Latest Nude Art---Taylor

NSFW

I recently completed a new nude project of a lovely nude model. Taylor loves to be illustrated by artists, and allows them to use her photos at no charge. I decided to try a little different approach on this art---I used a smooth side of the Bristol board, and tried to use the blending sticks more. And, the subject matter is more explicit than I normally attempt. Comments are welcome.

 

vincent-wolff.fineartamerica.com

 

Interview with Playboy Model Carlotta Champagne

I recently did an interview with Playboy Model and Cyber Girl Carlotta Champagne, a follow-up to one I did a few years ago.  It was a good time for us to catch up.  And read all the way through for a special offer on Carlotta prints!

It’s been several years since I last interviewed you……what is the latest news about your modeling career ?
<b>Nothing to report on, haha! I'm still working with artists, making images, being creative and causing a raucous with my nudity.

You recently moved to Los Angeles from Florida….how do you think this will impact your modeling career?
I really don't know! Los Angeles has so many opportunities. Perhaps more acting and video work will expand my modeling horizon a bit.

You were a Playboy Special Editions Model and Cyber Girl of the Week…Any plans for more Playboy shoots in the future?
I really don't know! I work with Playboy radio somewhat frequently so it's always possible for more big photoshoots as well.

You have a variety of interests outside modeling….what is your favorite down time activity?
I have so many!! I love dance classes at the gym, reading, watching movies, painting... I can't narrow it down.

How long would you like to continue as a nude model? Can you see yourself doing this for several more years, given your extraordinary beauty?
I'm going to do this as long as I can, as long as I still feel good about myself.

Have your post –modeling plans changed since our last interview?
Probably, I don't have any set plans right now. My entire life is up in the air, and it feels completely amazing..

Want to own an art print of this beautiful, fabulous nude model?  Save <b><i>30%</b></i> on art by entering code  YVDKKK in the Discount box in the checkout at Fine Art America.  Offer expires May 31, 2015.

Playboy's Carlotta and Heather Redux

As promised, here are the professional shots by my friend Ralph Haseltine of the updated drawings of Playboy Models Carlotta Champagne and Heather Bauer.  Enjoy.

Playboy's Heather Bauer Redux

Here's another piece of art that I recently updated, of Playboy CyberGirl and Special Editions model Heather Bauer.

I originally did this drawing in 2008, at Heather's request, based on an anonymous photographers photos.  The shots were different than her Special Editions and Cyber Girl pictorials in Playboy, as they were artsy, boudoir and more sensual, with lots of shadows.  When I originally did the art, I focused more  on her figure, her mood, but did not shade anything i the background, like I usually do.

I concentrated mostly on shading the corners to close in the drawing, and darkening some spots on Heather's body.  I also softened the shading around her butt; it was too liney, so I shaded it more,  with softer edges, so it would be more sensual. I also reworked her left eye.

These are the after and before shots, of course.  The reworked drawing will be reshot professionally very soon, and uploaded on my site and available for sale in prints, pillows and licensing then.  What do you think?  Contact me here with any comments or questions

What's My Legacy

Having come off of 2014 as the most prolific year of my career in several years, I am excited to build on my successes of the past 12 months.  I have several commissions that may turn into fruition, plus many, many more 'fun' projects in the offing,

But something that has been nagging at me, perhaps because I am getting older, is what legacy will I leave with my art?  I realize that I may not achieve the fame and notoriety of artists like Gil Elvgren and Alberto Vargas, but I really hope that my art can be enjoyed by others long after I'm gone, as well as now.  How does an artist do that?  I frankly don't know.

The Landers Sisters-Audrey & Judy. Reference courtesy of Playboy

I was watching the the feature on Sting during Kennedy Center Honors the other night, and in his intro piece, he said that, after a very prolific songwriting career,  "the songs just stopped coming."  That scared the piss out of me.  What would happen if I suddenly lost my ability to create?  I love what I do, & I love my pinup and nude female subject matter; if my ability to create suddenly left me, I'd be depressed, I'd be lost.  It's scary to even think about it. 

Creative people have a drive to do just that--create.  And our creations are usually very personal, as they are extensions of ourselves.  As I watched Sting as he listened to people giving him tribute through his music, I saw him well up as he rocked and hummed along.  The songs were his offspring, and he was the proud papa as others sang them.  I  looked up at the pieces that hang in our rec room and thought, that is my legacy.  No matter what, these pieces will somehow live beyond me.  I hope you enjoy them.

My Website

Wolff Illustrations: Save 50% on Art Prints

Save 50% on my artwork through the end of December!  Buy any print on my site and save 50% on quality art of Playboy Playmates, models and more. Nude or non-nude, pinups and more. This is a great holiday gift for yourself or a loved one.

Just enter code JEZPRV in the applicable box in the checkout page. Gt to my website to see all of the art. Ends December 31!

Of Models and Men

I recently read a post on Facebook by a beautiful nude model whom I follow there and on Model Mayhem:

"So tired of dudes with their fanboy shit who want to "date,me" or brag they are "dating a model" or have a model "girlfriend". Guess what? I'm an actual person with feelings,with emotions and it amazes me that people expect me to be an emotionless mannequin. Guess what? I cry, I get upset. I get angry because I'm a real person...It also makes me feel like I always have to "be hot" and dressed up..like I have to keep up an image, and that people will be dissapointed [sic] if I don't look "hot"all the time. idk. . I am not my persona. I am not "xxxxx" in real life. You need to like me for who I am as a person, not what I am.. I am not just a smiling trophy you can dust off and take off your shelf when you need to brag to your boys and show off, but then put back and ignored when you don't need to prove your accomplishment. You want to keep a trophy? Then treat her like one all the time..otherwise you don't deserve her. I'm not a damn "rent a gf" lol"

This disturbed me because I have heard similar stories from other models I know.

I realize I'm a lucky guy---I draw and paint beautiful women with very little or no clothing.  I am the envy of many of my friends.  But these ladies are not objects to me; they are my friends, my work associates, my muses, etc.  Like any other work environment, they deserve to be respected for what they do and how they do it, regardless of the amount of clothing they are wearing.

These ladies know full well what they have gotten themselves into; they realize they they will be objectified, that their photos are sued for spank material for many fans.  But there modeling persona is not the real them.  I've written before about how much work a photo shoot is, that even with a nude model, the job site is pretty devoid of any sexual tension.  Models and photographers (or artist, for that matter) are professional, who are doing a job.  It takes a lot of work to create glamour.

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!!

Random Thoughts and Ramblings of a Pinup Artist

Here are some things that I've learned recently as an artist:

•  I have gained such confidence in my art abilities in the past 18 months. I am going through one of the most prolific periods of art creation in my lifetime.....but I can't show you all most of it, due to privacy concerns and deadlines.  Believe me, I'd love to show them.
  
• In that vein, I am more readily trying new techniques.  I wouldn't often do that; I would afraid of screwing up the piece.  Now, I know that I do make a mistake, I can usually fix it.  I'm learning.
  
• I'm having fun again!  Art was a chore for a long time.  I'm enjoying working on the board again, working on several projects at the same time. 
  
• I LOVE to illustrate women!  Nude, semi-nude, pinup---it has been so much fun to  capture some very beautiful women this year in various states of undress.  While I enjoy creating landscapes, monsters, and portraits, I just love the female form.
  
• I'm working in color!  I will be unveiling a new piece in November for publication in a national magazine that is entirely done in colored pencil.  A big departure for me; while I have done color pencil before, I tried new techniques on this portrait of Jax Turyna

Keep watching this space for some new work, and reworked old pieces! 

Brand New Carlotta Champagne

One of my favorite drawings of my favorite subject Playboy model Carlotta Champagne, is the second one I did of her, and the first of the 3 based on the shots the my friend Rob Domaschuk took of her in my rec room.  Anyone who follows my work has seen this art numerous times, and in fact is my (usual) cover photo on my Facebook Fan Page.  Rob shot a full nude of Carlotta with a hat, and I added the whip since she was leaning against our bar stool, and called the piece "Indiana Carlotta."

Recently, my wife told me that, in her opinion, the portrait would look better if I added some sexy shorts, rather than have her in a full nude pose.  She also said that it would make the art classier.  Initially, I fought doing it, I told her that I didn't want to change anything, but quickly realized that she was right (she always is), and warmed up to the idea. So, since I recently had some time, we took it out of it's matte and frame home, and I set to work.

After downloading some reference shots of Daisy Duke shorts, I proceeded to sketch them in.  After going through a few transformations, including some skin tight versions that didn't work, we finally settled on a looser pair of cut-off jean shorts, which was actually sexier than the skin tight version I originally drew.

Other changes in the art included some work on Carlotta's waist and left shoulder, and darkening some tones to create a more dramatic effect.  I also added some white conte crayon to bring out some highlights.

The above images show the "after" and "before" of the drawing.  While both versions will be available for sale as prints (and the new one as an original), I'm waiting for the new version to be professionally shot.  I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on the changes, please contact me below.

Modeling Into Maturity

I recently had an online conversation with a beautiful model friend of mine who has done Playboy, and I mentioned to her how she should be modeling for years to come.  She surprised me by say, " I hope you are right about doing this a long time."  Normally she seems very confident in her modeling,.


It got me to thinking about a model's "life expectancy," so to speak.  Glamour and nude models start at about age18, but when are they done? When will the agencies and photographers stop calling them to shoot nude?  30 years old? 40 years old?  


The mature model interest has really gained momentum in recent years, and the number of women posing nude over the age of 30 globally has increased significantly (over 6000 models age 30 and older on Model Mayhem in the USA alone).  A lot of this can be attributed to teh popularity of actress Jennifer Coolidge as Stifler's mom in the movie "American Pie," where the term MILF first gained real popularity.  A mature model really has to know how to pose her body for the best possible image.  This is something that most models know who to do, but imperfections can be magnified as a woman gets older.  Things sag, get out of place, the skin is not as taut. 

One of our very own on Blogger is the beautiful Unbearable Lightness, who started nude modeling in her late 50's, and is now 70 and still gorgeous and going strong.  She is a confident and realistic lady, she is shapely and Unbearable Lightness gets the most out of wonderful photo.  She exudes confidence in her abilities. 


I have a real fondness for capturing older models in my art; there is something that I really enjoy in helping her feel beautiful and glamorous.  Many of  my commissions are not even real models, they are everyday wives and mothers, who want to feel special.  Nothing wrong with that.

I feel confident that my Playboy model friend will be able to continue with her career for many, many years to come. 

The Naked Wives

Over the past few years, it seems that I have received more and more commissions for "The Naked Wives;" i.e, women who very happily want nude or semi-nude art of themselves for their spouses, or husbands looking to give their wives the same. 

I recall how I got started drawing nude wives.  The first commission was a depiction of a husband's wife for tattoo art; she didn't pose nude, we took a number of reference photos and 'pieced' them together to create the artwork.  Since then I have received numerous requests to create this type of nude art.

Personally, I love working with women over the age of say 30 or 35.  I find that it takes a lot of confidence for them to pose or be depicted in the nude, and they are always so pleasant to work with.  Some of my most challenging, yet rewarding, artwork has come from these commissions.  I hope you enjoy them

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.

Do You Nude?

As I've said in previous posts, I love doing nude wife commissions.  I think that any woman who wants to pose in a glamourous nude or provocative piece of art for her spouse is very special, as it is a very personal kind of gift.

The lady to the left was a model who hired me to use a photo of herself that she supplied me to create some art for her husband as a gift.  She is incredibly beautiful, but has asked to remain anonymous since   she has a career.  But she was a pleasure to draw, lovely to work with.  And while she did model, this was a private, personal gift for her husband.

I pose this question to you--do you nude?  Ladies, do you pose nude for your spouse or significant other?  Guys, do you enjoy taking or viewing nude pictures of your wife or girlfriend?  I've been learning about many people who, while fairly conservative in public, are very willing to have this type of art in their home, if privately.  Let me know by messaging me here at my art website.

The Hair Down There......

Playboy's Miss June 1984 Liz Stewart

An interesting debate that I've run across on Model Mayhem and other sites is the definitions of fine art nude modeling and glamour nude modeling.  One of the many criteria is the presence of pubic hair on the model; some fine art purists (not all) insist that a fine art model must not complete shave her pubic hair.

Playboy Model Carlotta Champagne

Being a male of a certain age, I grew up admiring and loving pubic hair.  Playboy magazine set the trend for pubic hair fashion, and my favorite Playmates of the late 1970's and the 1980's all sported full bush.

As an artist, I've found that I rarely draw full frontal nudes anymore; however, I am still drawn to those women who prefer to grow some hair in their pubic area.  As noted by the examples  listed here, these are some favorite pieces of art that feature the models with some form of pubic hair.  Is it less than fine art?  Is it pornographic?  Our cultures definitions of beauty have changed immensely in the past generation, from the full hourglass figure personified by Marilyn Monroe to the slim, but full busted and shaved models of today.

Client Commission of "Amber"

However, I've received commissions such as this one of "Amber" who are full shaven (I was directed by her husband,; she wore a bikini in the original reference photo).  She is a very fit woman, and I see absolutely nothing wrong with her lack of pubic hair.  It would have made no difference to me if she did have hair, but what I've discovered over the years that, like breast enhancement, some women look good with pubes and some don't--it all depends on her shape, and a lot of times, how she wears it, which is confidence.

Pubic hair in art has been come and gone, according to this article in Wikipedia.   Perhaps the fact that it hasn't been shown in early Western art is like early animators creating only 4 fingers instead of five--it was just easier. 

What are your thoughts?  Do you like to see art of nude females with or without pubic hair?

On An Art Client's ...Naughty Bits

Recently I was emailing my process of creating nude art for client's with a potential client, and he asked me, what do you do when you don't have a nude photo for reference?  I told him, I have to rely on the spouse for 'intimate' knowledge of her private parts.

This is actually a common occurrence for me in my job.  When I am commissioned to do a nude portrait for a private party, they normally have no nude photos that they can share with me.  So, I have to ask the client, what shape are her nipples?  how big are her aureola?  does she shave her pubic hair?

These all very delicate subjects, especially with complete strangers.  But I pride myself on my discretion and professionalism.  In the creative process of a nude wife commission, I have to know everything I can about her anatomy so that I can draw the most accurate image possible, one that they will enjoy for years to come.

Visit more samples of Nude Wives at my website.

Have I Got A Deal For You!

I am offering these 3 original  pieces of artwork, plus a 13" x 19" print,  for only $299

You get

• An original drawing of Playboy model Carlotta Champagne, graphite on Bristol board, 19" x 24," finished in 2012.

• An original drawing of Playboy model Dana Dicillo, graphite on illustration board, 15" x 20," finished in 2006.

• An original drawing of Playboy Playmate  Louann Fernald, graphite on paper, appx 15" x 17, "  finished way back in 1979.

Plus, you get your choice of any print, printed on 13" x 19" photo paper. 

Plus, if you take advantage of this one-time offer by Tuesday, Nov.6, I will throw in another 13" x 19' print, and give you FREE SHIPPING!

This is truly an amazing deal for anyone who is looking to collect my artwork.  Contact me right away for more information.

Good bye, Facebook!

This week, I am saying good bye to my Facebook account, including my figure art fan page. There was no issue with Facebook, no crazy people anonymously reporting my nude artwork. This was strictly a personal decision, to honor a request made by my family to spend less time online and more time dealing with some issues.

I have mixed feelings about letting go of Facebook, yet I have to say that not being constantly tied to a keyboard & computer monitor will somewhat liberating.  Really, where have we come to in society where we can count hundreds of strangers as 'friends,' just because we all log into the same social network?  We used to be able to count our close friends on two hands, we would communicate with them by landline telephone, by writing notes or letters and dropping them into a mailbox, or by walking to their houses and chatting over coffee or tea.  Now, we send emails, or text messages, or pop into our social media accounts.  It all seems so ....impersonal.

I enjoyed reconnecting with old school friends and family on FB, but the time has come for me to reexamine many things in my life, and become more productive with my energy and time.  I have not given up creating artwork of beautiful women; the anchor image was taken just a week ago, and shows me working on the beautiful Playboy model Misty Dawn.   I hope to be finished in about a month (which will be about 8 years to the day when I started it). But my avenue for updating people about my art will be through this blog, my website on Fine Art America, and my occasional email newsletters (you can go to the top of my Fine Art America site, click on 'Subscribe,' and receive my emails).

Many thanks to all of your for following me over the years. God bless you all.

From Photo to Art--Carlotta Champagne (The Very First One!)

I just recently discovered that, in all the time that I've been doing this series "From Photo to Art," I have never featured one of my favorites---the very first drawing I did of popular Playboy model Carlotta Champagne.  it also represents one of the first drawings where I "removed" the model's clothing.





















I originally met Carlotta online though the modeling site OneModelPlace.com, and we met in person at Glamourcon Chicago 2006.  I remarked how much I liked this photo of her, and asked her permission to use it.  She said she co-owned the copyright with the photographer, Keith Seraphim, but if it was okay with him, she agree.  Keith gave his permission, and I set out to draw.

I absolutely loved Carlotta's hair and expression in this shot; she looked so relaxed and beautiful.  But since she is a nude model, I wanted to try something different, and what would be better than to place her naked in a hot tub?  It wouldn't be all that difficult, since she is wearing a string bikini in the reference photo, I really only had to recreate her breasts without the suit, and I had plenty of photo references for that.  The tricky part of this drawing was drawing the hot tub and the water, I was not familiar with the surfaces, and I had more trouble than I thought.

This art has proven to be one of my post popular pieces, and the original was purchased by a photographer not long after I completed it.  I've used it on my Erotic Pin-up & Illustrations business card, my Glamourcon placard, and frequently as an avatar.  It was also featured in Carrie Leigh's Nude (you can read about it here).   Since the original is now sold, I've often thought about redoing this piece, to correct some things that I believe could be improved.  Any feedback on that?


You can see Vincent Wolff's art on Fine Art America

Work In Progress--Carlotta Champagne

While figure artists usually like to paint and draw many different models, they often find a particular one who inspires them to create, i.e.,  their 'muse.'  According to Wikipedia, the word 'muse' comes from  "the......nine goddesses in Greek mythology who control and symbolize nine types of art known to Ancient Greece, and are associated with artistic inspiration."  

Anyone familiar with my artwork will note that Playboy model Carlotta Champagne could qualify as my muse.  I first discovered her  on the industry site, OneModelPlace.com, in December 2005, and immediately noticed a classical grace and beauty in her not shared by many models.  She has an hourglass figure, a throwback to the Playmates of the 1950's and 60's, and a face that would inspire Renaissance artists.


Carlotta was very kind to allow me to use one of her images for my first drawing drawing of her, and she eventually agreed to a photo shoot in my rec room, photographed by my friend Rob Domaschuk.  The photo shoot has resulted in 2 completed drawings, plus the nearly finished one to the left.


I actually started this drawing at Glamourcon 2008.  While I am using the original photo as basic reference, I am taking some liberties with it to focus on Carlotta's face and breasts.  I am trying to create more contrast in this piece than I have done lately, and also attempting to stylize Carlotta's hair than normal.  What do you think?   Please drop a comment here or on my Facebook fan page