Published in Flip Magazine Again!

Veronica Gonzalez

More good news! Yesterday my artwork of the beautiful Veronica Gonzalez was published in the online version of Flip Magazine, a publication dedicated  to pinups and the beautiful women who pose for them. 

This is my third feature in Flip Magazine, I was also included in the July 2011 Issue, as well as a previous issue.  It's a great honor to be included in Flip, as I got to explain the process of creating artwork of beautiful women in a bit more detail in the interview.  And Veronica was gracious enough to explain why she chose to work with me on this project.



This issue also includes  a feature on our good friend, model Jax Turyna.


I invite you to click through to see the new issue of Flip Magazine.  The print version is only $10.99, and I will more than happy to sign copies for free for anyone who purchases it.  Thank you.

My Art is Featured!

Recently, my art was featured on 2 modeling industry sites; in fact, both within the same week.

First, I received a Member Spotlight Feature on Model Insider. a newer site.  This had been in the works since June, and frankly, I thought I was passed over and forgotten, until I received an email from my contact there that I was in fact, featured on the home page, above the fold.

Later that week, I was featured on Model Mayhem on their EDU series of articles of pertinent industry information, featuring my latest art of the beautiful Veronika Leo, using my ubiquitous "From Photo to Art" features as the basis for the article.

It was a very nice week of unexpected notoriety, and I hope you all enjoy the articles.

From Photo to Art.....Veronica G.

I recently received a commission from a beautiful young model on Model Mayhem, Veronika Leo (Veronica Gonzalez).  She wanted me to draw a sultry pinup of her, based on one of her photos.  We did go through several of them, but when she realized that I could 'create' lingerie out of a bikini, so to speak, and because of her sultry expression, we decided on this photo as a reference :

Veronica asked me to change the photo reference to “..a pin up type of look-_ with lingerie…very sensual”, since this was a special gift for her boyfriend.  And since she already had lingerie pictures in her portfolio, I wanted something a little bit different.  So, after I laid out the drawing from the original reference, I started to sketch in some of the details and mulled over what type of lingerie I could create.

 

The trickiest part of smaller portraits like this (14” x 17”) it to get the drawing to look like the subject, not just the photo reference.  I usually hang about 3 different views of the model around my drawing board, to remind me of what she looks like.  At this point I was trying to get a lot done on Veronica’s face, then move my way down.  I knew she’d be wearing thigh high stockings; I just wasn’t sure about the actual lingerie outfit.

The cut off feet was a point of contention to some; most people didn't like it, but I wanted to get as much in to a  14" x 17" format that I could.  It's isn't easy drawing half a foot, but I used a lot of other reference, which was invaluable in giving me some perspective of the shoe, the stockings.

I played around with the lingerie a few ways, and kind of came up with an outfit organically that I think worked.  Then it was just a lot of shading, detailing, etc., before I finished up.

Veronica was such an inspiration for me to draw; she’s a beautiful young lady, and very expressive in her poses.  Her input was invaluable, and she was very excited about the art when she picked it up.  We hope to work together on something again very soon.

 

On This Election Day, This Is What I Believe....

• I believe that the single greatest civic duty of every American age 18 or older is to vote.  This is a right that the Founding Fathers instituted to give us a voice in our government.

• I believe that this election has given us a candidate who has shamelessly marketed himself with a different version of his ideals and policies to which ever audience is listening. 

• I believe that this election is very, very important, maybe even more so than 4 years ago.  It's a choice between slow, but steady growth, vs. going back to the policies that helped to put us here in the first place.

• I believe that, while possibly well intentioned, the "Tea Party" ideologues don't know their history.  The structure of the US government by the framers of the Constitution was to have many ideas, and out of that, choose the best possible solution for all.  It's called compromise, people, and working across the aisle.

• I believe that when the minority leader of the Senate states that his number one priority is to make the president a one-term president, instead of working for the American people, we need to rethink who we send to office.

• I also believe that, when the Republican governor of New Jersey is criticized by his party for thanking our Democratic president for helping him after the worst storm ever to hit the area, we've lost sight of what's really important.

• I believe that the party of less government needs to reassess its views on abortion, women's health, gay marriage, etc. 

• I believe that the "fiscal cliff" is real, daunting, and ALL of our elected officials better do something about it quickly.

• I believe I may not be better off than I was 4 years ago, but I'm better than I would have been because of this administration, and I'll be worse off if the Republican nominee wins.

• And finally, I believe that, even with our problems and issues, this great experiment born in 1787 of a federal government is still the model for all democracies on the planet.

God Bless America, and be sure to vote today!