I’ve always loved classic pin-up, especially the traditional variety. Pin-ups done in oils are simply eye candy to me.

Whenever I go back to art school and specialize in Illustration and Fine Art, I will most definitely be aiming to achieve the quality of Frtiz Willis’ work.

In essence, his work embodies what I’ve always aimed towards. He just nails it. Tease along the lines of Gypsy Rose Lee and Rita Hayworth.

As expected I went on a wish-list faving spree on books he’s published:

Oil: Faces & Features

The Nude

How to Draw and Paint Pin-Ups & Glamour Girls

The sometimes unfinished quality of his paintings, the inclusion of sketches within the canvas and the like have a certain charm to me.

I would definitely decorate my walls with his work.

On a post by Violet Blue on Robert McGinnis & Brano Hlavac’s work, she mentioned:

“One of the main things people notice when they visit my apartment here in San Francisco is my gigantic book collection (bookcases overflowing), and that my walls are covered in erotic art (and vintage magic posters).”

That is something I definitely look forward to doing once I have my own place.

This is, of course, a cruel generalization. There are, as always, various gradients in the spectrum. Still, my experience for the most part has been relatively negative.

It’s like snubbing digital artists because their artwork isn’t traditional, hence lacks that validity.

Art is art, and it’s all a matter of personal preference. Taste is one of those gray areas shaped by a variety of factors. American comics are not my cup of tea, yet I don’t make a point of devaluing them because they don’t happen to please my tastes.

It’s not about whether one is better or worse than the other. It’s about cherishing the differences in both, and valuing each style on its own terms.

I recall the unfortunate case of an acquaintance that did gorgeous traditional illustrations. They struggled finding their own style, the way a writer struggles finding their own unique voice, then fell into the pressures of people not ‘taking them seriously’ because their style was anime-based.

It was unfortunate, but after this discouragement, it suddenly seemed like they were ashamed of their roots, trying to branch out as far as possible, resulting in not so very aesthetically pleasing, bastardized results.

Generic, lacking pathos.

There’s nothing wrong with experimentation. I’m very much an advocate for it. And there’s nothing wrong with innovating and encouraging the evolution of one’s style.

In their case, I suppose they were trying to find a niche for themselves in an area more close to home. They were thinking in terms of profitable profession rather than caprice. It was a necessary step, if they were going to get anywhere in the industry.

I remember their being so heavily invested in manga, then out of the blue there was that switch to American comics and this obsession to draw on those terms.

It was a shame to see that beautiful style wither and shift into something lacking pathos, though there’s nothing to say this is nothing more than a phase, that awkward adolescent phase when puberty hits, and it’s only a matter of time before their style blooms into adulthood.

I’m very capricious, and don’t particularly like to compromise my vision. It’s both a blessing as well as a curse, and it’s certainly something I make a point of working on.

As an armature artist trying to carve up a name for one’s self, one has to put pride aside and sell out as well as compromise, in much the same way a writer must, if one expects to make a living out of either career.

The key thing is the element of choice. One is able to choose just how much they’re willing to bend. Establishing soft limits as well as hard ones is essential from the very beginning.

If one is going into this specific career, one has to be willing to bend, compromise and constantly be open to redefinition and improvement. A newbie stubborn artist is a capricious starving artist.

C’est triste, mais vrai.

Going back to my initial point of the futility of comparison— it’s difficult, but it’s something that must be avoided. In all aspects of life, really.

Avoid comparisons, and value each thing for what it’s worth. Looking at things in a hierarchical manner only blurs judgement, and taints the overall enjoyment experience.

You can’t compare apples to oranges, despite the fact that they’re fruit.

Finally back from my holiday, and missing my girls terribly. I spent a wonderful two weeks with them— extended my visit by a week, and it still wasn’t enough.

It was a wonderful two weeks of superb 4-5 star home-cooked meals, booze, late nights, wonderful conversation, brilliant movies, and just amazing company.

Put 4 writers who’ve tapped into a vortex in the same room, add Fuzzy Navels & Cuba Libres, and there’s no telling where things will go conversation-wise. Especially with the simpatico going on— that overwhelming “Yes, yes! I get it! Yes, exactly!” feeling voiced out-loud in numerous occasions.

I will go in detail, photographs included in another post.

I arrived from Canada just yesterday, after yet another exhausting set of flights and time-changes- and screaming, crying brats and lame satellite TV programs.

Still settling in, running errands, entertaining family and the like. I won’t be able to catch a break until school begins next week.

Speaking of school, I got my schedule, and I was very surprised to see I’ll only be taking 3 classes this semester. They’re heavy classes, so it’s not as though I’m slacking off, but it’s an interesting thing shifting my mindset from focusing on the number of classes, to the number of credits.

What I’m hoping is that this sudden availability in hours, will allow me to focus on art on a more or less equal amount as Psych. My sanity revolves around my being allowed to doodle and write.

This morning after church my father asked whether or not I wanted to go back to Laguna after I was done with Psychology. It’s a topic that keeps coming up every so often.

It amuses me to no end, because the rep artists get is that of the eccentric starving genius, living paycheck to paycheck, unable to pay his or her own rent. It took me a while to convince my family that, no, I was not going to end up like that.

Given the shift in economy I did have to re-think my profession, and for the longest time, I thought it was a choice that only affected me. It keeps surprising me how my father warmed up to the idea of having a daughter as an artist to the point where a year after leaving, he’s still wanting to make sure I go back.

Call it fatherly support, call it his stubborn insistence of never quitting, and always

finishing what you start, call it what you will— it’s a nice feeling to know they didn’t feel they were betting on a losing horse when they gave me their support on the wild goose chase that was that year in Laguna.

This week I have to entertain, but I’m itching to draw. I’m itching to doodle anything. I watched some wonderful movies during my holiday— Gypsy, Chicago, Cabaret, among others— which sparked up my muse, so we’re finally back to boudoir and burlesque!

And now I leave you with this sexy, catchy song.

Mein Herr – Liza Minnelli

I can finally take a break from Psychology for a little while and go back to artwork.

I’m working on finishing off commisions this week I’ll be in PV, as well as having some fun, and taking a well-deserved break from the madness that is being a student.

Picture updates soon!

Too much detail in a written description will also overwhelm. Whenever I get a written description, the way I process that information is to break it down into parts; highlight key things, underline what’s important.

If I’m given a page-long description with intricate detail, not only does the checklist grow long, it grows ridiculous. I know, because I’m a writer as well, and I’m well aware of how writers like to paint pictures with words.

Repeat after me: Language. Is. Relative.

The way I function best is through description and images.

My best clients provide me with a compressed zip file of references, coupled with a description of what they want— it allows me to fulfill their vision better.

Giving an artist a set of clear guidelines and enough room for artistic freedom is key.

Creastra has done it again!

Revamped the look of the site to something simple, classy and accessible by customizing a theme I chose, keeping to the same color scheme as the previous look. We’ve given it a total facelist and social media integration, as well as separated the blog and the site updates into separate categories to keep things better organized. The testimonials area is up and ready to use.

More updates to come!

Every artist has their limits and their limitations and they are completely valid. My limitations revolve around the fact that I can’t do those images justice. I lack the skill to pull them off. I’ve had the pleasure of having Teruchan as my tutor way back when I was first starting. And did pick up a few tricks from him. Now there’s someone who can pull off wonderful pornography-oriented images.

Commissions I reject are more often than not, because I can’t do the client’s vision justice, and so I point them into another direction, recommending artists I know who could fulfill their visions. No point in damaging my reputation with dissatisfied clients just for the cash. Just not how I roll.

I’ve been dabbling in traditional artwork as I wanted. I Finished an oil portrait of my friend’s cat, which I’ll be taking with me when I go visit at the end of July.

I missed oils! I tried watercolor, but I’m still rather intimidated by it. Still, experimentation is the key.

I just received note that a certain someone who is guilty of the crime of getting me into drawing naked chicks and kinky pictures is revamping her site and is in need of some fetish-oriented pictures. Well, suffice to say I’m thrilled. I’ve missed doing those too, so I have my work cut out for me during the rest of the summer.

Now that my school work-load is considerably smaller than last term, I’ll be focusing more on art and literature. I need to blow off steam somehow!

After spending hours researching cases of Anorexia and Bulimia for my Historical Context class, it’s so very refreshing to see normal sized models, and not those fading waif-thin models flaunting bare bones and flat chests.

I’m a big fan of anything vintage, and has been a key source of influence, if that isn’t painfully obvious enough in my work. Specifically vintage erotica/pornography due to the romantic quality it seems to posses regardless of its content.

Among my findings, I came across Twittey on DeviantArt who has a gorgeous selection of vintage nudes, as well as Inspyretash-Stock, whom I’ve followed for years and has provided me with countless amounts of inspiration and references.

In terms of books, I went a little crazy with the wish-list adding, but I didn’t want to lose any of those titles. Among the ones that called my attention the most were:

The Art of Arousal: A Celebration of Erotic Art throughout History by Ruth Westheimer

Female Nude: Art, Obscenity, and Sexuality by Lynda Nead

Eroticism and Art (Oxford History of Art) by Alyce Mahon

Jazz Age Beauties: The Lost Collection of Zigfield Photographer Cheney Johnston by Robert Hudovernik

The Queens of Burlesque: Vintage Photographs of the 1940′s and 1950′s (Schiffer Pictorial Essay) by Len Rothe

Practical little nymphet that I am, I’ll definitely be reading some of the more academic texts (the contents of ‘Eroticism and Art’ appealed to me the most), and merely lusting after those gorgeous 1920′s and 1940-50′s photography books for when I have enough money to own them. In the time being, I’ll continue to gorge on the beauty of the photographs available via Public Domain.

I managed to squeeze in enough time to get a drawing done, resulting in no casualties in terms of schoolwork (thank goodness). I should be resuming my work starting May 18th.

After coming across the series xxxHolic, there was a surge of newfound inspiration, and it was taken out on Jules. I’m starting to work on vectors again, which I find exciting. I haven’t done them in years.

With luck, I’ll be picking up more traditional media again and dabble in it throughout the summer.