November 2001, Lindsey Vuolo.....this lovely woman fit perfectly for what I needed. It took very little manipulation, just adding some thongs, covering her nipples and, of course, changing the face. 

 

While the book never got published, I had a lot of fun with this project, as it was one of my very first color pinups. I hope you enjoy. Feedback is welcome.

 

vincent-wolff.fineartamerica.com

Art Prints Sold

 just wanted to give a shout out to the customer from New York State who purchased each of these prints a couple of days ago.    Thank you----any time you want them signed personally, just send them to me and I'll do it for the postage cost only.

See these and more of my art pieces at my website

My Partner, My Critic....My Wife

It's time to give a huge shout out to the woman who is responsible for the quality of my artwork, my wife.  She is a self taught decorator, with a photographic memory for color and design. She critiques every piece of art, and provides me with incredible advice and direction.

My wife has been a phenomenal creative director, making fantastic suggestions on all my art, and suggesting some radical changes on a few of them, as seen below.
 

In this drawing of Playboy Playmate Lindsey Vuolo, my wife had me darken the shading in Lindsey's skin tones a lot, and add some shading to the corners to 'frame' the drawing, and close it in a bit.  But the big change was to soften the "S" curve in her back, and that made a huge difference in the whole look of the artwork.  I followed the reference photo exactly on the first version, but my wife pointed out that it didn't work in the art, and that I don't always have to recreate the photos perfectly.  It improved the art greatly, as it made it a softer, more feminine pose.

The latest redesign came on my personal favorite piece of art of Playboy Cyber Girl Carlotta Champagne. This is one of the drawings based on a photo shoot at our house; however, she told me she didn't like it as a full nude, and really wanted to see me add shorts to the art, as well as some other changes.  She helped me choose some classic "Daisy Duke" shorts as reference, and was instrumental in helping me achieve a sexy, erotic look.  She also suggested changes in Carlotta's shoulder, hair, shading, and the whip.  I have to say I like it better!







The Marilyn Monroe nude was the biggest project on which we fully collaborated,  This was a completely redrawn project, a present for our son.  A family member had the original art, one which our son liked a lot, so my wife suggested just redoing the piece as a present for him, but making it better.  She had a lot of issues with the original, and worked as art director to have me capture her vision.  A truly collaborative effort, this took hours of working and reworking facial expressions, colors, angles, sheet folds.  It was a pleasure to work hand in hand with her to create a very large, special piece.

I can't say enough about how much help my lovely wife gives me on my art.  She has no problem with the subject matter, and her insight and suggestions is always spot on.  Whenever you look at any artwork from me, chances are she had a big say in how it looks.  Thanks honey!!

Show Some Skin!

Lindsey Vuolo, Miss November 2001

In my line of artwork, I draw everything from clothed pin-ups to full blown nude images.  I have fans of just about every image I've ever created, but, as the title of this blog suggests, the biggest responses are from those that show the most skin; i.e., the full nudes.  

This is especially evident on my Facebook Fan Page.  I have a large contingent of fans from the Middle East, India---places that normally do not allow a lot of nude images.  But while a lot of fans are from Asia, most are still from the USA.  I have tested placing non-nude pinups, and nude drawings, and the largest number of 'likes" is always for the "nakey." 

Farrah Fawcett

Well, duh, you might say, and I guess I would agree. But I guess I'm a little confused at all of the attention for the full nudes, as opposed to the very sexy, very demure pin-ups.  Pinups, also know as "cheesecake," are the SFW way to view sexy images of women (or men, for that matter), covering up the essentials, yet showing a LOT of skin somewhere.

Pinups are not always fully clothed, mind you; there are plenty of semi nude and implied nude pinup examples.  I'm speaking of the contrast in responses to MY art, and the differences in the likes on Facebook.  Thoughts on this? 

Updated Nude Art

I always like to post new artwork here, and in this case I get to post 3 that, to me, are like new.

I was very happy that my good friend, Master Photographer Thom Rouse, agreed to shoot some of my artwork once again, including reshooting some of my older work of Playboy Cyber Girl Carlotta Champagne and Playmate Lindsey Vuolo, as well as the final, professional quality shot of the most recent art of my friend Misty Dawn.  

In order to show my art as close as it really looks, and to sell prints on my Fine Art America site, I have to get them shot by a professional like Thom--a small digital camera just won't work.  And, in the case of the art of Carlotta, I made significant changes to it after I had it shot in 2007, for showing at Glamourcon.  For 7 years the images I posted just never looked as it does hanging in our house, and it bothered me.  So I'm happy to present it as it really looks here.

As for the art of the voluptuous Lindsey Vuolo, I always thought the original was a bit fuzzy, and not very sharp.  Now, I used a lot of tissue to create a very soft shading technique that I used when I redrew it (see how it first looked here).  But I told Thom that something seemed off, and needed it redone.

Of course, the primary reason for Thom's shoot was for the drawing of Misty Dawn, the project that took me nearly 10 years to complete.  At the time I started, it was the largest drawing I ever attempted. I really tried to use a lot of shading on this piece of art, as it creates more interest, and more eroticism.

I hope you enjoy these updated images.  Please, please, please, leave any comments you wish.

On the Sudden Death of a Friend

Last week I lost a friend and coworker--Bernie Fansler, the overnight supervisor at the Geneva, Illinois Home Depot store where I work part time, suffered a massive heart attack at home, and finally succumbed last Friday morning.  It's been a very tough time for all of us. Bernie was a true gentleman; he possessed an infectious laugh, was always cheerful, and very accommodating to those of us who worked with him.

Bernie supported his handicapped sister and his seriously ill brother without complaint. Unfortunately, he had no life insurance, leaving the family with no money for a funeral.  Our store is taking up a collection for them, and whatever we raise will be doubly matched by Home Depot's associate charity fund.  I wanted to do something in my position as an artist to help out Bernie's family, so I have  set up a couple of promotions of my artwork.   All the net proceeds of these sales will be donated to our store management for the Fansler family.

One promotion is a special rate on one of my most popular pieces, a drawing of former Playmate Louann Fernald through Fine Art America.  This is an 8" x 10" quality print on stretched canvas, for only $39. My net markup on this is $4, so if you purchase one, you'll be donating four bucks to the Bernie's family.  And if you send it to me, I'll sign the print personally!

I'm also selling some of the prints in my own inventory for Bernie--Carlotta Champagne, Lindsey Vuolo, Farrah Fawcett and others.  Almost all of these are 13" x 19", printed on photo paper, & perfect for framing. They are available on eBay, please see them all.


I realize that things are really tough for people these days, and I understand money is tight.  This is a family that REALLY needs help, and anything that can be contributed by next week will be matched by twice as much.  So besides the personal donation that I am making, I hope that that I can do more for them with my artwork and your kindness. Thank you.