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Elegance and Mystery Al Serov has been traveling all his life. He was born in Poland in 1970 in the family of a Russian military officer. Staying in Poland did not last for long. At the age of three a future artist was brought back to Russia. The old beautiful city of Saint Petersburg (it was called Leningrad at the moment) became his new place of living. The little boy was swept away by the beauty of the Czar’s palaces. Now Al Serov is a freelance fantasy artist. He works digitally using high-end equipment and latest technologies. The hallmark of his work is the high amount of detail, the rich textures, and the ultimate realism of feminine forms. Al believes that he has finally found the calling of his life. Al Serov’s specialty is posters and cover artworks for books, magazines, CDs, etc. The artist currently resides in GTA (Great Toronto Area), Canada with his wife and son.

Seductive Professional Passion Michael Moebius is one of the finest talents in erotic art to come out of Eastern Europe, or what was Eastern Europe at the time of his birth in 1968. Hailing from the area near Dresden, Moebius was raised in East Germany and showed an early interest in art. He claims that his first paintings in childhood were of animals and comic book characters and that maturity turned his attention and admiration towards female beauty. It was this interest in erotica which would eventually propel him to fame, but he didn't commit to art from the beginning. As a teen, Moebius attended a vocational school to learn construction, a field in which he worked until joining the army at the age of 21. His service spanned the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, an event which would have major ramifications for all East Germans, Moebius included. His eyes were suddenly opened to a variety of images from the west that provoked his imagination. Despite his artistic compulsions, he continued in the construction field and entered university to study Engineering. It was to be a relatively short-lived career, however, as he could not resist his artistic inspiration for very long. This inspiration came from two primary sources. The first was the artwork of Hajime Sorayama. He claims to have been "instantly drawn" to Sorayama's pinup art and credits the Japanese artist with helping him develop his own artistic sensibility. The young German taught himself to at first imitate and later to move beyond the compositions of Sorayama. The greatest influence, however, came from a rather different source. The opening of East Germany to the West brought not only Western movies, but also Western movie posters. Particularly fascinating to Moebius were the posters done by the Italian artist Renato Casaro, whose paintings apparently transformed the young German. He wrote a letter to Casaro and was surprised not only to receive a response but to be invited to meet the man who would become a lifelong mentor. Casaro would come to teach Moebius much of what he now understands about light and shadow, atmosphere and life. After his Engineering studies, the artist took a big chance and entered one of his artworks into the 2004 European Championship for Illustrations. He won. The next several years brought illustration and industrial design work for record companies, architectural firms and other industrial employers. In order to sharpen his already precise techniques, Moebius entered the Art Academy in Dresden. It was during this time as an art student that he began working with Playboy Germany, as well as other magazines such as Cosmo. The relationship with Playboy would prove to be extremely fruitful and continues to this day. The art of Moebius represents some of the finest erotic art of the past century. He pays enormous attention to the use of light and shadow "partly a result of his relationship with Renato Casaro" and what he calls a "heightened sense of reality." At the same time, he strives for honesty. His purpose, in his own words, is "not to paint pretty women but to visually communicate the beauty of the female form and the power of a sensual moment." Even a brief look at his work is enough to convince any viewer that he succeeds at this. Since the late 1990s, Moebius has exhibited his work very broadly. His paintings have been shown at the Robert Bane Gallery, the Robert Bane Global Gallery, Playboy Expos, a variety of glamour, comic and art conventions, fine art expos and pinup shows in France, the United States, Spain and Japan. The full list of exhibitions is extensive and serves as a testament to the artist's appeal. Michael continues to produce erotic works for a variety of clients and for sale through his Moebiusart Online Shop. He has also recently collaborated on Playboy's unique line of fine art prints called "Uniquely Playmates." This project clearly places him in the same ranks as other pinup heavyweights such as Olivia de Berardinis. This master of mood and character currently spends much of his time in Beverly Hills, California. He also travels around the world looking for inspiration, enjoying Germany and Italy in particular, the latter country being where his faithful mentor resides. Major Accomplishments winner of 2004 European Championship for Illustrations. attended Dresden Art Academy. produced illustrations for Playboy Germany and Cosmo. exhibited work at the Robert Bane Gallery, Robert Bane Global Gallery, Playboy Expos and a variety of other comic, art and pinup expos and conventions. collaborated on Playboy's Uniquely Playmates.

Airbrushing Contemporary Nudes A.D. Cook is an internationally recognized, innovative artist whose disciplines include drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and design. His large-scale nude paintings are compelling testaments to the beauty of the female form. Born in 1961 in Phoenix, Arizona, Cook knew at a very early age that he wanted to be an artist. His family moved around a lot, sometimes two or three times a year, living much of their lives in truck campers or travel trailers. The one thing that Cook always managed to cart along on their sojourns was his pencils and drawing pad. As a youngster, the artist created coloring books that he sold at school, QSL cards for his father's CB friends, and mascot patches. Eventually, in the eighth grade, he saved enough money to buy an airbrush. Although he would eventually upgrade from his original Binks Wren, this tool became his most trusted friend and he would go on to enjoy huge success with it throughout his art career. Cook did a lot of graphic design work in his twenties and eventually went to work full-time for Hollywood Entertainment Corporation which ran the expanding chain of Hollywood Video stores. His most notable work there involved painting in-store murals, doing hundreds over the course of his 5-year employment. These murals garnered awards and recognition, winning Airbrush Action magazine's Seventh Annual Airbrush Excellence Competition and being featured in Airbrush Action 3 and Airbrush Magazine. His developing airbrush skills would benefit him greatly in his later entry into the world of nude figurative painting. If the technique and level of realism in these early works is excellent, then his later erotic works may be deemed masterful. After his work with Hollywood video, the artist and his wife founded A.D. Cook and Associates, Inc., in Portland, a business focused on graphic design and print management. Major clients included Iwata-Medea Airbrush Products, Artool Art Products, PIAA Lights Crimson Trace Lasergrips and WebTrends Software. Despite success in business, Cook longed to get out of the design world and into a full-time career in art. Combining his passion for painting with his passion for motorcycles, he produced a series of motorcycle paintings that gained the attention of Indian Motorcycle Company. A promising deal to become their officially licensed artist unfortunately fell through when the company surprisingly went out of business in 2003. It was at this time that the artist finally found his way back to a type of painting that he had virtually abandoned for several years: large-scale figurative works. More specifically: extremely compelling erotic female nudes. Although originally experimenting with pastel, he realized that what he was attempting to accomplish deserved paint. He has since produced an exquisite body of fine art nudes. He relies on live models to create extremely sensuous paintings. He shows perfectly how light and shadow play on the nude female form, showing why he is so highly regarded in the art world. Cook normally conducts a photo session with his chosen model before taking these images into the studio to work on his canvasses. These figurative paintings are generally very large, averaging 9 to 24 square feet, but sometimes even larger. Many of the models are depicted in slightly larger than life size. The results are stunning. Besides his figurative erotic works on canvas, Cook has recently produced some highly innovative work on textured metal. The result is a fascinating combination of photography, painting and sculpture, and to do this he relies on a proprietary technique which he himself developed and calls Artist Fusion "and Metal Fusion". After many years spent in the Pacific Northwest, the artist and his wife now make their home in Las Vegas, Nevada. His work has been featured in many galleries in the American City of Lights and he has recently proudly opened his own A.D. Cook Fine Art Gallery. Here he showcases his original nude figurative works and operates his studio. Major Accomplishments featured numerous times in Airbrush Action Magazine first-place winner of Airbrush Action 7th Annual Airbrush Excellence Competition, Mural Category third-place winner of Airbrush Action Magazine 15th Annual Airbrush Excellence Competition, Fine Art Category one of ten artists featured in the Cycle / Auto Art Show at Gallery at the Square in New York City many one-man shows at galleries across North America a total of 18 Showcase Awards with onemodelplace.com featured in Aphrodisia: The Art of the Female Form opened A.D. Cook Fine Art Gallery in Las Vegas, Nevada

Teasing, Suggestive Attitudes Hajime Sorayama is inarguably one of the most important erotic artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Although the "AIBO" dog, created for Sony Corporation, is one of his claims to fame, it is his erotic paintings that are most notable. Hajime's works are unmistakable as those that play with light on metallic surfaces and depict curious and sensual hybrids between the female and robotic. Sorayama was born in 1947 in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. After high school, he briefly and disappointingly studied Greek and English at university before transferring to Tokyo's Chuo Art School, where he graduated at the age 22. He spent the following few years working in the advertising business as an illustrator and cultivating the interests that would eventually define him. It was the voluptuous women and cheesecake images in advertising and movies that inspired Sorayama. He carefully honed his hyper-realistic style through the 70s and began applying it to paintings of robotic women. This work was truly prescient and has since spawned many imitators, none of whom have achieved the same level of sophistication as Hajime. Hajime's first book was the monumental Sexy Robot, released in 1983. This propelled him and his metallic figures to fame. He drew directly from more traditional pin-up, showing feminine figures in suggestive or downright erotic poses. Yet he combined this with non-human robotic elements. The sexual and the technological melt together in futuristic sensuality. He followed up his first successful book with others, including Pin-Up, Venus Odyssey, Hyper Illustrations, and The Gynoids. This last work takes the term developed by a couple of British sci-fi writers, combining the Greek terms for woman ("gyn") and image ("droid"). It was Sorayama who most masterfully painted the erotic tension of a single figure both human and mechanical. After his first one-man show in Los Angeles in 1994, Sorayama began producing erotic images for Penthouse. An article on the artist appeared in the magazine's Silver Anniversary Edition, aptly enough. From there it was more books and work for magazines, movies, television, and trading cards. And in the late 90s his "AIBO" dog robot won several design awards and made Sorayama a name outside of the world of erotic art. His notable work also includes the artwork for Aerosmith's album Just Push Play, the design for Future Mickey and His Friends for Disney and work with Playboy TV and SexTV in Canada. The Art Hajime is notable for his technique, which must be extremely refined to create what many people call hyper realism. He sometimes calls this "superrealism," stating that it "deals with the technical issue of how close one can get to one's object." Sorayama does this with brush, pencil and acrylic paint. He saves the airbrush only for the final details. The resulting level of realism is virtually unparalleled in the genre. The truly amazing thing about Sorayama's works is that they can achieve this level of realism while creating highly provocative images of spectacular imagination. This combination of the real and fantasy serves to heighten the eroticism. Although he is most famous for his signature "sexy robots," it would be a mistake to ignore Sorayama's other works. His is equally adept at more traditional pin-up, and tends towards more overtly sexual poses. There is little innocence in Sorayama's paintings. Recent / Current Activity Hajime Sorayama's images are firmly entrenched in the canon of erotica. He is sometimes referred to as the modern-day Vargas, which speaks to his mastery and his influence. The recent release of a DVD entitled Sorayama Secrets Revealed has provided other artists with an inside look into his superb technique, which he continues to apply in the genres of pinup and fantasy as well as his unique gynoid and robot works. In April of 2008 the World Erotic Art Museum in Miami, Florida featured an exhibition of Sorayama's art. Despite his success throughout North America and Europe, Sorayama continues to reside in Tokyo with his wife and two daughters. Major Accomplishments several books, including Sexy Robot, Pin-Up, Hyper Illustrations, Hyper Illustrations II, Hajime Sorayama, The Gynoids, Gynoids Reborn, Metallicon and Latex Galatea. winner of Vargas Award. several one-man shows in North America and Japan. winner of Grand prize of Best Design Awards in Japan for Sony Entertainment Dog Robot "AIBO". designed mechanical warrior for science fiction movie Space Trucker. designed cover of Aerosmith's hit album Just Push Play. created Future Mickey and His Friends for Disney. special Hajime Sorayama edition of Penthouse published for the magazine's 25th anniversary.

Modern Master The Spanish artist Luis Royo, is known for his exotic and sensuous paintings. Women, beasts and other life forms are his subjects. Royo was born in Spain in 1954. His artistic education was studying technical drawings and interior design. He attended the Industrial Mastery School and the Applied Arts School in Zaragoza. Throughout the 1970's his primary work was in interior design. He did paint and exhibit in this period, primarily producing large paintings on social and political themes. Royo's life and art were transformed when he discovered adult comics. He was particularly attracted to the works of Enki Bilal and Moebius. He felt inspired to produce comic strips for a variety of fan magazines. This led to an exhibit at Angouleme Comic Fair. After this, he never looked back to decoration or interior design. The early 80's saw Royo's comics appear in a variety of magazines, including 1984, Comix International, Rambla, El Vabora and Heavy Metal. The event which marks the true beginning of his illustration career with an international audience, was the '83 Zaragoza Comic Fair. There, Royo met Rafael Martinez, who commissioned five illustrations for an editorial. His relationship with this publisher continues to this day. It has given birth to some of Royo's most famous work. The artist's success in the fantasy art world has been cemented with his cover art for a variety of publishers and magazines. These include Tor Books, Berkley Books, Warner Books, Bantam Books, Heavy Metal, National Lampoon, Comic Art, and Total Metal, among others. In the 90's, a host of new publishers contributed to Royo's success. Ballantine, Doubleday, Harper Paperbacks, Zebra, Fasa Corporation, Marvel, and Penthouse are just a few. With widespread distribution, it is unlikely that anyone in the world has not seen Royo's images at some point. Royo's fantasy worlds have been published in numerous books. Women, was the first, published in 1992. It clearly demonstrates his talent for painting the female figure and erotic themes. Other publications include Malefic, Secrets, Warm Winds, III Millennium, Dreams, Conceptions, Visions and Fantastic Art. These books present the artists versatility with commissioned and non-commissioned works. Other books are notable for their elegant eroticism. The Prohibited Book, depicts erotic fantasies on the age-old Beauty and the Beast theme. Prohibited Book II portrays a dark world of forbidden dreams and secret desires through a variety of characters. Prohibited Book III shows tension between tender beauty and the monstrous side of desire. These works are good examples of Royo's work and are recommended viewing for anyone interested in fantasy erotica. Luis Royo is indeed a technical master. The Art The world presented by Luis Royo is dark and exotic. He combines elements of science-fiction and fantasy with surrealism and gothic sensibilities. This creates some shocking scenes. Landscapes populated by a range of characters, futuristic, medieval, male and female, animals, robotics, ...and some hybrids of all of these. The erotic works have complex themes. Royo revels in contrasts and contradiction. It speaks of visual encounters with the softness of beauty and brutal beasts. We see this contrast in the stare of women and in the weakness of a monster's expression. The tension is compelling to the point of heart-racing. In his own words, Royo is 'obsessed with creating visual shocks.' The tools of the artist's trade and the secret to his combination of fantasy and realism are water colors, acrylics, pencils and a final touch of oil paint. Current / Recent Activity Besides books and magazines, a variety of other formats feature reproductions of Royo's fantasy paintings. These include videos, computer games, trading cards, calendars, posters, and several acclaimed decks of tarot cards. His art can also be seen on the album covers of many heavy metal bands. Luis Royo currently lives and works in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. He has returned to painting on canvas and is focusing on more personal work. He claims to chain himself to the easel in his studio from morning until evening. Royo is absorbed in the fantasy worlds that come to life beneath his brush. Major Accomplishments commissions for Norma Editorial. illustrations of Julie Strain for the animated movie Heavy Metal. magazine covers for Heavy Metal, National Lampoon, Cimoc, Comic Art, Ere Comprime, and Total Metal. Silver Award SPECTRUM III the best in contemporary Fantastic Art in the USA nominated for a Chesley Award by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. over 20 published books, including the Prohibited Book series, the Conceptions series and the Wild Sketches series.

A. Andrew Gonzalez, of San Antonio, Texas, is an award-winning figurative artist whose work has been exhibited in several countries. Born on October 13, 1963, and raised in a creative family, Andrew's art education is largely self-taught. His artist father, Anthony A. Gonzalez, encouraged his early interest in drawing and painting but gave him no formal training. In the year 2000, Andrew Gonzalez had the distinct privilege to work closely with the well-known Fantastic Realist artist Ernst Fuchs in Monaco and Austria. Photos of the experience can be seen at L. Caruana's website. The paintings of Gonzalez are created with airbrushed acrylics on panel or canvas. Forms, values and highlighting are created by lifting pigment with an abrasive eraser, followed by the application of transparent layers of pigment. Influenced by idealism in the mystical, visionary and esoteric traditions, the artist describes his work as a contemporary Tantric or Transfigurative Art that explores the dramatic union of the sensual and spiritual. His work is akin to a revival of classical neoplatonic ideals centering on the figure as temple and vessel sublimed by transformative forces. ARTIST STATEMENT Raised in an artistic family, the tools for creative expression were a familiar part of my world. As a child, drawing gave me playful access to the exciting contents of fantasy and imagination. This playful communion with fantasy would later mature into the creative exploration of the patterns of my soul, and the celebration of the forces of life. My childhood preoccupation with dreams and imaginal worlds would soon lead me to the masters of imaginative painting. But it wasn't mere "fantasy" art that would call to me, but an art with a particular revelatory power. I longed for an art that would contemplate the jewel of wisdom hidden within and reveal the glory and mystery of being, an art sublimed with grace and beauty, subtle, yet profoundly ecstatic and mythically bold in its declaration. The augurs of this revelatory art that would initially inspire my imagination would be found within the visionary and mystical art traditions and disseminated within the movements of Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Surrealism and Fantastic Art. As a young teenager it was Dali's "Nuclear Mysticism" that first captivated my imagination, then followed by the preeminent work of Ernst Fuchs, William Blake and the mystical idealism of Jean Delville. And later as a young adult, the creative eye of my soul marveled at the prodigious possibilities brought forth by the ominous visions of H.R. Giger, the crystalline vistas of Robert Venosa and the transparent transfigurations of Alex Grey. The kinship I felt with these artists gave me the conviction and hope that was vital during the initial development of my artistic skills and vision. Their mastery of technique combined with a clear and unique vision was certainly a prime motivating force. Above all, these revelatory artists, as well as many others, inspired my faith in the possibilities of what is yet to come in the art of the soul and spirit. My early interest in all things arcane and mystical arose from my sensitivity for synchronistic experiences and profound vivid dreams, which in turn lead me to question our common perceptions of reality, imagination and being. I found myself drawn to various esoteric subjects ranging from comparative religion and mythology to Jungian psychology, alchemical and tantric symbolism, exotic physics and the frontiers of consciousness and dream research. But it was these unique dream experiences that would awaken an undeniable call to devote myself to the development of a numinous artistic vision. A new beginning in my creative journey arose after a series of peak dream experiences that culminated at the age of nineteen. These "supernatural events of the soul" comprised of out-of-body experiences and lucid "waking" dreams, some of which involved brief encounters with mysterious adepts or messengers. On three occasions during my lucid dream practice I awoke enveloped in a fiercely radiant golden light, moving rapidly towards its blazing white center. Upon opening my eyes, I felt what could only be described as a sense of being reborn. Everything around me looked new, and I felt this wonderful sense of peace and clarity that would last for months. Whether real or illusory, these experiences inspired in me an acute sense of the astonishing miraculousness of everything. To this day I feel that somehow these experiences may have caused an acceleration in the progress of my artwork. Perhaps this leap in my artistic ability was the result of my newfound focus and devotion, but what was unfolding was an imagery that would be the basis of my work today. Many years later, it would be the entheogenic experience that would recharge my inspired reverence for the ecstatic visionary possibilities of the imagination. . I would come to view my drawings after this period as mystical love poems to the soul. I would often relate to the female figures of my artwork as dakini messengers or as an anima mediatrix to the dimensions within, the projected mirror of the soul. For me, drawing and painting became soul-crafting. The imagery began to develop the quality of a revived Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic, or rather a contemporary sacred symbolism with a predominant emphasis on the eternal feminine. I began to master the airbrush which allowed me to create a sculptural photographic look with incredible subtlety. It also allowed me to refine values and design with an almost unconscious immediacy that balanced well with my controlled conscious intent. My approach to the creative process is always a fine balance between order and chaos. Feeling the need to contribute transformative images of beauty to the collective imagination, my imagery would develope an implicit antithesis to H. R. Giger's artwork. I felt driven to show in my work the liberation of the body and soul out of the dark depths of decay and perverse eroticism. By sublimating the erotic towards an angelic sensuality and by using ascension and rebirth symbolism, a sacred eros would emerge as the predominant theme of my work. Not the erotic as simply the sexual, but as our bodily communion with the living flow and rhythms of energy. I can feel this primordial living energy flow through me as I paint, forming into the sensual movement of a transfiguring biosophic flame that flows through and around the figures in my imagery, suspending them in an ecstatic moment, an eternal dance poised on the threshold of a new birth. It is the archetypal dance of the sphere and the serpentine movement of form. The dance of the spermatozoa and the ovum, the serpent and the egg, the dragon and the pearl and the life giving waters of the comet and the sacred ground of the earth.

Classic Nude Figure Drawings Alain Aslan, the famed French sculptor and painter, has produced a huge body of extraordinary pinup art that is technically exquisite and playfully provocative. Aslan was born in Bordeaux, France in 1930 and displayed prodigious talent at a very young age. This natural ability helped him gain admission to the School of Fine Arts in Bordeaux, where he excelled most notably at clay modeling. He quickly went on at the age of 16 (officially underage) to the prestigious Superior School of Fine Arts in Paris, where he produced many now-famous sculptures and busts of famous Frenchmen, winning several prizes and the amazement of his artistic peers. Compulsory military service did nothing to stop the young artist from pursuing his calling. His talent was recognized and acknowledged by his military superiors, and he was provided with a studio and eventually named the army's official painter and sculptor. After completing his service, he continued to win awards for his sculpture, but also sought out commercial illustration work. The 1950s brought a variety of work. He did illustrations for children's books, including Pinocchio and the stories of Anderson and Perrault. His advertising work included illustrations for the Crazy Horse Saloon, The Casino de Paris, Folies Bergere, as well as major car companies such as Peugot, Renault and Fiat. He also signed an exclusive contract with Publicis, the first French publicity agency, and produced excellent work for publishers Editions Dargaud and Editions Mondiales. Throughout these early years doing commercial illustration and fine art sculpture, Aslan developed his unique artistic vision and technique. His talent and appeal laid the groundwork for what would become some of his most remarkable work: the pinup art he created for Lui and Oui magazines between the years 1963 and 1981. Lui was an upscale French men's magazine started in 1963 featuring nude photography as well as erotic artwork. Aslan was on board from the beginning, producing full-page pinup illustrations on a monthly basis. In 1972, Playboy launched Oui magazine as an American sister publication to Lui. This magazine, which continued to feature Aslan's pinups, continued Playboy's tradition of beautiful women, quality articles and stories, and timely interviews. This brought Aslan's work to the North American market and cemented his fame in the erotic art world. Aslan's paintings for Lui and Oui are perhaps some of the most representative pinup work from the heyday of print erotica in the 1960s and 70s. They are fun and sensuous celebrations of female sexuality, testaments to Aslan's claim that he is in love with nature and its laws. In his own words: "I paint and sculpt 'woman,' the most beautiful subject ever given to artists, because it is inexhaustible and eternal." The artist did not, however, give up on his renowned sculpture work. His 1970 bust of Brigitte Bardot as Marianne, that great symbol of the French Republic, stands out as one of his most significant accomplishments, but the next few decades also brought major works of notables such as General Charles de Gaulle, comedian Alain Delon and French Prime Minister and President George Pompidou. In 1995 Aslan moved to Canada and continued working not only in sculpture but also in painting and drawing. Although his pinup work for men's magazines ended with the demise of Oui in 1981, his artistic commitment to female beauty never wavered. He has produced dozens of erotic drawings that rival his paintings in sensual charge and show amazing technical mastery with that most basic of artistic tools: the pencil. He has also produced important busts of cultural figures in his adopted province of Quebec, Canada. It is rather uncommon but very refreshing to see an artist make such achievements in two artistic realms that many might consider at odds. But in everything he has done, be it sculpture for the French state or pinup for men's magazines, Aslan has brought very high standards of excellence. He has said, in fact, that he felt out of place in the abstract-expressionist trends of his lifetime. For this reason, his erotic work could be said to offer an updated, and slightly racier, version of classical figurative painting. The lifetime achievement of this artist is undeniable, and culminated in an award that few in the world of pinup can match: in 2003 he was named a "Commandeur" of the "Ordre des Arts et des Lettres," the highest distinction in French art and culture. Major Accomplishments admitted to Superior School of Fine Arts in Paris at the age of 16. won the Esprit Prize of the Institute of French Artists at the age of 17. appointed official painter and sculptor of the French army. 18-year contributor to Lui and Oui magazines. sculpted bust of Brigitte Bardot as Marianne, symbol of the French Republic, now in the Louvre. sculpted bust of singer Mireille Mathieu as Marianne, now in the Louvre museum. named Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government.

Pinup Models and Celebrities Barbara is self-taught, starting with portrait work in the 80's and progressing into the erotic during the late 90's. Famous for her personalized commission works, she works closely with many pinup models and celebrities alike. Her work is featured on many pinup and erotic art websites and can also be seen at Robert & Tamara Bane Galleries in Beverly Hills, CA and the Echo Gallery in Chicago. Famous for her personalized commission works she works closely with many pinup models and celebrities alike. Publications include Club International magazine, Airbrush Action magazine, Artcore #1, Artcore #5 and The Hot Spot (Erotique Books) among others. Her own Art Premiere book has just been released worldwide. She welcomes any questions or requests and will work closely with every client as complete satisfaction is the goal.

Boris Vallejo is well-known for his paintings in the genres of fantasy and erotic art. Both alone and together with his wife Julie Bell, his images of muscular heroes have appeared almost everywhere. Vallejo was born in Lima, Peru in 1941. He began painting at the age of thirteen and showed enough early talent to land a job as an illustrator at age sixteen. Although he toyed with the ideas of being a concert violinist or doctor, his future clearly lay in art. He attended the National School of Fine Arts in Peru, winning high praise and a Gold Medal for his excellent work. Boris dreamt of success on a scale that his native country could not accommodate. For that reason, he assembled a portfolio of his paintings and emigrated to the United States at the age of 23. With no friends, just a few dollars and a wealth of talent, the artist managed to overcome great odds. His first job was as an illustrator for the advertising department of a major retail chain. It was there he met his first wife, whom he later divorced after having two children. The sight of a heroic woman fighting a prehistoric monster on a comic book cover changed the course of Vallejo's life. Fantasy art provided a way to combine his interest in the human body (particularly its muscular structure) and painting. He began to hone his technique and craft his unique fantasy erotic vision. Some measure of success came quickly, and his art soon graced covers for Marvel Comics, Warren Publications and Skywald Publishing. Over the next two decades, Boris Vallejo produced stunning fantasy art for movie posters, advertisements, calendars and collectibles. His work has appeared on hundreds of paperback covers, and he is known for his illustrations of many well-known fantasy characters, including Tarzan, Conan the Barbarian and Doc Savage. Through the years several collections of Boris' work have been published in book form, including The Fantasy Art of Boris Vallejo, Fantasy Art Techniques, Mirage, and Dreams: The Art of Boris Vallejo. In Vallejo's art there are a variety of influences. He has an almost classical sense of painting, and acknowledges many famous painters including Vermeer, Rembrandt, and da Vinci. His erotic art is thus highly concerned with form and technique. His interest in the human body, and bodybuilding, is reflected in his hyper-representational images of men and women in naked or semi-nude glory. He has also been inspired by such heavyweights of the fantasy art world as Frank Frazetta. Oil paint on board is Boris' chosen medium, another nod to the classic masters. He is extremely deft at using oil to create depth, feeling and sensuality, producing paintings that are strikingly vivid. Although he has dabbled with digital media and recombining painted images, he claims to have no desire to abandon oil-painting. The primary subjects in Vallejo paintings are muscular heroes and heroines displaying savage sensuality. They battle, ride or cavort with beasts from Greek myth, some future time or Boris' own imagination. Toned women wield weapons both primitive and futuristic. The artist's wife often serves as a model, lending her own muscular form to the paintings. Boris Vallejo has pushed the boundaries of fantasy art and raised the standards in the genre. His impact has been broadly felt, with numerous younger artists listing him as a primary influence. Current / Recent Activity In the mid-90s Boris married for the second time, this time to body-builder Julie Bell, whose own interest and skills in fantasy art blossomed through the relationship. Bell has served as constant companion, work-out partner, model and collaborator for Vallejo. Their works often appear together and their reputations have become intertwined. "Boris and Julie" have become a famous couple in the world of fantasy and erotic art. Boris Vallejo currently lives and works with his wife Julie Bell in Pennsylvania. They continue to paint and sell work, both originals and reproductions, through their website. They also maintain a blog called Paint and Brush, where they detail their comings and goings and provide interesting commentary on their own work, both past and present. Major Accomplishments cover illustrations for hundreds of paperbacks, including Tarzan, Conan the Barbarian and Doc Savage. numerous Hollywood movie posters, including Barbarella, Barbarian Queen, National Lampoon's Vacation , European Vacation , and Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters. several compilations of works, including The Fantasy Art of Boris Vallejo, Mirage and Dreams: The Art of Boris Vallejo. Locus Award for best Art Book, for The Fabulous Women of Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell.

Glimpse Into the Soul Kevin was born in Wisconsin, where he spent most of his life. Art has always been a part of his, from scribbling and drawing in his youth, to playing music throughout his school years. Even when pursuing a music career, drawing was a constant hobby. Years later, music faded into hobby status and computer animation took over. But nothing felt as fulfilling as the tactile feel of painting. Kevin now paints full-time, exploring the ever-fascinating beauty and awe of the female form and character. "I look to find not just an interesting image, but something that tells the viewer a bit about the model - perhaps a glimpse into her soul if we're lucky."

Classic Fantasy Master Frank Frazetta is widely acknowledged as the most influential artists in the fantasy art world. His impact can be seen not only throughout fantasy and fantasy erotica, but also in comics, Hollywood movies and commercial illustration. Frazetta was born in Brooklyn in 1928 and showed prodigious talent from a very early age. His kindergarten teachers were amazed that he could draw better than most 10-year olds, and at the age of 8 he began studying in the Brooklyn Academy of Fine Arts with Italian fine artist Michael Falanga. It was here that is talent was encouraged and cultivated. The academy closed when Falanga died, but Frank's future in art was set. At the age of 16 he began doing illustrations for Standard Publishing. That led to work in the comic book industry for several different publishers. He produced work for a variety of mysteries, westerns, fantasies and histories and even published his own comic, Snowman, which he initially conceived of and began drawing while still in grade school. Some of his best works of this time are the covers for the Buck Rogers comics which he did for "Famous Funnies," as well as his work with Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella. The Buck Rogers covers gained the attention of Li'l Abner creator Al Capp, who hired Frazetta to work with him on this most famous comic strip but also on his own Johnny Comet strip. They worked together for nine years, after which they had a falling out and Frank reentered the world of regular comic books. This was a difficult period, as Frank's style was awkward after so many years of imitating Al Capp. The artist did find work eventually, particularly for men's magazines. He provided erotic illustrations for Gent and Dude, which have now become collector's items in their own right because of their rarity. He also drew the comic strip parody Lil' Annie Fannie for Playboy Magazine. In the mid-60s Frazetta's talent was recognized in Hollywood and the publishing industry. He left comic work behind for the most part and emerged more fully as a painter. At this time he produced many of the book covers for which he is now most famous. He did Tarzan and John Carter of Mars among many others. Most importantly, his interpretation of Conan left an indelible mark on the entire fantasy genre. His work was now in very high demand. His work with Hollywood was primarily restricted to painting movie posters, although he received several invitations to take on larger roles in many productions. His only real foray into was as creative director of Fire and Ice, released in 1983, which failed commercially mostly because the animation technology of the time was not powerful enough to translate Frazetta's ideas to the big screen. Yet his popularity in Hollywood is unquestionable. He has attracted the attention of many Hollywood celebrities, including Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, Francis Ford Coppola, Marlon Brando, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dick Clark and Orson Welles. George Lucas credits Frazetta's Buck Rogers covers with inspiring his Star Wars series, and Princess Leia's metal bikini costume in Return of the Jedi is drawn directly from Frazetta's work. The full-figured bikini-clad wielding a spear, sword, dagger or other primitive weapon while confronting or taming a wild beast is classic Frank Frazetta. There are Amazonian goddesses and Egyptian queens, voluptuous warrioresses and trophy princesses. The eroticism is raw and savage while still rivaling the fine artistry of anything by Reubens. Frazetta's paintings are done primarily with oil, although he has continued to work with watercolor, pen, ink and pencil throughout his career. One of the most amazing things about Frank's work is speed. He becomes completely immersed in his work and can produce a complete masterpiece within a day. According to modern legend, he earned a full year's salary in a single afternoon with his first movie poster, for the 1965 film What's New Pussycat? It is difficult to overstate Frank Frazetta's influence in the world of fantasy, science fiction and erotic art. The "Frazetta style" can be seen in the works of artists such as Boris Vallejo, Don Maitz, Simon Bisley, Michael Walen, and Jeff Jones. Frank's personal life began with violence on the streets of Brooklyn and included a solid reputation as a handsome, athletic and charming ladies man. At the age of 24, however, he found stability and love in the form of 17-year old Eleanor Kelly. They were married after a four-year courtship and eventually found their way to the modest acreage in Pennsylvania where they live to this day, raising a large family and enjoying country life. Their acreage is home to a museum of Frazetta's work which attracts fans from all over the world. The artist enjoys his old age and his family although his work is somewhat limited by health problems such as a thyroid condition and the effects of several strokes. Major Accomplishments illustrations for a great variety of comic books, including Buck Rogers, Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella. book covers for numerous fantasy book series, including Tarzan, Conan the Barbarian and John Carter of Mars. movie posters for What's New Pussycat, Fearless Vampire Killers, Mad Monster Party, Mad Max, and Fire and Ice, among many others. three Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Hugo Award. Spectrum Grand Master of Fantastic Art Award.

Epic Battles and Danger Chris Achilleos is a highly accomplished painter and illustrator whose work in the fantasy and erotica genres is recognized worldwide. Achilleos was born in 1947 on the island of Cyprus and enjoyed a childhood of rural mischief. Without much pop culture, besides the epic films shown at the open-air cinema where his father was the projectionist, he and his friends created their own entertainment, staging elaborate battles between legendary foes as well as hunting and fishing in the countryside. At age twelve, Chris' mother moved herself and her four children away from the violence and turmoil of Cyprus and to London, England. Alone and isolated in a new land and new culture, the young boy turned to solitary pursuits such as art. His imagination was particularly captured by comics. Besides being fascinated by the fantastical images, Chris found these comic books an excellent source of education in the English language. Inspired by the likes of Heros the Spartan, the boy began reproducing scenes from his own imagination with whatever art materials he could scrounge up, including wrapping paper donated from the kind local butcher. The world of his imagination was sometimes at odds with his "real" work and studies. As a student in Art College, Achilleos refined the techniques that would later lead him to success, but he showed only a passing interest in his assignments. His real passion emerged at night, when he would paint huge scenes from the world of Conan. He worked tirelessly to create an impressive portfolio of fantasy art that would help him secure the type of work he loved. It worked. His inquiries at Tandem Books and Brian Boyle Associates proved fruitful, and soon the young man was doing book covers for a great variety of series in the science fiction, horror and fantasy genres. Soon enough he was also busy working in the advertising industry, which paid well enough to support his young family. Another important artistic development came with a request from Men Only, a British erotic magazine similar to Playboy. They asked Achilleos to do glamour illustrations, works which have since become collectors items in the erotic art world. Soon enough, the artist had reached a level of success in the fantasy art world that allowed him to give up advertising commissions and focus on his imaginative works. The best work of Achilleos calls to mind the excellence and dynamism of one of the artist's greatest influences: Frank Frazetta. His erotic works combine sensuality with imagination and feature hybrid creatures from mythical pasts as well as more modern erotica. There is an obvious penchant for fetishism, and his leather-clad crop-bearing female figures are charged with that special mixture of danger and sexuality. These works are characterized by a very powerful sense of the dramatic. In his own words: "There is a tale to be told in each of my works. The paintings itself is no more than a photograph, capturing barely a moment of that tale. My job is through dramatic composition of the scene I have chosen -- to provide the viewer with a glimpse of the entire story; what has happened so far and what will happen next." This sense of drama is a quality we often see in the finest illustrators who have been inspired by and worked with fantasy comics and books and it makes his fantasy pinup works highly compelling. The art of Chris Achilleos has been made widely available in book form with the publication of four major volumes. The titles provide an excellent indication of the artist's favored subjects: Beauty and the Beast (1978), Sirens (1986), Medusa (1988) and Amazona (2004). A young artist in the production office of Lucasfilm Ltd. showed one of these books to George Lucas himself, which led to work as a conceptual artist on the movie Willow. His other film credits include work with the cult classic Heavy Metal, Clash of the Titans, and Blade Runner. It is almost impossible to detail every aspect of the artist's resume. Although he has demonstrated enormous range and versatility, Achilleos has done some of his finest work in the realm of erotica. His storied past includes involvement in the vibrant goth and fetish movements that emerged in London in the 90s and later. He became fascinated by the wonderful cast of women he met and began using them as models in his fantasy pinup work. The artist continues to live and work in London, travelling frequently to attend conventions and fairs and to promote his work. He continues to stretch his own artistic boundaries while his reputation continues to expand. Major Accomplishments illustrated book covers in fantasy, sci-fi and horror genres, including Conan the Barbarian. work has appeared in major magazines including Heavy Metal, Radio Times and Men Only. worked as conceptual artist on major motion pictures including Willow, Clash of the Titans and Blade Runner. created cover for Whitesnake album Lovehunter. work has appeared in galleries in southern U.S. and Mexico. published four compilations of artwork: Beauty and the Beast, Sirens, Medusa and Amazona.

Attraction and Provocation Sonia Roji is one of the most talented erotic artists to come out of continental Europe. Roji was born in Madrid, Spain in 1971. The young Spaniard's sensuous works rival those by countryman Carlos Diez (with whom she has studied and worked) and put her in a class with other modern erotic masters such as Olivia de Berardinis and Hajime Sorayama. Her cultured family encouraged her interest in art and she expressed her young self in a variety of media, including painting and sculpture. This family support provided the foundation for her future confidence and success, though perhaps few if any could have predicted that her career lay in eroticism. An important event that helped shape the young artist's future was receiving two books filled with fantasy illustrations as a gift from her father. These provided enough inspiration to carry Roji to the Pena Art School in Madrid. Numerous awards for her fine art works further encouraged her, but plans to study at the Spain's School of Fine Arts were abandoned. She decided instead that she wished to delve further into the world of illustration. After a period of self-teaching, she enrolled in the C-10 Creative Workshop run by Carlos Diez, the most prominent Spanish illustrator and one of the finest erotic artists around today. There, she was able to hone her techniques, particularly with the airbrush. The school also helped the formation of a very productive professional relationship, and the young Roji and Diez collaborated on many projects. Her work with Diez on books and video games led her to Gen Con in 1998. There she met some of the famous fantasy artists that the convention traditionally attracts and more doors began opening for the young artist. She received commissions in a variety of genres, including magazines, books, video games and film concept design. Her skills became even more refined through this type of commission work, and eventually Roji found her way into the world of erotic art. The artist had always drawn and painted beautiful women, but she eventually realized that there was a public hungry for provocative illustration and erotic art. Her skills were recognized by major erotic magazines in Spain, which picked up her work and expanded her influence. Roji's pinup works are highly sensuous displays of airbrush mastery. Nude and semi-nude women with perfectly unblemished skin smile and writhe on white backgrounds. Some are stunningly realistic, while others seem to be hazy visions from erotic dreams. Her paintings show not only technical mastery, but also a very refined sense of beauty. They are sensuous, provocative and enticing. Sonia has worked with a variety of fantastic pinup models. Her A list includes Veronika (renowned pinup model as well as operator and co-owner of the Echo Gallery in Chicago), Eve Ellis (the "Red Queen of Fetish"), Bianca Beauchamp and Taylor Lee. Sonia eventually showed her work to Robert Bane, the well-known publisher, collector and curator of erotic art based in California. He was so impressed that he offered her a permanent exhibition in the Tamara Bane Gallery in Beverley Hills. Her work has also appeared in Chicago's famed Echo Gallery in their 2005 Heavy Metal Exhibition. Original artwork is handled through the exclusive agency of Robert Bane, owner and operator of Tamara Bane Gallery and Robert Bane Editions, publishers of erotic and fine art. Roji has also recently signed with Stickerchick, which now handles the distribution of the artist's images to signature groups. Sonia continues to paint, doing a variety of commissions and regularly contributing to Artcore (magazine for "xxxtreme erotica"). She is also working with a magazine called Senze, which covers the international fetish scene. Her position in the world of erotic art, not only in her native Spain but also throughout Europe and across the ocean in North America, is solid but still expanding. Her work appears in collections throughout the world. Sonia currently lives on the rugged north coast of Spain with her husband and two cats. Major Accomplishments numerous awards at Pena Art School in Madrid, Spain. collaboration with major Spanish erotic artist Carlos Diez. permanent exhibition in Tamara Bane Gallery, Beverly Hills, CA. work shown in Echo Gallery, Chicago, IL. work shown in 2005 Heavy Metal Exhibition. regular contributor to Artcore (magazine for 'xxxtreme erotica). work with international fetishist publication Senze. variety of commissions for books, magazines, video games, and film concept design.

Alan started his professional career as an illustrator after graduating Rochester Institute of Technology in 1991 with a BFA in Painting and Illustration. His first job right out of school was for two covers for Marvel Comics - Conan Magazines. He has since trained under his mentor of 6 years John F. Murray at The School of Visual Arts and the John F. Murray School of Art. He studied a traditional academic approach to Drawing and Painting that can be traced back to Jean Leon Gerome and other 19th Century French Academicians at the Ecole de Beau Arts in France. This training technique is known as the Riley Method. The Riley Method was taught to John Murray by Frank Riley at The Art Students League of New York. During and after Alan's training, he has developed a steady working relationship with many of his clients, most of which are top tier companies in their perspective industries. He has illustrated Book Covers, Calendars, Portraits, Advertising, Card Game Illustrations, Magazine Covers, Interior Illustrations and more. His work here will speak for itself as far as quality, photo-realism, and digital art go. "I have always been inspired by traditional, classical and academic works of art. I enjoy the 'intellectual' painters, especially those of the 19th century, as well as the Old Masters. I also love creating my own worlds, painting the characters and their environments as I envision them."

For me to speak of myself or my artwork I must focus on its most motivating element – WOMEN! Whether submissive or dominant, innocent or experienced, my insatiable urge to portray a beautiful woman permeates my life and my art. It’s what inspired me to become an artist, and it led me into the field of erotic illustration as well as comic book drawing and paperback-cover painting. Growing up in the early 60’s provided me with many opportunities to see various erotic scenes on television. After watching these scenes I would often try to recreate them on paper (or enact it with a certain girl in the neighborhood). Fortunately I had a decent drawing ability, and soon found I could achieve a likeness of the actress as well. I took great care in obtaining accuracy of positions and angles. I also paid attention to her dress wear. High heeled shoes and knee-high boots, showing lots of leg are other special turn-ons to me. In high school my notes from class were intermixed with sketches of various studies: girls in cheerleader uniforms, leg wear, footwear, etc. All were done from observation or memory. Guys who saw my drawings began to ask for drawings of certain girls or movie stars involved in various fantasy situations. It was an early version of the custom order business I’d later provide. My career as a professional illustrator began after college. My taste for women in bizarre attire led me to super hero books, where the heroines dressed in wild clothing. The same can be said for my sci-fi book covers. Yet it was working for Friendship Studios that began my deep involvement with erotic illustration. During this time I also had the opportunity to illustrate a complete book, and also I was able to begin a professional custom art service. Over the years we were together I must have drawn close to a thousand personal requests. Afterwards I concerned myself more with regular illustration, portrait and cover paintings while keeping a steady custom order clientele. I also did some work for a number of well-known erotic publications. Many times I’ve been asked how my drawings evolve. I tend to work from imagination, starting with a basic idea. It may be a certain situation, woman, position, etc., that sets the wheels in motion. I do a full size sketch, working out details, then I transfer onto Bristol Board (11” x 14”). The drawing is usually rendered in black Prismacolor, a wax pencil that seldom smears. If I need reference, I find a photo that is similar, or get my wife to pose. When doing custom work, my major concern is that the buyer be pleased with the result. I carefully consider what his fantasy is all about, as well as stressing detail and creating a good likeness.

Dark Gothic Fetish Erotica Gerald Brom is one of the most fascinating American artists currently working in the genres of gothic fantasy and erotic art. With a monstrous imagination combined with extraordinary skill, he produces art that is truly unforgettable. Brom was born in 1965 in the southern United States, but as the son of an army pilot he moved around a great deal. His family lived not only in the U.S. but also abroad in Japan and Germany, which is where the young Brom graduated from high school. Some of his early influence was from the literature of writers such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert Howard and, particularly, Michael Moorcock, whom Brom credits with inspiring his particular brand of gothic fantasy. The artist's talent was prodigious, and at the ripe age of 20, after two years at a technical art college in Georgia, he was working full-time as a commercial illustrator. By age 21 he was working with an impressive list of clients, including CNN, Columbia Pictures, IBM and Coca Cola. He eventually landed a full-time job doing fantasy illustration with TSR, Inc., the hugely successful gaming company that produced, among others, the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. After four years with TSR, Inc., Brom rejoined the freelance world. Since then his powerful imagination and artistic skills have been employed in a wide variety of genres. He has done paintings for novels and book covers, including those by Terry Brooks, R.A. Salvatore, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Michael Moorcock as well as the War of the Spider Queen and Avatar series for Wizards of the Coast. He has worked on popular computer games, including Doom II, Diablo II, Heretic, Heretic II and Skyborg: Into the Vortex. He has contributed to movies and TV as a concept artist on Galaxy Quest, Sleepy Hollow, Cleopatra 2525, Ghosts of Mars and Scooby-Doo, among others. Early in his career Brom came out with his own set of fantasy art trading cards and he has produced fetish toys, bronze and porcelain figures and even pocket knives. His art has also been published in book form in Darkwerks: The Art of Brom, Brom's Little Black Book, and Offerings. All of this work is part of Brom's huge success, which is also attributable to an enormous cult following. His art is clearly the product of a unique vision, translated onto canvas by enormous technical ability. He claims not to have ever really made a decision to become an artist; rather, it was the only path available and the right doors opened at the right time. Brom has characterized his own art as "gothic fetishism," and a browse through his gallery would lead most to agree with the suitability of the term. There is something sinister about his work, which lends the erotic pieces a supercharged sexuality. It is the eroticism of danger and darkness. In Brom's world, beauty is contorted, fused with monstrosity and infused with mystery. Yet he claims that it comes less from a conscious attempt and more from his natural artistic aesthetic. One can see a clear line of influence from the master of fantasy Frank Frazetta, which the artist acknowledges, but he also claims a number of other influences. These include Richard Corben (best known for his illustrated stories in Heavy Metal magazine), Rick Berry, N.C. Wyeth and, rather surprisingly, Norman Rockwell. One of Brom's greatest strengths, something that can also be seen as one of the greatest strengths of his primary influences, is composition. His paintings achieve a balance of form that immediately draws the viewer closer. Besides having his art published in book compilations, Brom has also recently taken to writing illustrated novels. The first of these, titled The Plucker, featured over 100 paintings and received a variety of accolades, even winning a Chesley Award from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. His second illustrated novel, The Devil's Rose, a tragic western set in hell, was released in 2007. Gerald Brom currently lives in the Seattle, Washington area with his wife and two sons. His current activity, according to his own website, involves the following: "when not eating bugs, he is ever writing, painting and trying to reach a happy sing-a-long with the many demons dancing about in his head." Major Accomplishments worked as commercial illustrator for a variety of major corporations including CNN, Columbia Pictures, IBM and Coca Cola. worked for major gaming company TSR, Inc.. produced paintings for novels and book covers, including those by Terry Brooks, R.A. Salvatore, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Michael Moorcock. worked on popular computer games, including Doom II, Diablo II, Heretic, Heretic II and Skyborg: Into the Vortex. contributed to movies and TV as a concept artist on Galaxy Quest, Sleepy Hollow, Cleopatra 2525, Ghosts of Mars and Scooby-Doo. published art compilations: Darkwerks: The Art of Brom, Brom's Little Black Book, and Offerings. written two illustrated novels: The Plucker and The Devil's Rose.

Rebel Artist Spirit In Spain, the genres of pin-up art and fantasy-erotica find their greatest expression in the work of Carlos Diez. Besides producing paintings, illustrations and sketches in the studio, he is involved in art education. Born in 1966 in Madrid, Carlos Diez had several early influences that shaped his artistic vision. He was always interested in science fiction films and television series. He claims to have recorded episodes of Space 1999 on audio tape and replayed them countless times. Movies provided great imaginative stimulation and Diez began drawing at a very young age, partly as a way to prolong the pleasure of the movies he saw. Some time after seeing Star Wars, Diez had an important realization. He found that it was much more exciting to draw the likes of Princess Leia than it was to draw the masculine heroes of the movies he adored. The pin-up artist was born. As Carlos himself described it: "All the paper that went through my hands started to get filled with curves and more curves, trying to recreate the image of those beautiful women" The artists fate appeared to be sealed when he found a book of Alberto Vargas illustrations and realized that what he was trying to accomplish in his drawings had precedent, and a name: "pin-up." Although he attended the University of Fine Arts and School of Applied Arts for one year, Diez is largely self-taught. Art school didn't meet his expectations and so he embarked on his career without academic qualifications or much formal training. His imagination and skill with the airbrush led him into early work for record labels and advertising agencies. But again, the rebel spirit was restless and longed to focus on works of fantasy and erotica. Opportunity eventually came knocking, and Diez's work came to appear on poster and covers for a great variety of publications. These include magazines such as Heavy Metal, Playboy, Penthouse, and GQ, as well as comic books including Kiss Comics, El Vibora, Eros Comic, Gigamesh, and Dolmen. The artist has thus achieved very broad exposure and his erotic images have garnered popularity both in his native Spain as well as in North America. Carlos Diez work has become even more various, and he has contributed to TV and radio as well as to the music industry. His work with Locomotive Music, a major Spanish label, has included covers for heavy metal bands such as Transilvania 666, Tribute to Iron Maiden, Easy Rider, Tierra Santa, Azrael and Lujuria. The Internet has helped the artist achieve even broader recognition. He launched his official website in 2002 and quickly began receiving requests and praise from around the world. One of the most important connections he made was with Robert Bane, the renowned collector of erotic art and supporter of erotic artists. Bane asked for some of the artist's original work for an exhibition at the Tamara Bane Gallery in Los Angeles. Diez's subsequent trip to California also provided an opportunity to meat Kevin Eastmen and begin his work with Heavy Metal magazine. The work of Carlos Diez includes traditional pin-up, for which he relies on an international coterie of models (he receives many requests), as well as unique combinations of fantasy and erotica. The artist's development of this combination resulted primarily from the great demand for such work, which led him to study the art of Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo and Alfonso Azpiri. He credits these masters with teaching about the use of color. From Luis Royo, whom he calls the "great master of erotic art," he has learned to appreciate detail. Diez also mentions many others as formative influences, including Sorayama, Geiger, and de Berardinis. Some of the finest erotic images can be found in the book The Art of Carlos Diez: Objects of Desire. The artist himself took great pains arranging each page and ensuring that each detail advanced his artistic vision. This is a full color 136-page collection of paintings and drawings that has been called a "delightful amalgam of erotic daydreams." It provides many excellent examples of the artist's work. Carlos Diez continues to work in Spain. He has celebrated the 10th anniversary of his institute "C10 Formación Creativa Gráfica y Digital." Located in Madrid, the institute offers courses in a wide range of visual arts, including comic book art, manga, illustration, drawing, airbrushing, graphic design, and digital photography. His involvement in education is rather ironic, considering that he was largely self-taught, but he certainly has much to give back to the world of art. Major Accomplishments work has appeared in major magazines including Heavy Metal, Playboy, Penthouse and GQ. comic book work includes illustrations for Kiss Comics, El Vibora, Eros Comic, Gigamesh, and Dolmen. has designed CD covers for a great variety of heavy metal bands with Locomotive Music. work has been shown in the Tamara Bane Gallery in Los Angeles, California. published The Art of Carlos Diez: Objects of Desire. founded his own school dedicated to the visual arts, C10 Formación Creativa Gráfica y Digital.

Hang for Graphite Dirk started to draw when he was very young. Due to his Love for Comics and Fantasy-Films, he drew a lot of Fantasy Pictures. Sometimes, even though he dindn't like it as much, he drew also some Buildings, Flowers etc. In his Schooltime he developed his Hang for Graphite Drawings, and tried out all kinds of other Styles, for example Water-Color Paintings, but he knew, Graphite would allways be his personal favourite. Because of his Work and his Education, between the Years 1992 and 2000 only very few Pictures were finished. He didn't have the Time, nor could he concentrate on his Art as much as he would have liked to. In 1996 Dirk began his Studies of Architecture in Hannover. Within theses Studies there were offerd some Drawing and Painting Courses, which he attended full of Expectations. And he started Drawing again, in his free Time, too. Due to the Studies of Architecture most of the Works were Buildings, interior Designs and Landscape Drawings. In some of his Arts his Fantasy Influences, which he still had, were placed into the Drawings, and some of his Professors were confronted with some abnormal Drawings of Buildings. In these Times there were some Courses offered, where the Students could draw nude Men and Women, and it was then, when Dirk started to realize, that Pin-Up Drawings combined with some Elements of Fantasy, was the really right thing for him to do. The Fantasy in his Mind and the esthetic Bodies of beatuiful women were just the right Combination for Dirk. Some normal Pin-Ups and some Fantasy were finished at the End of his Studies. Now Dirk still tries out a lot of different Styles and Composions. He is eger to learn more and to perfect his own Style. Dirk never, except for the Courses in his Studies, learned to draw professionally. Only his Talent and his Passion for the Art lets these amazing Drawings come into Being.

The art gallery of Donato Giancola conceptual

Classic Pinup Olivia de Berardinis is one of the most well-known and talented modern pin-up artists. Her images regularly appear in major magazines such as Playboy. Her works are favorites of erotic art fanatics worldwide. De Berardinis was born in 1948 in California, but her father's work as a freelance engineer had the family bouncing around the East Coast for most of Olivia's childhood. One of her most important early influences was her playful and free-spirited mother, who provided encouragement and even served as nude model for Olivia's amateur drawing. Art became a release in a world full of adults and her talent, particularly with the female form, was evident at an early age. In her late teens Olivia went to New York City to attend the School of Visual Arts. After graduating, she took a variety of jobs while continuing to do her art, which at this time consisted mostly of minimalist oil paintings. Eventually the difficulty of scraping together a living provided reason to rethink her artistic direction. Since she had always been fascinated by the female figure and had shown youthful talent drawing nudes, she started painting beautiful women again. This led to reliable work as a commercial artist, painting erotic art for paperbacks and fantasy periodicals. Widespread distribution helped her gain recognition, and soon she was hired to paint erotic fantasies for men's magazines. The mature career of Ms. De Berardinis had begun. The mid-70s brought the artist together with Joel Beren, who would become both her business partner and husband. Together they established two companies. The first was O Cards, which printed Olivia's work on greeting cards. The second was Ozone Productions Ltd., which licensed her work. They both worked extremely hard to establish Olivia as one of the premier erotic artists of her time. The hard work paid off with Olivia's first publishing agreement, which she signed with Robert Bane Publishing. Over the span of two decades Bane released over 200 limited editions of de Berardinis' work and she had several one-woman shows in the galleries of Robert and his wife Tamara. The art of Olivia de Berardinis is sizzling with wild eroticism. Her subjects range from classic betties with shiny black bangs and devilish stares through nurses, cowgirls, and sultry substitute teachers to seductive pin-up representations of celebrities like Pamela Anderson. There is plenty of leather, lingerie, stockings and garters, heels, tattoos and erotic props. These paintings are loaded with playful fetishism, glamor and burlesque. Most of her subjects are in classic pin-up poses on brushed or monochrome backgrounds. Yet Olivia maintains versatility, doing fantasy erotica and painting women with wings and other female-animal hybrids. The artist's technical mastery is proven with a variety of media, primarily watercolor, gouache, and giclee. She also frequently does lithographs. Some of her images are have the luscious feel of the airbrush while others are almost painfully realistic. Many of her images are fundamentally surreal, combining elements of traditional eroticism and pin-up in new ways. The detail and sensuality of the paintings are not lost in reproduction. Here is Olivia's goal, in her own words: "I am always trying to simplify the image, to make it look effortless, to make the woman powerful, sexy, and dignified." It would appear that she regularly succeeds at this. Olivia and her husband Joel live in Los Angeles where she continues to paint while Joel plays the role of manager. The exclusive publishing relationship with Robert Bane Publishing ended in 2003, and in 2005 Olivia and Joel began doing all representation and print publishing themselves as part of Ozone Productions Ltd. Books, catalogues, postcards and collectibles featuring de Berardinis' erotic work are all available online through eOlivia. Pinup works are also published every month in Playboy Magazine. Ms. de Berardinis enjoys and excellent creative partnership with Hugh Hefner, whose influence through Playboy is immense. This arrangement is a testament to Olivia's prominence in the world of erotic art and her great talent. Distribution of the artist's images is also made possible through a contract with Creative Image Licensing and Management, which sells rights to individual images and works for use in signature works. Joel continues his tireless work behind the scenes and provides support in many ways. Together they manage the Olivia brand. Ozone Productions is in the process of putting together several limited edition works which will appear in both their online gallery as well as Bettie Page, Las Vegas. Major Accomplishments new work shown at "Erotics Gallery" in New York City, 1982. gala one-woman show at the newly opened Tamara Bane Gallery in Los Angeles, 1987. fourteen one-woman shows at the galleries of Robert and Tamara Bane. published Let Them Eat Cheesecake, the first of five books published under Olivia and Joel's own Ozone Productions, 1993. one-woman shows in San Francisco, Tokyo, New York and other major cities. regularly published in Playboy Magazine. work is popular with fans and collectors worldwide, particularly in the United States and Japan.

Born in 196o so to speak as a "multi talent" - plays drums in two rock/pop bands, is father of two and a sought after handyman and, on the side, happens to paint pictures that are pretty much breathtaking. According to his words, he is not the best drummer, nor the best painter, but he is working on it. His modesty is one of his striking features. When asked "why do you paint?" the answer is almost invariably: "...because it´s fun!...anyone can do it, anyway." It is not easy to get an explanation for his choice of subject matter, either: "There is no particular reason why I make my paintings how they are. I don´t paint to express anything in particular, rather I paint with the feeling that I will like the result". The most important point of his creation is - as he puts it - the fun that he has when doing his illustrating. Being self-taught, he feels at ease in the role of the hobby and spare-time painter. That does not mean that he would make his hobby into a profession. After all, he already has already embellished a number of motor bikes (including his own Harley) and different pieces of furniture. But have you ever seen a good artist who cared about the marketing?! For my part, all I can say is: Dear Andy, keep having your fun in painting, so that we can also have fun looking at them for a long time to come!!

Eclectic and Strikingly Surreal Imagery The art of Barclay Shaw stands apart in its eclectic originality. His strikingly surreal imagery and crystalline rendering style create a unique space within the arena of illustrative art, computer generated graphics and 3D animation. Since turning to the arts as a full-time freelance artist, Barclay Shaw has painted well over 500 book and magazine cover illustrations, working for virtually every major U.S. publishing house. His paintings have received Chesley Awards and several Hugo Award nominations. His original artwork is displayed in museums and galleries, as well as Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention art shows. He now provides high-end computer graphics and 3D animation support primarily for government and private sector scientific research and development programs. The art of Barclay Shaw stands apart in its eclectic originality. His strikingly surreal imagery and crystalline rendering style create a unique space within the arena of illustrative art, computer generated graphics and 3D animation. Although the majority of Shaw's early artwork has centered on Science Fiction and Fantasy themes, his work covers an extremely broad range of subject matter and use of materials: from painting and sculpture to digital imagery, 3D animation and multimedia presentation. His background in painting, sculpture and design along with his active interest in animation and music production, make him uniquely qualified for the current environment of computer generated graphics and multimedia production. In addition to traditional art tools, his studio includes both Macintosh and Windows platforms and has full digital audio and video production capabilities.

Very Organic Creative Process David knew from a very early age that he was an artist, and has always earned his living through art. In his early years he set up a business painting signs and he occasionally taught art, but he is proud of the fact that he never had a "real" job. Where does David get his ideas? This is always a difficult question to answer. The best ideas always spring from sources unknown. But certainly ones milieu and interests play a part. David is an avid film and theater goer. He also loves Shakespeare and attends the festivals. He listens to music while he paints (from Mozart to Gershwin to Randy Newman) and he is an avid reader (favorite authors include Samuel Beckett, John Cheever, Edith Wharton, and Alan Bennett.) These influences often find their way into his paintings. Typically, he hears a phrase in a play or a passage of music and feels compelled to translate the idea into a visual form. But, his creative process is very organic and often his finished paintings are quite different from his original conceptions. Why does he use so many "animal" characters in his picture books? David paints anthropomorphized animals to suggest human characteristics. An animal can be a great form of shorthand for personality types. When we say that someone moves like a cat or acts like a weasel, others understand us perfectly. While his picture books are enjoyed by children, they are actually written for adults. David believes that the best children's stories are meaningful at any age, and numbers among his personal favorites Alice In Wonderland, Peter Pan and Wind In The Willows. WORKING METHODS: How long does it take David to complete a painting? This continues to be the most common question David is asked at signings. But the answer depends upon when one decides a painting begins. Is it when the idea begins to take shape or when the brush first meets the canvas? Some ideas arrive suddenly while others percolate for weeks, months, or even years. When they finally arrive fully formed, the actual painting is achieved remarkably quickly. While a typical painting might be completed in a week, some of his finest work has been completed in less than a day. What mediums does he use? In his early years, David painted in gouache (an opaque water-based medium) but he discovered that acrylics offered more luminosity, resulting in higher quality reproductions. Today he also works with oil paints which provide more texture and depth than acrylics. Oils also slow him down, keeping him more aware of the painting process. Most often he uses both, using acrylic for underpainting and oil for detailing, and he sometimes adds other mediums such as colored pencil or oil pastels. He's very flexible, allowing the painting to dictate the medium. The one medium he never uses is the computer. Does he use models? Models are essential to David's work as he prefers artificial light for its dramatic theatrical properties, and often requires unusual poses. He finds almost all of his models on the street or working in local shops and restaurants. (The model for his Cinderella book, for instance, was a waitress from the local Cup and Saucer Cafe.) INFLUENCES: Which artists have influenced David's work? David admires some artists for technique and others for imagery. He likes the technique of Parrish and Sargeant, for example, and the imagery of De Chirico and Seurat. He admires Edward Hopper on both levels. He also enjoys the Medieval school of painting for its tableaus and stylization. Any other influences? Film, theater, and music each influence David's work, though it's impossible to say exactly how. Whie we were attending an opening in Bethesda, a Mensa member casually noted, "I can see David listens to a lot of Mozart." When I asked him why he thought this, he shrugged his shoulders, and answered, "It's obvious from looking at the work." It wasn't obvious to me (even though I know that David often listens to Mozart while painting.) But that's part of the mystery and joy of art. Each of us looks at a painting and sees something different. Favorite Plays and Films (in no particular order.) PLAYS Butley (Simon Gray) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Edward Albee) Arcadia (Tom Stoppard) Travesties (Tom Stoppard) Endgame (Samuel Beckett) An Englishman Abroad (Alan Bennett) Glengarry Glen Ross (David Mamet) Hamlet & Hery IV Part I (William Shakespeare) No Man's Land (Harold Pinter) The Ice Man Cometh (Eugene O'Neill) True West (Sam Shepard) FILMS Citizen Kane (Orson Wells) Chinatown (Roman Polanski) Fargo (Coen Bros.) 8-1/2 (Federico Fellini) The Third Man (Carol Reed) Black Narcissus (Michael Powell) Hannah & Her Sisters (Woody Allen) Great Expectations (David Lean) Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese) Local Hero (Bill Forsyth) The Servant (Joseph Losey) Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder) The Maltese Falcon (John Huston) The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (Peter Greenaway) Babe, Pig in the City (George Miller) Little Davy PERSONAL BACKGROUND: How long has David Delamare been painting? All his life. Even as a child he was busy drawing, painting, and writing stories. He was (and is) strongly encouraged by his mother. Una lives just a few blocks away and is still his greatest fan. She keeps a scrapbook of his work, bakes cookies for local gallery openings, and not infrequently drops by with a roast beef sandwich or chicken pot pie. David knew from a very early age that he wanted to be an artist, and has always earned his living through art. In his early years he set up a business painting signs and he occasionally taught art, but he is proud of the fact that he has never had a "real" job. Can you tell me something about his personal life? David was born in Leicester, UK but has spent most of his life in Portland, Oregon where he enjoys the cloudy weather. Though he likes to travel, he has never driven a car. He sleeps late and works deep into the night. When he's not attending films, plays, or concerts he can usually be found at home or strolling in Portland's Hawthorne District. He's a bit reclusive and rarely makes public appearances, so if you have an opportunity to see him at a book signing or gallery opening, don't miss it.

The Pinup

Fantasy Illustration Legend Greg Hildebrandt achieved fame with his twin brother Tim, a team known as "the brothers Hildebrandt." Although famous for his work in advertising, book covers and illustration, Greg has proven himself in his later years as a master of pinup art. Born in 1939, Greg and Tim displayed early artistic talent and were heavily influenced by early comic books and strips as well as science fiction novels, films and illustrations. Their imaginations and artistic ambitions were also propelled by dreams of working at Disney, whose animated films never faded as sources of inspiration. After attending Meinzinger's Art School in Detroit, the brothers moved relocated to New Jersey, where they travelled around the world making documentary films for a Catholic bishop before embarking on careers as illustrators for children's books for Hold, Reinhart & Winston, among other major publishers. Real fame in the fantasy art world came when they produced the illustrations for Ballantine's calendars based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The calendars were immensely popular, and this opened a great many opportunities for Greg and Tim. What followed was an extraordinary string of fantasy and sci-fi movie posters, magazines illustrations and book covers. Their poster for the 1977 film Star Wars was no less monumental than the movie itself. They also produced their own best-selling epic fantasy novel called Urshurak. In 1981 Greg and Tim decided to follow separate paths. Greg went on to do illustrations for Omni and Heavy Metal magazines, more fantasy calendars and a variety of classic children's books. His images have been reproduced by Verkeke, one of the world's biggest poster companies. This relationship has helped Greg's art achieve widespread distribution. His works have also appeared on collector's plates, dolls, knives, swords and trading cards. Greg's career as a pin-up artist began in 1999. In that year he started his American Beauties series. This was the fulfillment of an ambition to do erotic art that he had had since age eight, when he would sneak into his grandfather's basement to look at his pinup calendars. Inspired by the likes of Alberto Vargas and Gil Elvgren but determined to assert his own vision of pinup art, Hildebrandt began by painting Emerald Evening, depicting a red-haired stripper in a jazz bar with his friends as audience members. In the years following, the American Beauties series of pinup art has grown and achieved considerable popularity. In 2002 the Louis Meisel Gallery in New York opened a one-man show of Hildebrandt's pinup works. From that point the world has gotten to know a different side of Greg and his art and his erotic works have inspired the dreams of countless fans. The Art The American Beauties images are classic 40s and 50s pinup. The subjects and settings are all reminiscent of that golden age of cheesecake in advertising, magazines and calendars. There's plenty of erotic lingerie and sultry motel nudes but also short-skirted or tight-shorted all-American girls posing by airplanes and cars or smiling in diners. Although Greg's influences are from the classic era of cheesecake, he has succeeded in putting his own stamp on the genre. Current / Recent Activity Hildebrandt sells his work as well as the work of other artists in the fantasy and comic genres through his website Spiderwebart. This site contains an extensive collection of images, including his pinup works, and lists Greg's upcoming appearances and events. He also maintains a fresh, clean site dedicated solely to his pinups at americanbeauties.com. One of Greg's most interesting recent projects was a piece of work for Redlight Poker. He painted a fabulous blonde pinup in red underwear and black stockings right onto the suede surface of a poker table. The table was used for the final showdown of a seven-day poker tournament aboard a Caribbean cruise ship. He has expressed hope that this was only his first poker table work. Greg Hildebrandt continues to work vigorously as he approaches his 70th year. With his ever-expanding American Beauties projects, he continues to express his appreciation for beautiful women and the classic pinup art that celebrates them. Major Accomplishments illustrations for Ballantine's The Lord of the Rings calendars. movie posters, including Star Wars. CD cover art, including Black Sabbath's Mob Rules. illustrations for Magic: The Gathering collectible card game. nominated for three Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists, including Best Cover Illustration: Magazine, and, with brother Tim, the Award for Artistic Achievement. winner of the Golden Web award for Spiderwebart Gallery. winner of Outstanding Creations award.

Gorgeous and Wildly Popular Fantasy Comics Joe Jusko is an extremely well known comic and fantasy artist/painter, loved by many a comic fan. He is widely known in the comic scene for his covers and trading cards. He was the talented artist who alone brought us the gorgeous and wildly popular first series (1992) of Marvel Masterpiece card-sets and the immensely detailed "Joe Jusko does Edgar Rice Boroughs" 1994 card-set, and is featured in Conan and Vampirella card sets. His work has graced covers of Wizard magazine and his covers or illustrations span Vampirella, the Punisher, Conan, Shi, Nick Fury, Black Panther, Heavy Metal Magazine, Marvel Double shot, Crimson, 21 down, and many more. His work is featured in books such as "The Art of Marvel" as "Joe Jusko's Art of Edgar Rice Burroughs." He also worked on Police and Firefighter Heroes of September 11. This lithograph features a painting of Captain America saluting our fallen heroes. Joe painted this with the special request that all the money go to the New York City Police and Fire Department Widow and Orphan's Fund. This litho is premiering on the Dynamic Forces website. This will be available both signed and unsigned by Joe Jusko. The fact that Joe Jusko was so emotionally drawn to the situation, being an ex-New York City Policemen himself, but geographically being far away, he did the only thing he could. He put his emotion into his work and his craft and created one of the most unbelievable images of all times. Dynamic Forces is proud to turn this awesome image into a lithograph. Joe Jusko has donated his time, Marvel Comics are donating all their fees and Dynamic Forces is donating every penny to the New York City Police and Fireman's Widow's and Orphan's Fund.

De Recherche Et De Creation Thanks to science fiction. One day during college, I chose to make a speech on the subject, and in my research, I fell on the draft amendment from "Dune" by Jodorowsky. This engaged a number of artists including the specialist in spaceships at the moment, Chris Foss. I was subjugated by the realism of his drawings and without thinking only one second of becoming illustrator, I started to copy his works frantically. Then from wire out of needle, the trade was born. By creating my own vessels, I started to control the technique of the drawing, page-setting and the prospect? Did your parents encourage you in this way? There was no reserve of their share. Like all the parents, they were just anxious knowledge what I was going to do later. As from the moment when they understood that it was my way, they never slowed down me, on the contrary. At that time, publicity was in full rise. That rather tended to reassure them? Then you return to the Duperré school? Not completely. As I had missed my vat and that this school required it, I left to make my military service in 1982 and I passed by again this examination as a free candidate. Then, I made a success of the entrance examination. In four years, I obtained the BTS visual expression, then the higher diploma of the applied arts to the Estienne school. Which memories do you appoint these years? That enabled me to meet friends whom I always attend and of the professors who brought to me much. In particular George Pichard, then professor of graphic arts in Duperré. It was a good man and everyone appreciated it and respected it. What had fascinated me at the time, it was the variation which there was between this distinguished man and his frankly erotic work. After my studies I continued to visit him to show him the evolution of my work. I was always impressed by the accuracy of his judgements and especially by the tact with which it lavished its councils. Which style did you have? I continued in the way of realism. It was the golden age of this style with personalities like Pierre Barraya, Pierre Peyrolle, Jean-Paul Goude, Jean Lagarrigue. My technical level enabled me to start to work during my studies for the edition. I carried out covers for Denoël and I have Lu. In the margin of this production, I believe it said that you worked much for publicity? At the exit of the school, I specialized in the packaging. I drew hundreds of small cakes, ices, fruit and vegetables, etc It should be known that at that time all took shape. The photograph was not yet omnipresent. They was to some extent your ranges? Absolutely. One could not be satisfied with an approximation because it is the customer who decided with the final one. It was known that if work were not well made, the drawing was going to be turned over to us. Then, there was necessary to be good of continuation, while remaining effective. The crisis, and the simultaneous arrival of the numerical illustration and the free image data bases of rights marked the end of this golden age. You then turned to the pinups? Gradually, I put more and more characters in my drawings. The pinups, I did them for me. I was always amateur, but as a draughtsman, I spent years before managing to produce something of correct. At the beginning, it was only one subject like another. It is at the time of the operational startup of a calendar that I was caught, little by little, with the play. The subject was naked girls with black shoes and the title was quite naturally Black Shoes. But no editor took the risk to publish it. Which were your Masters at this time? Aslan, George Petty and especially Alberto Vargas. I was useful myself of photographs found in magazines like documents. But I realized that to being inspired some too much one does not progress any more. I spent sometimes more time to seek photo documents than to paint. I diverted them, putting end to end, the installation of a model with the hands or the face of another, and the behaviours of a third. Then I decided to make pose my own models. What did you withdraw some? I progressed in a spectacular way. Lastly, I had a perfect control of the image: I chose the models, the installations, lighting, etc I became the creator of the image to hundred percent. Summers you a photographer who paints or a painter who photographs? I quite simply use the means which I judge useful to reach my goal: an ideal of beauty and perfection. What interests me, it is to be the Master of each square centimetre of my works, since the creation of the concept until its execution. The model is the only person who interferes with my art. It is a kind of collaboration between somebody which looks at and somebody which is shown. Precisely, that do you answer those which consider that this search of perfection dehumanizes the woman and that, in fact, your models miss sensuality and of seduction to become only kinds of icons. Even if I do not agree I do not have anything to answer them. The image must only be defended. I do not have anything to explain nor to justify. I must say that what imports me more, they are testimonys of recognition of my models. Then if my paintings leave cold a certain public, that imports me! Was your technique always the aerographer? I always was at ease with this technique. The aerographer was invented there is more than one hundred years and its principle goes up with prehistory. The man who projected pigments with the mouth on his hand applied against the wall of a cave invented the principle of the projected color. The aerographer was used much by the photographers to improve and coloriser their pullings. Later, of the lithographers and the poster artists as Cassandre also adopted to make the ranges of the posters Art déco. The popularity of this tool always devalued within the framework by contemporary painting. This a priori stupid will disappear only with time and thanks to the artists who use it. For more than twenty years the urban artistic movements have adopted it. I think that with the advent of the digital graphic techniques, the aerographer finally will reach the "traditional" statute of tool. With which materials do work you? I use painting and the inks acrylic, applied to the brush in hair of marten and projected with the aerographer. These inks, like the watercolour, allow all the transparencies and all subtleties. Pigmented, they resist the light. The acrylic resin is more stable than oil and will never be cracked. To be sure perenniality of work, I work on nonacid papers. How did your first sitting occur? I remember that I was very moved. Many of my photographs were fuzzy! I began again myself and I took taste there. I believe that my models like to pose for me. I receive many requests of young women who would like to pose and to see itself in painting. Sometimes I think that I make a beautiful trade. Other times, that there is a price to pay. But I accept it. How is a sitting organized? I prepare my meeting by carrying out small sketches in a notebook which never leaves me. There, I work out the installations and page-settings of my future images. The meeting lasts approximately an hour. The photographs are used to me as documents to carry out final work. Finally there is little or not improvisation. I imagine that there are installations which return or which are essential naturally? That belonged to the tradition. There are installations known as "traditional" like the pinup lengthened, on a chair, or on the telephone. With each one to draw according to its sensitivity and its manner. It is like the landscape or the still life, a exercise of style. What do you think of bringing moreover in this tradition of the pinup? While registering me in the tradition of this kind, I perhaps grant a larger respect to the models. I hold much so that the image which I carry out resemble the model that I paint. I want that the result is the exact representation of these women at a given moment. My elder used more the model as material of work. Of agreement, they help me to carry out a beautiful table but at the same time, I represent them as they are. They become the subject and do not make only serve it. I seek with them to reveal their treasures of seduction. Do you smell sometimes, a spark at the time of the installation? Certain models inspire to me more than others without I being able really to explain it. The woman is a mystery. I try to include/understand it and retranscribe my emotion while combing them. Often, the model causes in me a desire which grows blurred and disappears completely when the table is finished. I do not know if it is due to the fact of taking again on my account their seduction first or to reproduce it but the model then loses its capacity of seduction. Until the day when I met a young woman of which I did not succeed in exhausting the capacity. Why to have changed support and of format? That comes quite simply from a need to express my art with more force, I want to leave a trace of my passage ici-bas. The pinups constitute for me a form of art to whole share. It is of nothing the illustration since, by definition, there is no text. As long as it is not oil on fabric, people tend to consider that it is not art. One too often associates the technique and the support the illustration. It is an error from my point of view. As from the moment when I chose the subject, the format, and where I do not have any commercial constraint, one is far from the field of the illustration. One finds today in your production of the formats 130 cm X 89 cm on fabric. How did the idea come to you from the large sizes, then close-ups? I think of being subjected to the influence of my MUSE. There no was strategy. That was essential naturally. You are not afraid to fall into a certain madness? It is the case for a long time. In any event, it is not normal to be locked up hours even days to apply matter coloured to a support. Of one moment, I think that technically I will be vis-a-vis a wall. Such a dexterity is needed, such a concentration that I suppose that with time they will be reduced. As that of a musician virtuoso who ages, my hand will lose its safety. I apprehend this moment even if I try today not to think of it too much. The hyperrealism is for me a means of causing an emotion. I seek the visual shock and the aesthetic emotion above all. It is limiting neurotic? It is rather a kind of search impossible because the perfection is never reached. Although one can think of reaching it with the realism of a photograph. It is always an interpretation. I believe it that you hate to make the same thing twice? Insofar as I am in research, I do not like to return to the same place. The woman is an inexhaustible subject. As long as I respect the resemblance of the model, each table is different. It is necessary for all to paint for oneself, to continue to surprise itself, to progress, without thinking of what will like. At my beginnings, I far did too many drawings alike. Today, which likes me follows me! What do you think owing to the fact that one can envy you? Such an amount of if that done fantasmer better. Many will be perhaps disappointed knowing that I have a wise life of family and line. But it is like that.

Official site of the award winning artist Joe Chiodo

Naked Painted Hotties During the early years of Irvin Bomb, he loved to draw dinosaurs and cartoons. While in his early 20’s Irvin's art shifted to painted cityscapes of New York City. The George Washington University awarded artist Irvin Bomb the Morris Louis Painting Fellowship at the age of 24. He studied painting and drawing under renowned fine artists Frank Wright & William Woodword. Bomb later worked in comics and then illustration for adult magazines. Painting the female form has been Bomb’s focus for the past 10 years and he has documented many of his painting sessions on film. Bomb’s shows have aired on Pay-Per-View TV throughout North America.

Joachim Barrum illustration and design work for games

Successful & Versatile Artist Born November 24, 1949 in Long Beach, California. Jim Warren is one of the most successful & versatile artists in the world today! From the wild & whimsical to the sweet & sensuous, for over 35 years Jim Warren has been painting his way into the hearts and minds of people the world over. Beginnings: Started painting at age 1, like all children. Went through the usual string of career choices such as: artist, magician, artist, rock star, artist etc. I officially decided in high school in 1967 that an artist, a "Rich and Famous" one at that, was what I was going to be! Tools: Traditional oil paint on stretched canvas which I coat with a gesso primer. Only paintbrushes are used to paint with and NO airbrush, as people have sometimes thought. Art Training: "I'm basically self taught. I learned some basics in my high school art class. At college I attended several life-drawing classes, and always studied the great masters at museums." Philosophy of Art: "To hell with the rules...paint what you like." Currently: My greatest accomplishment to date, and one that can not be matched, is the many letters and communications that I have recieved from people telling me that my art has inspired them or made their day a little brighter. Jim lives in Clearwater, FL with his wife, Cindy, daughter Drew (born in 1992) and his son, Art (born in 1994). Jim's stepdaughter, Rebecca (born in 1974) lives in California. Jim feels that maintaining a close family with a demanding career is one of his greatest accomplishments, and thanks his family for all their support and assistance. His entire family helps with his art business, doubling as Art Director, Assistant (his wife) and Models (his children).

International Recognition & Success Carlos Cartagena, born April 29th, 1960 in Guatemala City. In school, the teachers were impressed with Carlos drawing ability but later he wanted to do more than just draw. In 1981, he followed his dream and immigrated to America. He worked at different jobs but in the late 80's he started learning airbrush techniques. The first ten years in the U.S. he worked in different types of jobs but in the late 80's he started self-teaching airbrush techniques, making lots of mistakes in the process but moving forward with his big dream. In 1990, Carlos landed his first job as an illustrator for a Southern California electric sign company. It was good practice and he perfected many skills there. But soon it was time to advance, ...he would divide his time between freelance work, painting requests on leather jackets and a custom Harley Davidson bikes. Although by this time his work was gaining national recognition for his murals on the backs of leather jackets, now he was reaching a wealthier U.S. audience through his work on the tanks and fenders of Harley Davidson motorcycles. His work was beginning to reflect "his" style - sexy, sometimes erotic, but always in good taste. In 95 and 96 he won 1st places at Sturgis and Laughlin for his mural created on a custom Harley-Davidson. In 1997 a designer and life-long surfer Mark Buck and founder of Slap-on Art Decals®. Came up with the idea for decals that could be applied to surfboards, car windows, shower doors, skis, skateboards, snowboards...anything with a smooth surface that would look better with a gorgeous image of a sexy woman applied to it. Cartagena was commissioned for a series of pinups for the first release of decals. Advertising went in every magazine from Abercrombie & Fitch to Penthouse, Playboy, Surfer and endless other publications. Cartagena was an instant success, fans of his work gobbling up the decals and writing letters to him from around the globe. He finally reached the international audience. Slap-on was a HUGE SUCCESS and the floodgates opened for anyone looking for the hallmark of pinup artists. Carlos Cartagena had achieved his dream of international recognition and success and is sought out worldwide for his work. Cartagena's pinups are now commissioned and licensed worldwide. His website attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors; some to just look, others to buy his collectables and others to do business.

A Remarkable Painter Jehan Legac began work as a photographer at age 14 when he landed a job shooting photos of cats on Paris rooftops. In his late-teens he dutifully joined the French Navy and became a private photographer for Admiral Philippe de Gaulle, son of the great Charles de Gaulle, a stint that allowed the young artist to navigate from the North Pole to tropical islands, to roam foreign city streets with his camera and gain new eyes into the world. The artist later returned to Paris where he began a successful design business and was able to apply the technology of 3D imaging to his design work. At 28 he gave up his “conservative” life in search of the delicious decadence of New York City where the enterprising young Parisian used his Nikon to mingle with models and pseudo-celebs. Legac also lived, worked, mixed and mingled in cities like Miami, Florida and Caracas, Venezuela. Legac eventually opened a studio in the hip Paris neighborhood of Neuilly where he settled in to paint and photograph, calling on color, chrome and curves to produce the cyber-sensual, multimedia masterpieces that are decidedly Legac. Inspired by his own erotic longing, Legac blends and fuses his lifelong influences of photography, design and computers to create works that are evocative and sexy, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, but always hopelessly in awe of the power of woman. When not in Miami or Los Angeles, the artist resides on the island of Ibiza in Spain with his beautiful wife and Muse, Thea (by Kennerly Clay) Shortly after Jehan had started his website, in march 2001, he found unexpected promotion when Mystique Magazine and Hitboss, amongst a number of others that are already too many to list here, gave him exposure that drew a lot of people towards his website. Within three months he had over 40.000 visitors and that was only the beginning. I was one of those people that entered the "Site of the Day" link at Mystique Magazine, which has grown to become my "home of beauty". The links between two apparently different sites, an erotic magazine and a digital artist, obviously were the "mystique" of Eros and the original, loving and artful approach of the feminine beauty. But let's draw our attention towards Legac's side of it. As soon as you start watching those "finalizations of his inspiration" you'll start detecting preferences for several of them and a, however hidden, desire to obtain or possess your favorite one(s). Even if you're not the common, potential art collector. If you like to express what you feel by watching those imaginative creations, Jehan Legac offers the possibility to comment it in any way you like, or even dislike. Be prepared to find a dream world of well-balanced coloring and shapes that pays tribute to Venus and Eros, as well as the sensual and erotic feminine shape and emotion, incidentally combined with the male erotic presence. Even his more "pornographic" art should be mentioned differently: More like "erographic" or "erogital art". He made several of his artworks in different color variations, but normally the one he selects for "first look" is the ultimate version, with the most powerful color-balance. It would surprise me if you wouldn't find at least one or two of his creative products to developing a very special feeling within you. Consider your entry in this site to be like stepping into another man's dream world. I never regretted one single entry, checking upon yet another series of new "heart and soul" expressions. Enter Jehan Legac's fantasy and let yourself be surprised by the "mystique" and sensuality of his digital creativeness, which is greatly inspired by his lovely wife Thea, being "recreated" in various ways throughout Jehan's complete works. Apart from her there's also some more famous females to be found reshaped and I would not be the least surprised if in the near future many of them would lineup to become part of Jehan Legac's legacy. (by Querinus) Jehan Legac is a new breed of artist whose main inspiration is the computer and whose only framework is the Internet. Bordering on 80's style disco-modernism, Legac's electronic art transposes Web sensations to beach-life sense. Very influenced by his adoptive island of Ibiza, where this Parisian has been living for the past 10 years, his paintings reflect the busy buzz of 21st century networks. His colors flash electronic speed, yet with a typical Balearic touch of sun, youth and neon - which makes his work particularly distinctive. The very first time you see the beautiful faces and bodies of Legac's electronic fetish babes, your heart is bound to suddenly change to fast mode. You'll simply think that you've never seen a girl half as cute. And wait till you catch a glimpse of the others! These creatures are information age goddesses in the highest. Come and share the female ideals of a real life Internet connoisseur: Mermaid eyes that cyber-mesmerize, hair like sensuous rivers of data, code line long legs, hardware thighs no one can walk away from, pixel-born curvaceous hips, erotic Linux body language to communicate, plus incredible asses that would make even Tron drool like a weakling. Not to mention next generation lingerie and colors that are way too loud, as if to make a statement against millennium gloom. Legac's tantalizing soft porn, software-born top-models will sweep you off your feet with the sweetest sex stories, expressing sensitivity that goes beyond the human spectrum, beyond even their creator's grasp. There is only one painter like Jehan Legac in the whole wild world. It's impossible not to fall in love with his e-women! (by Michael Korvin)

Fashion and Glamour Pinup Jennifer began drawing and painting female images at an early age. She started exhibiting sensual female paintings in Kansas City galleries after graduating from Stephens College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Her original, limited edition and poster images have captured collectors from all over the world. Her images began to receive national recognition as her work sold through galleries in NYC, Las Vegas, Chicago, Laguna Beach and Kansas City. The art of Janesko gained international recognition with the launch of her official website in 1996 and the release of her first book in 2002. Playboy magazine featured illustrations by Janesko in the June 1998, March 1999, March 2000 and February 2001 issues. Janesko has been showcased in Maxim magazine, Femme Fatales, PINUP and took the cover of a Scream Queens issue. Janesko work was featured in International publications such as Desire and Skin Two of England, Marquis Fetish Images and OTO of Germany. Additional recognition has been gained through airbrush art publications, such as AIR Brush-Action, Airbrush Art + Action and Airbrush magazines. Television stations such as FOX and MSNBC have also spotlighted the artist's work. Jennifer's original art appeared in the 1994 film "Exit To Eden", directed by Gary Marshall. Recently a portrait of Janesko by artist Dru Blair appeared on the March/April 2008 cover of AIR Brush-Action. The artist's work is a fusion of her love for pinup, fashion and glamour. High contrast and sharp direction are the two elements that form the basis of her art. The artist uses airbrush and paintbrush to create original mixed media paintings. Studies are created using a wide variety of materials including charcoal, pastel, colored pencil, watercolor, ink and graphite on various surfaces. Original paintings are currently sold through the Janesko website and various exhibitions. The artist also accepts private commissions. Current Janesko projects include creating new original and print images. Janesko has just completed the third wine label in association with Haut Art Wines of Napa Valley. She is currently branching out in new and exciting directions with a series of images painted on guitars for GZ Guitars, Inc. The artist also has plans to teach pinup classes at the Blair School of Art in North Carolina. Future projects will feature the artist's talents and passions in the world of fashion.

Tasteful Blend of Sensual Eroticism Specializing in a tasteful blend of sensual eroticism and tenderness in her drawings, Kim finds the seductive, sexy and playful side in each her subjects. While skillfully capturing the beauty and sensuality in their personalities through her camera and pencils, her work charms and seduces female fantasies as well as mesmerizing her male audience. Of course, growing up tan and barefoot on the beaches in Southern California provided a great deal of inspiration. Beautiful women are everywhere... and they're having fun! Largely self-taught, Kim's tedious technique is extraordinary, working in colored pencil, acrylic washes or ink. Her surfaces of choice are French pastel papers or illustration boards. For black and white drawings, graphite pencils have always been her favorite. "There is just nothing like them." Passion: The different paths we take can be very exciting (and to some, a bit strange). Whatever the case, find what you love to do. Then just do it! Do it, live it, enjoy it and relish in the wonder. A great honor, and one that can not be matched, is the many letters received from those all over the world who have been touched, inspired and spellbound by Kim's art. Kim Harlow was born, raised and still resides in Southern California, USA.

Larry Elmore has been creating fantasy and science fiction art for over 20 years. He is most popular for his work on Dungeons & Dragons

Portraits of Absolute Fidelity Born and raised in Sicily, in a town at the foot of Mount Etna where, during high school and university years, he used to ski intensely on. He began his career drawing comics and creating illustrations. For a couple of years Lorenzo continues to produce comics and illustrations, including his first Pin Up paintings, also beginning his collaboration as freelance illustrator with Italian subsidiaries of the most important international advertising agencies. During the 1980s, the advertising market in Italy offers alluring opportunities of financial reward and professional recognition and soon his time is booked up by these publicity works, painting mostly realistic illustrations. He also works in publishing, fashion and motion-picture industries. Among other things, Lorenzo collaborates with Peter Greenaway, creating an illustration for the movie "The Belly of an Architect" (1987). During the 1990s, his rapport with advertising remains quite intense, even if Lorenzo is no longer having so much fun. He works also in multimedia and experiences the creation of a number of interactive CD ROM and Internet animations. Samples of these works are showed at: www.visualshop.it In 2001, Lorenzo goes back to one of his first passions: the creation of Pin Up paintings. Digital paintings, that is, because at that point he has already replaced his brushes with the graphic tablet. Lorenzo did begin learning the digital painting since the early 1990s, nevertheless continuing to use acrylic colors, brushes and airbrush as he always has done before. Only after finding the means and the proper manual skill to create with digital media almost all that he was used to do with the natural media, Lorenzo begins using them professionally.

Historical Fantasy Masterpieces Lorenzo Sperlonga is an Italian pinup artist who has achieved remarkable international success and worked with some of the biggest names in the magazine world. Born in Rome, Italy in 1969, Sperlonga entered the professional art world at a very young age. At just 16 he was working as an illustrator and graphic designer for small publishers and advertising agencies in his native country. He continued to improve his techniques at the Roberto Rossellini Italian Institute for Cinematography and Television, where he studied illustration, graphic design and animation. In the years after graduating, the artist did a variety of commercial work in advertising, interior design, animation, children's comic books and TV magazines. Throughout his education and early work, however, he had a passion for painting, particularly erotica, that didn't receive the time and energy that it deserved. Things changed, and Sperlonga's career in pinup art began in 1994 when he did the cover for Skorpio, a major Italian comic. This led to more work in the adult comic industry, including images for Playmen Comix. The stage was set for a rather rapid series of successes. In the following year the Italian editions of Playboy and Penthouse featured his illustrations. He also travelled to Los Angeles and sowed the seeds of an extremely productive professional relationship with Kevin Eastman, publisher of Heavy Metal magazine. It is fairly obvious what these big names in the industry saw in Sperlonga's art. His technique is superb and his depth of feeling is exquisite. He paints sultry women in a variety of themes and costumes. We find vinyl-clad temptresses, sexy nurses, warrioresses, winged sirens, and plenty of leggy goddesses in stockings. The titles are playful and fantasy-inspiring: "Room Service," "One Bad Kitty," "Dinner's Ready," "Who's Next," and "Teacher's Pets," just to name an exemplary few. Lorenzo eventually decided that Los Angeles was the place to be and relocated there in 1998. He soon began working with Larry Flynt Publications and a variety of other publishers in the erotic genre, including Sizzle and Fort Ross. The real breakthrough, however, came when the seeds sewn with Heavy Metal sprouted and bore fruit in the form of a cover illustration in 2000. The relationship with Heavy Metal has since brought several covers, posters and calendars. Several important books have further expanded the artist's appeal and reputation. The first of these was put out by MG Publishing and called, aptly enough, The Art of Lorenzo Sperlonga. This brought international success, and MG Publishing gave his career another boost when they asked him to paint the cover for the very first issue Artcore, a magazine dedicated to "xxxtreme erotica." Subsequent books have been published by Heavy Metal and include Dirty Works (2006) and Poison Apples (2008). These books all show off the artist's tremendous skills in the erotic genre. Exploding with color and sensuality, Sperlonga's paintings are luscious, provocative and technically superb. Whether he's doing fantasy, sci-fi or more traditional pinup, the artist conveys a highly-charged sexuality that has unsurprisingly attracted the attention of so many publishers and fans. And his appeal is truly international, with covers appearing not only in his native Italy and his adopted United States, but also throughout South American, Eastern Europe and Australia. His American success includes relationships with the Tamara Bane Gallery in Los Angeles and the Echo Gallery in Chicago, where his works have appeared in several exhibitions in the past few years. Both of these institutions, well-known in the world or erotic art, have helped increase Sperlonga's profile with the general public and collectors. By no means has the artist's work been restricted to cover art and traditional illustration. His extensive resume also includes work with a Hollywood fashion company called Forplay and images for fantasy games produced by Alderac Entertainment Group and Avalanche Press. His works have bee reproduced in several formats, including hand-painted sculptures by RCI International and stickers by Go Stick It! Online distribution of his images is handled by CILM, the licensing company established and operated by Anthony Guerra. Major Accomplishments attended Roberto Rossellini Italian Institute for Cinematography and Television. produced illustrations for many Italian comics. work has appeared in a variety of major magazines, including Playboy, Penthouse, and Heavy Metal. illustrated several covers, posters and calendars for Heavy Metal magazine. illustrated cover for first issue of Artcore erotic art magazine. work has been published in book form: The Art of Lorenzo Sperlonga, Dirty Works and Poison Apples. has shown in several major exhibitions and galleries, including the Tamara Bane Gallery in Beverly Hills and the Echo Gallery in Chicago.

Huge and Loyal Audience Patrick Nagel produced some of the most recognizable images of feminine beauty in the 20th century. Combining sensibilities of fine art and commercial illustration, the "Nagel woman" continues to engage a huge and loyal audience. Nagel was born in Ohio in 1945 but grew up and spent the majority of his life in Los Angeles. After serving in the Vietnam War, he studied at the Chouinard Art Institute and graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from California State University at Fullerton. After a couple of years in the freelance world, Nagel accepted a position in graphic design with ABC-TV. It was a brief stint creating television graphics for promotions and news broadcasts; after only a year he returned to freelancing and received commissions from a wide array of major corporations and magazines. This impressive resume included work for MGM, Universal Studios, United Artists, IBM, ITT, Harper's Magazine, Architectural Digest, Rolling Stone, Oui and Playboy. It was Playboy that ultimately launched Nagel. Beginning in 1976, he was a regular contributor. His unique, art-deco-inspired erotic images garnered a huge following and eventually brought a celebrity-like status. Hugh Hefner remains the largest collector of his works, which fittingly reside in the Playboy Mansion. A couple of years into his work for Playboy, Nagel produced his first poster image for Mirage Editions. It was the start of a long and remarkable body of poster work and helped him achieve the immense distribution that has made his images so well-known. Nagel's popularity grew steadily with further work for commercial clients such as Intel, Lucky Strike and Budweiser. His cover for the best-selling Rio album by Duran Duran, released in 1978, further guaranteed the "Nagel woman" a place in America's cultural psyche. Typical Nagel women have black hair, full lips, high cheekbones, gleaming white skin and intensely erotic eyes. They stare out at the viewer with a mixture of challenge and sensuality. The features are simplified into clean and crisp lines. Nagel attempts to convey the maximum sensuality with the fewest possible elements, and succeeds masterfully. The women are sophisticated and confident, yet mysterious and alluring. Many commentators have noted their aloof quality; the Nagel woman is intelligent and attractive yet seemingly unknowable. The two primary influences that appear to have shaped Nagel's artistic sensibility were Japanese woodblock printing and art-deco. We see stylized figures composed with simplicity and precision and solid geometry. There are bold lines, neutral backgrounds and areas of solid black and white. The images are flattened into two dimensions. The realism, hyperrealism or pseudo-realism of other erotic artists is absent, at no cost to the powerful and intelligent sexuality. Nagel often started with a photograph and began paring down the different elements until he'd reached maximum simplicity. He took great pleasure and time in producing the preliminary drawings, considering the painting stage more of a chore than a joy. He liked to refer to Alfred Hitchcock's statement that the real fun lay in the script-writing, while creating the film was work. Besides working with Playboy models such as Cathy St. George and Shannon Tweed, Nagel painted numerous portraits of celebrities. These include a limited-edition serigraph of Joan Collins, who Nagel felt typified the sophisticated glamour of an 80s woman, and a series of limited-edition portraits of Mick Jagger. The popularity of Nagel's erotic images is difficult to overstate. His first one-man exhibition of paintings sold out in fifteen minutes. It was the first of many to draw huge crowds. When Nagel died, over 80,000 people owned one of his limited-edition prints. His work appears in the collections of many institutions, including the Smithsonian Institute, the Bibliotheque des Arts Decoratifs, The Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts at U.C.L.A and the Library of Congress. His work is broadly respected for bridging the gap between fine and commercial art. Unfortunately, Patrick Nagel met an early death at the age of 38. He was known as a heavy smoker and drinker, and there were rumors of drug use, but it was, ironically, exercise which brought him to an unfortunate end. He suffered a heart attack on his way home from a celebrity "Aerobathon." Major Accomplishments commissions from a great variety of major corporations, including MGM, Universal Studios, United Artists, IBM, Lucky Strike, Intel and Budweiser. regular contributor to Playboy magazine. cover art for the best-selling Duran Duran album Rio. limited-edition serigraph of Joan Collins. work appears in Smithsonian Institute, Bibliotheque des Arts Decoratifs, the Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts at U.C.L.A and the Library of Congress. received numerous awards, including recognition from Graphis, Communication Arts and Art Direction.

Nene Thomas