Two mermaids for the price of one!

When I had a chat with erotic author Lucy Felthouse the other week about her latest book "Seducing the myth" I was fascinated by the idea of the erotic stories featuring mythological creatures within it, and absolutely delighted to be asked to design the cover for it. Its definitely my sort of book!  She had let me read the mermaid story she had written which will be featured in the book, and that lead on to some ideas as a basis of ideas for the cover. I drew a very basic thumbnail sketch to show Lucy my idea and she agreed it would be a good concept for the book. Ok, then....... I was ready to start....

But it wasn't until this week that I was able to begin it. And I knew that I would have to paint the picture in a slightly different way to normal, as the three basic tones would have to be slightly stronger than I would usually do to make the picture more dramatic.

I started by choosing the watercolours I wanted to use, a gorgeous turquoise, a slightly darker greeny blue, maroon, and green gold for the mermaids tail.  And knew before I had even started it that it would have paint poured on, and splatter within it, as that adds to the magical mystical feel of watercolour. The pale wet wash worked beautifully for the under water feel of the painting, and I made sure the masking fluid masked out any areas that I didn't want paint to touch whilst I painted the  fluid background. And with the aid of salt and splattered paint the background worked really nicely. I painted the mermaid next as she reaches out to the man's face she can see in the water, using lots of splattered white for the effect of her fishy tail swishing around as she edges towards him. The smiling man's face was painted subtly with his features a little indistinct. A few twiddles here and there and the picture was finished. I stood back to contemplate it and looked again at what had weaved its way into the picture..... for I could quite clearly see the hint of a large skull within the paint. And I smiled to myself, because I knew that was when a picture of mine produces its own magic from something I don't plan, but it happens anyway and it always enhances the picture when it does happen. It's part of the flow from me to my artwork via the creative spirit. But, it also means that I am totally in tune with my painting as well, because even though I didn't consciously plan it, the fact that there is a skull hinted at is so right for this story because ....(oh, well, I let you read Lucy's story for yourself, and you'll see what I mean.....!).

So, that was it, the picture painted.

Except, there was still more in me.

I had a strong desire to paint another one.

But with a bit more passion in this one, some more oomph....

So, I started afresh with another piece of watercolour paper, more or less the same colours (but without the maroon, and using burnt umber instead), and wet the paper and started with the windsor yellow of sunlight filtering down, the turquoise of the water, and adding more swirls of white and movement with this mermaid and man. They are totally in tune with each other, they are lost in their own world of lust and love, as they caress and swim energetically through the depths of water. I like this painting also, it's more erotic and sensual..... but it hasn't got the depth of magic in it that the other one has.

I'm pleased with them both though.

Oh, and the titles... the first one is called "Seducing the myth, gently" and the second one is called "Seducing the myth, with passion".  The same concept, the same subjects, just both done in slightly different ways to get the point across.

Now I'm just wondering what the next mermaid picture will be, I do love doing em!

............

And as a post script - I've just had Lucy's conformation that she loves the "Seducing the myth, gently" painting as well, and we are in totally agreement that it is that picture that is the right one for the book cover! She says its going to be fabulous! So, that's great to hear, and we're both happy!!! Result!!!

Business with Lucy in the very erotic style

My good friend Lucy Felthouse came around last night, and as always was a joy and delight to be with. I know it is technically a business meeting, and most of the night was actually discussing business, although anyone else listening to the subject matter would find an awful lot to be titillated over, for certain. But that is all very normal for us, in our line of work, since I am an Erotic Artist, and she is a Erotic Writer, although both of us are perfectly capable of doing non erotic subject matter within our scope of work, we both enjoy the erotic stuff, and it seems to be the way forward for both of us judging by the fan base of people who are interested in our work and are happy to part with their money to prove the point!

Part of the nights discussions was of us collaborating on an idea where we can work together on a project, since Lucy as asked me to design the front cover of her latest book, and I must admit she couldn't have asked me to do anything I'd like to do more, since she wanted one of my favourite subject matters painting. She had emailed me the first draft of  the story she wanted me to illustrate earlier in the afternoon, and I had read the short story and been intrigued with it, partly as she had written it from the man's perspective, and partly because I loved the idea within the tale. In my mind I had envisioned the scene, the surrounding area, and the action that had taken place within it. When Lucy came over later that evening we discussed it, and I described my thoughts regarding it, and to help me to understand it better she showed me photos she had taken of that specific area of water in Derbyshire that is featured in the story. But when I saw it, it took me aback, as the place was far bleaker than I had imagined, and had no trees there, not one, and yet in my version of it in my head, there were loads of trees, tall ones, a whole wood of em! So from that knowledge, and her knowledge, we sat down and talked it over, and I asked her her ideas of what she had thought about the picture, and I explained my ideas, and very quickly we were in agreement of the image that would work.  And its one that I find very exciting....

.....I'm not sure how much I can say about the book before it is published, but my part is the design for the front cover that is featured in the story Lucy showed me yesterday, a very sexy story about an inquisitive man and a mythical creature, an illusive creature, a mysterious creature of water, but not of the sea, although she is still a mermaid, and I find mermaids very sexy as a concept and absolutely love to paint them. But also the image has to bear in mind that it needs to be clear on a cover of a book, it needs strong contrasts, and sharp detail, and enough room within the image for the title and authors name to be printed on.  Plus, even though its got erotic content inside the covers can't be too naughty, so I'm going to have to tone that down a lot, unfortuantely, but it's not a huge problem to do. So, that's my next project, and I shall love doing it for her, and I'm all fired up over it and can't wait to get going on it!

But, the next couple of days I need to get ready for exhibiting at Ticknall, in South Derbyshire, as I am part of Ashby Guild of Artists exhibition at the village hall there over the bank holiday weekend. It's an annual exhibition and one that I am always happy to be part of, and see what other work my fellow artists have produced in the last few months. So, if you're able to come along, please do so, it would be good to see you there, and we are pleased to announce that the charity we are donating to this year is "Fishing for heroes". So, its for a good cause, and we'll also be serving some delicious cake and tea or coffee, which makes for a very pleasant trip out in lovely rural surroundings. So, mermaids will have to wait a day or too, but I'm sure they will be as fresh in my head then as they are now.... fresh, sexy, alluring, and very very sensual.....

Smut, to the highest degree

There aren't many meetings I have that involve many adult themed words as a matter of course, but my meetings with Lucy Felthouse, are definitely some of them!

We met up last night and had our usual good chin-wag about sex, erotica, erotic writing, erotic art, erotic websites, erotic writers, swinging, sex clubs, bi-sexuality, gay men, straight men, lesbian women, sex toys, sex shops, kissing, oral sex, sex in public, and smut in general! So, all in all, a good night!!!

But other more vanilla things did get discussed too - I'm sure Morrisons was mentioned a couple of times, along with er, well.........

.........Oh, yes, and I told her about my talk at Burton Library last week, but that was about me being an Erotic Artist. So, um, perhaps the whole evening was smut filled!!!!! LOL

But the great thing is, we can talk in great depth about all things erotic that affect women, in an open and honest and upfront sort of way. Although when its work, neither of us get turned on on the subject (because we talked about that aspect last night too, as we've both been asked if we get turned on when we're writing (or painting) and the answer is "No, it's work!" - not that anyone believes that though, I don't think. But it's true, because you use a different part of your brain for lust than you do for working and being creative.

But it was definitely a good meeting, in that she's given me a couple of names that may be good for me to follow up and see if I can do some work in conjunction with them, and Lucy has asked me to design a front cover for her latest writings on a mythological theme. She asked me if I had anything already that I could use, and I thought briefly and said "Unicorns?" and she shook her head and said "They're not very erotic" and I agreed and then said quickly "Mermaids!" and she brightened at that and agreed with a grin, and added that she had written an erotic story about mermaids, so that would be an excellent choice. I nodded happily at her too, as I find mermaids very erotic, and sexy. I think its the sensual feel of the water around their bodies, and the way their hair flows around them, their pert breasts and smiling faces. So, I await instructions from Lucy as to how many mermaids she wants on her front cover and whether there are any mer-men there too........and what indeed they might be doing..............  

And we also talked a little of my thoughts on doing some erotic writing... I've got some ideas milling around at the moment, which may come to fruition................

Tits and all

The art workshop being the first one of the calendar year tends to be a little more off beat than the others. I think the organisers think that we need something stimulating (and messy!) to get our creative juices running. And I tend to agree, as it certainly helps me get my mind and art back on track after the excesses and  lethargy of the Christmas period.

This months workshop was "murals on board" which sounded a bit vague to me. But I knew the "board" would be provided at the workshop, at extra expense, depending on the size we each chose. And I knew I had to take along acrylic inks, ordinary inks, and acrylic paints, and pastels as well. Ok, then, a mixed media workshop... but the sizes of the boards are an unknown, and may be six foot across for all I know.....they are murals after all......

I arrived just as the tutor was explaining her working process. She gave us the option to use the white painted side of the boards on offer, or the plain wood untreated side, complete with all the imperfections that that side offered for use. For we were painting on thick chipboard. She encouraged us to see into the patterns and shapes within the wood and see what inspired us to paint. I've done this sort of art before, and can "see" things within the random shapes, but they tend to be two most definite types of things...... I wondered if I would see anything else ...this time.......

I chose a piece of wood that looked interesting to me - a long thin piece, about eight inches wide by a yard long. And had decided that I would opt for a horizontal picture rather than a vertical. I stood looking at it quizzically at arms length. It was just a piece of wood....what would be within it - what image was calling out to me, what image could I feel......

The tutor joined me, and stood looking at it as well. She pointed out shapes that I couldn't particularly respond to - but I agreed, that there was indeed part of a cat, and part of a few other animals within it. But not enough to call out to me.  But there was ONE creature there that I could see clearly. Surprisingly! A blue whale.... MMm.... what on earth could I do with a whale......!!!?

"Well, that's decided it then!" I said. She looked at me, enquiringly. And asked if I could see any abstract shapes within it, and whether I was happy about making it more abstract? I smiled, and said that doing abstracts was easy for me, and I know that some people struggle "seeing" abstract, both as artists creating them, and the spectator viewing them. But, that wasn't the case for me. Infact, I do a lot of abstracts. She asked politely "What subject matter?" and I smiled and said "Erotic abstracts!" Which caused the usual opening of the eyes as the eyebrows shot up, from her. "In that case, I'm really looking forward to seeing what YOU do!" she said. I nodded, and said I'd see what I could do........

I returned to looking at the board, as she continued around the class with constructive advice and practical help. And nodded to myself, as the familiar images came to me..... yep, the usual two......as I'd suspected, and expected.....

..... figures and faces.........
but the figures are female, and nude.......

That means only one thing then. If there's a whale there, then they must be mermaids......

I looked further at my board, and easily and effortlessly found a couple of mermaids, complete with tails, for me to paint within the surface markings. But, to balance the picture, it needed another one. But, would that be male or female? I stood considering the concept......

.....MMMmmm........If, they were all female, then that made the concept of the picture "Erotic but playful". If there were two males and one female, it made the picture "Erotic but with male dominance overtones possibly suggesting aggressive tendencies". But, if there were two females, and one male then it made it "Erotic with interesting overtones of what two females and one male were going to get up to!" - Ok, then, that's decided that then!

I started work on it - with inks at first to see how they reacted to the bare untreated wood - but wasn't happy with the results as the inks soaked in too much and lost some of their vibrant colour. Ok, on to the acrylic paints then as they are stronger and will sit on the wood.....

....the tutor came to see what I was doing, intrigued with my subject matter. She asked if the three partly marked out mermaids were all going to be women? I said no, one was going to be male, I felt. And she made me laugh out loud when she announced robustly "Well, it depends if you paint tits on them!" And I smiled in agreement, yep it certainly did!

I carried on painting, and did indeed paint "tits" on two, and not on the third, he had "pecs" and a six pack (very nice!) instead..... !

The painting wasn't finished during that workshop. It needs further work doing on it, and will certainly need a lot more paint on it than there currently is. But, I received a couple of emails in the week after the workshop from the tutor, and we had a bit of a chat through it - and I was delighted when she commented

"Your mermaids had rather a compelling attraction I thought, one is obliged to seek out what is going on..... Always a good thing, the longer someone stares the better."

Good, she sees the story that I could see within the basis of the painting, an interesting idea that will form in peoples heads, and which will add more depth to the subject matter. And I told her that I consider that mermaids are "acceptable erotic" by most people - even little old ladies who like chintz, and children find them "nice" and not aggressively sexual. I will certainly work on the picture some more, but not for a while. I still have other work to finish......

But, in the meantime, have a mermaid or two to show you from previous paintings I've done.....  The one on the left is called "Dance of the deep" and is in watercolour. The one on the right is called "Out of the blue" and is also in watercolour but has gold gouache paint in the mermaids tail which gives it far more interest I think, as there's that flash of gold as she flicks her tail and the light catches it. Hope you like......