The difference between men and women

I'm currently having very interesting dialogues with hornymaleuk about how I'm going to draw him. He's wondering if I'm going to draw him in all his rampant naked glory. If he can keep that pose for the hour or two that it'll take me to draw him I shall be well impressed!!! Until I see the figure I'm going to draw I can't say what the pose will be - it differs for everyone because I will need to find their attributes and enhance them (although with hornymaleuk I've got a good idea what that is going to be already.....). And its also very different as to whether I'm drawing a man or a woman. For women the erotic image will usually be more subtle and feminine, the hint of things unsaid, an item of clothing (because women are so much easier to dress sexily than men) or of footwear or jewellery. For a man to look erotic the image will have to be more blatant (otherwise its just a life-drawing pose). So the challenge is not to draw what I see before me but to enhance it to make it artistic and erotic. The best way to define the different styles of drawing is to say that "life drawing" is a naked figure in an everyday pose - sitting in a chair for example. If that figure is doing something blatantly sexual then its "pornographic" but if the figure is doing something subtly sexual then its "erotic" and I think far more sexy and interesting than the blatant pose. I'm really looking forward to drawing hornymaleuk, because I know already his pose will be blatantly masculine erotic, and very sexy for it!

Humble in the shadow of Greatness

Just back from a wonderfully inspiring trip to see the famous art galleries of Florence. And I feel totally and utterly humbled by the experience. After standing just bare inches away from some of the worlds greatest masterpieces by Boticelli, Bellini, Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Rubens, Raphael, Titan, (the list goes on....) I can see how I should be painting figures and where I fail dismally! And to see paintings by my all time favourite artist - Caravaggio, put me in seventh heaven; he who easily attains all the things I aspire to in a painting - dramatic poses, limited but bright lighting, and utter depth of darkness was bliss!!! And I fell in love, too, with the work of other lesser known artists such as Gherado Delle Notti, Filippino Lippi and Adriaen van der Werff - such detail, and utter brilliance! An awesome experience!

So, I've come back all fired up now after my arty trip and ready to start painting again. I've got loads to do and need to to some artwork done (else Lucy will fall out with me!).

And from the sublime to the ridiculous. The young lad on the checkout in the supermarket today suprised me somewhat by his rather personal and probing questions of whether I was happy, had had a good week and what I had been up to recently, so I started to answer him in slightly annoyed monosyllables until he laughed incrediously when I told him that I couldn't possibly tell him what I had been doing, as I'd be thrown out of the store! So, in an act of devilshness I leant forward, looked him in the eye, and whispered to him that I was an erotic artist and he could imagine the rest...... His jaw dropped in disbelief then a huge ecstatic grin spread across his face as he announced excitedly that I'd really made his day by that comment! And insisted I gave him a high five! I couldn't help but smile at his obvious delight, so that made my day too and I left the store with a big grin on my face!!

Man or mouse?

I had a nice chat with a newish aquaitance yesterday who has just found out I'm an Erotic Artist (I do love the way people react to that title!) and after the ribald laughing and bawdy comments that seem to follow on from that announcement I could see he was actually considering me painting him, but although the exhibitionist part of him wanted to, the "what will people think?" part was pulling him back. Because he's a teacher he's convinced that his pupils will find out and he'll be ribbed about it for evermore and his credibility will be zero, and he's also convinced that the minute I've painted him in the nude I'll post the image to my website with his name blazoned all over it for the world to see. He obviously doesn't know me. I never advertise any of my artwork on my website, or anywhere else for that matter, without checking that the person portrayed in it is happy with me doing so. Some people like their images to be seen, some are private, and don't. We all have parts of our lives we wish to keep private (its what makes life more interesting!) and I respect that. If anyone wants me to paint them, then its an arrangement between them and me - whosoever they wish to tell or show it to after that is up to them. I won't tell anyone. Unless they wish it. I told the guy I'd paint his fantasy of himself. I hope I get the opportunity.

It gets better

The positive emails continue to come in regarding my website so I'm still a happy bunny. Claire from the erotic woman said "I've just spent an hour or so browsing your site and magnificent paintings...I am incredibly impressed with your new layout and design, it is a big step up in professionalism, usability and look. Great job!!". She also thinks I have a "sublime talent married with artistic inspiration" which makes me feel very humble (but not that much that I won't mention it!). I love the way people are responding to what I do, and how I do it, because that's what art is all about.

And just to add even more excitment to the day hornymaleuk has contacted me regarding me painting him. Now that's an interesting proposition....... cos I don't suppose its his face he'll want me to paint.....

My new social life

I've been playing with the blog today and updating various things on it to improve it. I've had a few communications from friends far and wide with good strong responses to the website which is always nice to hear, including one from hornymaleuk who is fascinating me at the moment (not least because of his name) partly because of his connection of writing fantasy nuggets with Lucy, and partly because of his own fascinating blog which makes very interesting reading - not an ounce of vanilla anywhere!

Fun time

Lucy came around tonight for a good long chat and to give me some advice on blogging techniques. I suppose it counts as working, but it certainly didn't feel like it! We get on so well, and can happily spend all night chatting. We both fire each other up with our ideas and creative output (two Leo's together, you see!). I love it when one of my erotic images inspires her to write a story around it, which is what's happened in a couple of her fantasy nuggets recently. Its so wonderfully inspiring to see my drawings as part of a sexy story - as if that is the very reason they were created. And she also gives me ideas for illustrations for some of her other stories which hopefully will enhance them, one of which I was working on just before she arrived. I have decided to re-do the fantasy fairy tale castle image as the version I did on Sunday can be improved dramatically just by using the watercolour paper I normally use - Bockingford - rather than the other brand I was using that just does not work for me the way I like to paint.

Success!

I've spent most of the day informing people that my new website's live now, in my virtual social life, and the responses are starting to come back - all very positive and favourable so far, which is good to know!

It was a delight to hear from Sage Vivant at Custom Erotica Source again, who liked my website so much she felt the need to mention it in her blog, which touched me. Everytime I have any communication from her I get the feeling that she's a genuinely nice person, and always feel my day has been improved by her presence.

My model's coming over later to pose. She loved the drawing I did of her last week, but I haven't decided yet what pose I want to do for tonight. Sometimes the ideas just click into place, sometimes I have to work at them. One way or another - its not going to be vanilla tonight!

Alive and Kicking!

At last! The new website is live! It seemed ages ago that I started work on it, and its only the intolerable delay of the internet problems that have dragged it out - otherwise it would have been three weeks ago that it was launched. Still, we're here now, and at least I've been able to write up my blog as I've gone along. So, now I can inform everyone I know about it, as I've had lots of interest and enquiries regarding the new site, and was getting fed up with the pathetic excuse of the internet problems being the cause of the delay.

I'm pleased with the way the new site looks, its so much better than my last website, with lots more information, bigger and clearer images, and now half of the artwork is erotic, which is causing more interest already in a short space of time than the animals and landscapes have ever done in the past!

Castles in the air

Thats much better! I've just done a non vanilla painting, and one for Lucy too! Hope she likes it. I'm pleased with it anyway, and the basic idea I had for it followed on into the image -a fantasy castle in the air, amid swirling clouds, and two faces, one male, one female, half concealed with their expressions slightly indistinct. Lucy asked for a fairytale castle to illustrate her fairy tales some time ago, but I wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to tackle it until today. Sometimes it takes time for the idea to work through. Its worked well though but I'll leave it overnight and look at it fresh tomorrow, and in daylight, because watercolours always look better in natural light, and see then if it needs any more work doing on it to enhance the colours or add more tone anywhere.

Vanilla skies

I had a real nice time today, painting along-side my artists friends. Although the subject matter was of a vanilla nature, it's good occasionally to do something totally different from the norm as a contrast, to re-establish the importance of the usual things. I produced a couple of simple, brightly coloured landscapes of trees/fields/sky in pastel, and was moderately pleased with the outcome, although pastel isn't my favourite medium. Still, it's always nice to be creative and see what other people produce from the same subject matter as they're suprisingly so very diverse.

I always think its fascinating to strive to create the illusion of a 3 dimensional subject on a 2 dimensional sheet of paper, and its the technical ability of the artist that produces the magic of it (hopefully) by utilising colour, tone, line and contrast to achieve that effect. And even they are sometimes suprised at the outcome and look in astonishment at what they've created and wondered how! I love it when that happens.

I think I might tackle a painting of a landscape tomorrow, but more the sort of thing that I like - a fairy tale castle maybe....

Back in the world

I cannot begin to describe the feeling of euphoria now that the internet problems that I've been experiencing for the last three weeks are seemingly over! I've been totally and utterly frustrated that I've not been able to launch or view my new website (which I've worked so hard on to produce), view anything on the internet, receive or send emails properly, or communicate fully with the world! So, now that that is behind me, I can get on again and achieve positive things again instead of battle powerlessly against other peoples negativity!

Half dressed is sexier

I was in the mood for doing a sexy drawing the other night and had an idea in mind, so when my model turned up, suggested it to her, which immediately brought a wicked grin to her face! She's used to posing for me totally naked, or maybe with one item of clothing in place, and the fact I wanted her to keep her clothes on was a novelty in itself ..... but I wanted her to pose with her clothes in disarray, one hand down her undone jeans, and the other at her breast, with her mouth slightly open and a look of concentration on her face. And that was how I drew her, and was delighted with the end result, because although only part of one breast was on show, it was a far sexier picture than if she had been fully naked. I did the drawing on a pale blue background, using only two coloured pencils - one in sanguine, one in black, which gave me enough tones I needed for the image, especially as the black was only utilised for her skimpy top, and the black leather belt of her open jeans, adding a nice contrast to the paleness of her skin. I've called the drawing "Lustful thoughts" and am delighted with the result - another one to illustrate Lucy's stories, hopefully.

Real time

Well, its been almost a fortnight now and the internet is still not working but at least steps have been taken to change internet providers, since the last lot seem incapable and unwilling to rectify the adjustments needed to give me a working phone line. And hopefully, now, I can get back into the virtual world of my new website and my life through the internet.

So I've put all my blog entries of the last two weeks on in one go, with the kind co-operation of my mate, who wishes to remain anonymous, who has let me sit on his computer all morning, supplying me with a barrage of AC/DC, endless cups of hot sweet tea, chit-chat and laffs, and most important of all - an internet connection!

So, does this mean I can finally launch my new website after an annoying and fruitless wait of a fortnight? I sincerly hope so!!!

Total frustration!

The internet problem of over a week ago still isn't resolved and I just feel thoroughly frustrated that I can't get on with my new website! I'm all ready to go and I'm being held back by a technological hitch, not of my making, that other people seem unwilling or incapable of rectifying. I'm also feeling thwarted that because of this that I haven't created anything art-wise this week, so with this in mind I needed to clear my head and spent three hours in the garden hacking down a very large and overgrown shrub that's in the way of other forth-coming projects. And even though it poured with rain on me for virtually the whole time and I got throughly drenched, at least the physical work made me come away with a feeling that I'd achieved something positive at long last in this past week of stupifying inactivity. And it'll help the shrub too, giving it a new lease of life in the spring when it sets out new growth.

Now I feel set up for the week ahead and hopefully some steps forward.

How romantic

I'm going to a wedding in a few weeks time, and looking forward very much to getting dressed up and having a lovely day out. I spoke to the bride-to-be tonight to see if she would like a painting as a wedding present and was delighted that she thought it a really nice idea. She thinks she'd like a landscape of Paris, since that's where she and her boyfriend got engaged - so it's a special, romantic place for them. And I shall thoroughly enjoy painting it for them. It'll make the gift far more special and personal than just buying a toaster for them.

Come on down, the price is right

I went to Birmingham today and made my usual visit to my favourtie art gallery there. A big flash prestigious gallery with a myriad of gorgeous paintings and price tags that always shock me. Today they had a sale on so I was pleased to note that one particular painting which had originally been priced for sale at £24,000 was now, wait for it - ONLY - £12,000. Wow! What a bargain I thought and wondered how much of that the artist would actually get, if someone was daft enough to pay the price. They'd be lucky to get a few thousand pounds for that - the rest going to pay the gallery costs, which must be high, situated where it is. But it was exactly the same painting that was apparently "worth" £24,00 one day and £12,000 the next. How can that be???? But then an artist has to get into a presigious gallery to be seen, to get their name known, so that people have heard of them, and want to buy their artwork because they think it must be a better painting because its hanging in a big frame in a showy gallery, when the work is probably just the same as it was before-hand when they were selling it for £400 in smaller venues. The public think they're getting a better painting because they've paid a lot of money for it, and boast to their friends that it cost so many thousands of pounds. But I suppose, the artist needs the big promotion a prestigious gallery will give them, so that it improves their profile, and they get a following of admirers who collect their work or who give them good commissions. So, in this roundabout of artist-gallery-buying public do we all need each other? Does it improve the art? Or just the price of art?

There was actually one particular painting there that I was very enamoured with, and for once it was a contemporary one. It was basically mid blues with a patch of bright turquoise in the centre with three lines of bright red running horizontally through it. I was really drawn to it, because I always am to turquoise, and kept going back to it as I toured the gallery. It had life and vibrancy and I kept wanting to look at it. I almost bought it and might yet regret that I didn't. And that's the way to buy art - because it "speaks" to you and you want to own it so you can look at it forever more, not because the frame matches the decor of your living room, or what the current fashion dictates. I was horrified to hear of a woman once who toured an art exhibition with a piece of her dining room wallpaper in her hand searching until she found a painting that matched it!

Specialist treatment

Talking to an artist friend of mine tonight we got on to the theme of subject matter. And he said that he spends an awful lot of time and money painting the subject that truly and totally inspires him (rusty old wrecks of cars, would you believe!) and he's never got any money and hardly ever sells any of his paintings, but still he paints them, and enters them in whatever exhibitions he can, and will continue to paint them, regardless of any lack of subsequent sales. And it made me realise that that's what artists do - although we choose to paint our subject matter, perhaps it chooses us! We paint the things we have empathy for, the inspirational subjects that fill us with great passion! I know I can't get excited about painting a vase of flowers - it will never be anything other than a vase of flowers, to me, but I adore painting people and their interaction with each other, and letting the viewer find their own definition of what they're doing, and why.

Claire from "the erotic woman" emailed me today after looking at my website and liking my artwork - thank you Lucy again, for the recommendation, and said my artwork had a "unique and sensual style". That made my day! That a complete stranger who deosn't know me or my work, can see that in my images is really wonderful! And makes the whole painting thing worthwhile. although I'd do it for myself anyway, when I get feedback like that, it makes me realise other people are stimulated by it too and it fills me with enthusiasm and encouragement creating the passion and inspiration to fire up again.

Sometimes being a successful artist isn't about sales, it's about being allowed to create what's inside us, and letting other people see that, and feeling good about yourself when they can relate to what you're trying to show them.

Put me in my place!

Chatting to a male aquaintance we got onto the subject of my art and the erotic side of it and he said that if I asked him to look at my tiger paintings, out of politeness he'd show a bit of interest, but if I was to ask him if he wanted to look at nubile young girls with no clothes on - he's come over straight away via Edinburgh, if need be, to come and see them! So, perhaps I'm kidding myself that people like my art after all - perhaps it's the subject they're interested in, regardless of my talents!

He did also say that he'd be very reluctant to take his clothes off infront of someone to be drawn, and I agree that a lot of people are of that opinion. I think they think that they would be laughed at and would feel uncomfortable. But an artist doesn't look at a body any differently than they look at a tree, or a flower, they're all just a subject to be painted, and that's how an artist views them - considering the best angles, lighting, composition, tones and colours. He also said that if he had the body of Brad Pitt, he'd happily pose for me and I replied that he could have that though! - I could paint his head on the body of Brad Pitt and he'd be happy that he hadn't posed - and everyone would think that that was his physique. Anything is possible!

Next Step

Almost done on my new website, just fine tuning really and tidying up the loose ends. Then when its live, I can get back into proper painting.

Last weekend I did a painting of a moody and dramatic seascape in oils, which is still drying in my studio and filling it with the gorgeous aroma of oil paint and turps. Its always an inspiration to paint when that smell is in the nostrils! I'm really pleased with the way the painting went, with the waves crashing up over the partly submerged rocks in the foreground and drenching them in foam and spray, with a dark and menacing sky above, and a dark forbidding sea on the horizon. The whole thing was painted in just three colours - Prussian Blue, Burnt Sienna and Titanium White over an acrylic under-painting of Indian Red. The purpose of under-painting it is to give more depth of colour to the finished painting, but also because of the Indian Red colour, its given the painting a subtle pinky glow to it, which adds to the moody blues and browns of the oils, giving it more shades of colour and adding more interest. I'm pleased with the result although it'll take me a while to think of a title for it.

Lucy Felthouse is wanting some more erotic images for her Fantasy Nuggets blogspot, so I want to get on and do those for her. Plus I want to do some sexy images of male couples for my website.

Metamorphosis

It's been an exciting week setting up my new website, especially as there will now be more emphasis on the erotic stuff, and now it's official, I've had far more interesting reactions from the people in my life - particularly the men - when I state I'm a Erotic Artist rather than just saying I'm an artist who paints figures. There's that widening of the eyes and automatic grin followed by the "Oh really? Tell me more!" reactions. Then I find they start telling me about their sex lives and secret desires and somehow they feel more at ease in my company. My good friend Peter, who has known me well enough for many years, and shown only a polite vague interest in my artwork, has suddenly, today, requested to come and see my erotic artwork! And he made the comment about getting older and perhaps not so happy about his body shape than when he was younger (so what chance do we women have if MEN think that!) and I said that was the whole point of an artist who's used to looking at naked bodies - I can add to the bits you're happy with and take from the bits you're not (thighs and bums, usually!) and produce the fantasy figure you wish you were and you can hang it on your wall and your friends can admire it for ever more - and no-one knows its not the real you with the lumpy bits underneath! Beats being vanilla, anyday!