Here I am again, ready to post another blog entry, still pumped from all the activity of the past few days. As you may have read, I did three new images based on three models that I knew I would meet at AVN AEE: Natalie Star, Sheridan Love and Gianna Michaels. Well, I would like to elaborate a bit on how I interacted with these models, in order to end up with those new pieces in my portfolio. So here we go. I'll go in the same order that I finished the images. :)

I "met" Natalie through Twitter, after she contacted me, back in August last year. She had seen the artwork that I did for Abella Danger (who in turn had seen the work I did for Kendra Lust), and she liked it. So, she decided to get in touch, asking about my work. I immediately liked Natalie's look, a very beautiful and edgy look, bordering on wild. Right there I knew that doing a pin-up based on her would be fun, and I boy, I was not wrong. Her long hair and cool tattoos were the most fun part of rendering her image. Natalie is a young girl with a lot of energy and that shows in her work. She was ready and excited for her artwork to come out, but It took me almost five months to finally sit down and make it happen. As I've mentioned before, sometimes it works that way, I have to wait for the right moment... and so I did. Then, as a cherry on top, last week at AVN AEE, I finally got to meet her in person. Thank you Natalie!

With Sheridan Love, the story is similar, but with a few twists. I didn't get to meet her in person until this past AVN AEE. However, she contacted me a while ago, after seeing a pin-up I did for Sara Jay. Sheridan and I were at the same convention, Adultcon, back in 2015, but we didn't meet. It was until the convention was over that Sheridan saw Sara Jay's artwork and fell in love with it so much that she wanted something like that for her. She then emailed me stating how much she would like an artwork of hers done, and the rest is history. However, I must point out that it took me longer that just a few months to find the right time for this project. It took me two years. Again, sometimes it woks that way, sometimes it doesn't. But, I'm quite happy with the result, and it seems like Sheridan is happy as well. I got to meet her in person at AVN AEE as well, and she was completely happy with the final result. Thank you Sheridan!

Last but not least, I did a pin-up of Gianna Michaels. Before I go along with  my story, let me tell you that it took me over seven years from the moment I met Gianna in person, to the moment I delivered her artwork in her hands. Seven years! (actually, seven and a half to be precise). I met Gianna in person, back in 2009, at Erotica LA, my first professional show/expo (and sadly, the last Erotica LA ever held). I had been a fan of Gianna's work for a long time now, so when I saw that she was working close to my booth at the expo, I took a chance to talk to her and ask her for permissions to use her image as a reference. By the way, she was hard to miss: everybody who knows Gianna Michaels can testify on how "powerful" her laugh is. You can her her blocks away! :) After introducing myself, she agreed to give me permissions for a pin-up. But time passed by, without me having the chance to incorporate her image to any of my projects. I even did an under drawing for a painting of her... which I never finished (hopefully someday I will). Years passed by and no Gianna image. Then, I met her again in 2015, at the same Adultcon where Sheridan was working, where Sara Jay, again, referred her to my booth (thank you Sara Jay, you rock!). We talked again and she restated that she would like to be drawn by me. But it wasn't until this year, two years after our second meeting, and over seven years after our first meeting, that I finally was able to render an image with Gianna Michaels in it. She's officially part of my portfolio now, a legend in the adult industry with a larger-than-life personality. Thank you Gianna!

I have mentioned this before, but I'll keep doing it, like a broken record... gee, I'm indeed old, I did play records back in my time... OK, OK, I'm getting sidetracked. I want to thank all the models that have helped me through my career. Their inspiration and support is a huuuuuge part of why my artwork has grown the way it has. I am very fortunate to work with models of many kinds. And, models from the adult industry add that extra "X" to my sexy work... or maybe 2 "X", to make it sexxxy! To each one of you, thank you!

And, thanks to each one of you reading this, supporting my work, I really enjoy sharing a piece of my mind when it comes to art. I'll be back writing sometime next week, once I'm back home (yep, I'll be out of town). I hope you enjoyed reading this and see you next time!
~Pops.

Yes, I'm back! Didn't you miss me? Whatever, I didn't miss you guys either :) I am back in track, rested and writing again. As I wrote in my last blog entry, I spent the last two weeks getting ready for AVN AEE. Even though I wasn't attending as an exhibitor, there was a lot of work I had to do. For starters, I had to finish a couple of images of some of the models there, in order to have something to show off at the convention and make more contacts.

The day went by really quickly. As soon as I was able to get inside the Expo, I started to look for each of the models of my list. The list wasn't long, but the time available was very short. See, Saturday is not only the last day of the Expo, but it's also only half a day (12-4 p.m.), due to the fact that the AVN Awards were being held later on that day. By the way, AVN Awards are basically the "Oscars" of the porn industry; therefore, the nominees have to leave early in order to have time to get ready for the red carpet and the ceremony itself. Due to this same reason, the "effective" time for the Expo is much shorter than the other days. It probably would have been easier to go on a Friday... but that's another story.

So, my first stop was the VNA (Vette Nation Army) booth, where I have many friends, including Vicky Vette, Sara Jay, Sunny Lane, ShandaFay and many more (I'm just mentioning the ones that were there when I visited). Plus, I am friends with several of the members of the VNA network, so stopping by that booth first is a no-brainer. This year I didn't have any new artwork for any of the VNA girls, due to lack of time, so this visit was strictly pleasure, no business :)

Then, I decided to look for Gianna Michaels... who was literally across the aisle, at the CamSoda booth, just a couple of steps away. And when I say a couple of steps, I mean it, literally, the aisles were pretty narrow. Let me mention something: the main problem at AVN AEE, at least for me personally, is to find the models. See, models are always moving around during the different days of the convention (and often even during the same day). Fortunately, I had done my homework, and researched where the models were supposed to be that day. Anyways, I did locate Gianna Michaels with no problem, and I will be talking more about her in my next blog entry. I did render a new artwork piece based on her, and that's why I want to save it for next time. All I can say now is Gianna is a complete hoot, she's so much fun! :)

Next mission: find Sheridan Love, who fortunately was at the end of the same hallway, a few steps away (yay!), at the Burning Angel booth. I also had a new piece of artwork based on her image, and she was ecstatic when I presented it to her. And she wasn't alone: the models and fans around her were impressed as well. That indeed is exactly the point of bringing new artwork to an event like AVN AEE: get the ball rolling regarding my work, not only with the models involved in it, but with anybody around them. By the way, I'll be talking about Sheridan Love and her new artwork in my next blog entry as well, so make sure you read it.

I had two more models in my schedule: Abella Danger and Kendra Lust, whose images you might have already seen, since I released those images last year. I found Abella at the Jules Jordan booth and I spent quite a while standing in line before getting to talk to her. I don't know if I could have skipped the line using my artwork as an excuse, but if you know me, you know that I'd rather stand in line :) Anyway, she was extremely happy when she saw the print of her artwork. She had seen it before, online, when we were in contact getting the artwork done, but she had never seen the printed version.

From there, I went to the booth of Society 15, to find Kendra Lust... but she was already gone (nooooo!) :( I tried to find her at another booth, but with no avail. You win some and lose some. However, don't worry, Kendra Lust and I have been in contact before, which means that I will be able to contact her once I have a project in mind. AVN AEE is a great opportunity to meet with the models and talent in person, but is definitely not the only way to get in touch. :)

By this time, there was only a short time left for the convention to end, so I just walked across the halls, taking a few pictures and saying hello to some friends here and there. It was a real rush to be there, mainly because this time I had a plan (unlike other years, where I just go to stop by and say hello). By the time I left, went out to eat and got back home, it was night time already... and I practically crashed on my bed, due to the lack of sleep of the previous several days. But let me tell you, those are the best times to sleep, when you're so tired that you don't know if you'll make it to bed (zzzzz).

So, now part two of AVN AEE: following up. I will be following up the contacts that I made at this convention. I will be posting photos from the event and also the new artwork that I mentioned. All this on top of the work that I am already doing, not related to AVN AEE at all. Hey, that's life! No rest for the wicked... and wicked I am indeed :)

I want to thank again everybody who keeps supporting me, who keeps helping me following my life as an artist. I am truly enjoying this, and I do look forward to see what the tomorrow brings to my work. I don't know exactly what it is, but I know that it includes boobs, butts and naked parts. :P

See you next time!
~Pops.

What's up? I'm back for a quick post. I wasn't going to post anything related to AVN AEE until next week, but I had an amazing experience this past Thursday. My plan was (and still is) to go and roam around AVN AEE on Saturday. However, I stopped by the Hard Rock on Thursday to: 1) Meet in person with beautiful Natalie Star to deliver a print of a new image based on her (patience, you will see it soon). And 2) To also meet in person with JT, an amazing client, patron and fan, but more than that, a great friend who really supports my work.

We met at the Hard Rock Casino here in Las Vegas, just outside AVN AEE to talk about art, business and life. He introduced me to Natori, a friend of his... who quickly became a friend of mine as well. We all went to a restaurant inside the casino and had a long chat, while enjoying a few drinks and some food. Time just flew by, as it is normal when you are having a great time. The conversation revolved around my artwork and my immediate and medium term plans for my art. I personally enjoyed the conversation a lot. It is so refreshing and energizing to meet people that care about what you do, and that appreciates it. I got a lot of pointers regarding the promotion of my artwork, new ideas and perspectives, that will surely help me in this never ending journey of leaving my legacy as an artist.

The evening could have ended right there, after we finished our drinks, and honestly, just the chat would have sufficed for a great day. But, it turns out that the drinks and food were just the beginning. Before I go on, let me tell you a little background story: JT and Natori are part of Miss Jae Lee's team, a model and performer in the adult industry, who I drew as a pin-up, commissioned by JT last year. Anyway, while we were still chatting at the restaurant, Natori found out that Miss Jae Lee was inside AVN AEE, meeting with fans at that same moment. As I mentioned, I had planned to attend on Saturday, and meet with many models, including Miss Jae Lee. However, Natori and JT decided that it would be better to go in that same day (in addition to attending on Saturday as well), instead of waiting. They ended up getting me a V.I.P. pass so I could get in. How cool is that? No, seriously, how cool is that? I mean, those tickets are not cheap at all, and here I am, getting treated like a king by this pair. :)

No, that's not the whole story. The three of us go in and immediately meet with Miss Jae Lee. I had brought a print of the pin-up I did of her, as a gift, just in case I would get to see her outside the event (I had no idea I was getting in that day).It was a true pleasure to finally meet her in person. There is such a surreal sensation and feeling, when I get to meet in person a model whose image I used as a reference and inspiration. This wasn't the exception, it was a true honor meeting with her. We took photos together, showing off the artwork... and that's when Natori really stepped in. She not only took photos, but she made sure to get  photographer of the press that walked close by, to take photos of us as well.

But, Natori wasn't done yet. She, along with JT, took me around the halls of AVN AEE, to introduce me to people that they met the day before. AVN AEE is not only a fan event, but also a business event, where adult oriented companies, small and large, meet for business opportunities. Natori worked as my agent, literally, while walking through the halls. It was a lot of fun, and also very productive, I definitely had a blast, which made the experience more enjoyable. I ended up meeting with many prospective clients and models. I'm still attending on Saturday to follow up my plans, but this past Thursday with Natori and JT was definitely an experience that I will not forget, and for which I will always be grateful.

I wanted to share this story, because it's not only cool and fun to have people that support and help you. But, it is ultimately humbling experience, because it helps you realize how much one can be appreciated without even knowing it. My eternal gratitude to all those persons that have helped me along the road, in absolutely any way or form.

OK, I better go and get some rest, I am supposed to go to AVN AEE in just a few hours from now. Round two of this great event! See you next time!
~Pops.

I am back, ready to write a short entry for my blog. Being in the middle of finishing a couple of new images before I go to AVN AEE this coming Saturday, I don't really have much time to write. However, that's a good thing: if I don't have time to write, because I'm busy doing new drawings, I think that's a situation where we all benefit. After all, I might be a decent artist, but in no way I'm a decent writer :) By the way, in case you're wondering what's AVN AEE: it's the biggest porn Expo in United States, held every January in Fabulous Las Vegas (if you want to read more about it, check my blog entry on that topic, by clicking here).

Anyway, as you can imagine, the images that I'm finishing for my visit to AVN AEE (just visiting) are based on models from the adult industry. Porn (oh yeah!). And, as you can imagine as well, these images are nudes. Not explicit or hardcore nudes, but nudes nevertheless. Contrary to what people might think, even though my artwork is definitely adult oriented, it doesn't feature many nudes... or at least not as much as I would like. To be fair, I pretty much feel the same about every other kind of image in my portfolio: I need more Rockabilly girls, more Biker girls, more Fetish girls, etc., all this thanks to my arch-enemy: Father Time (there's never enough time to do all the projects in my mind). For the sake of this topic, I'll focus on nude images, something that I have always liked.

Anybody that has known me and my artwork for a while now, knows how much I enjoy following the female body's anatomy, its lines and curves. It is literally my pleasure and almost obsession to render those lines, according to my own vision. I especially enjoy nudes, because I get to focus on those lines more than anything. When the clothes are absent, the body is my total center of attention. I get to apply the things I've learned with time and experience, solely in trying to make a body look natural. Maybe not real, because my work is still cartoony, but definitely natural. By the way, I talk about this process of making images look natural in another blog entry as well, check it out here).

But, while drawing naked women is a real treat to me (and apparently to many people out there that like my work), it also comes with a price. It's not a secret that images of naked women are something not everybody likes. Even among many fans of my artwork, naked pin-ups are a bit too much, preferring images that are more "safe" for the general public. And I don't blame them: in most societies, it is really hard if not impossible to be surrounded by erotic artwork, even if this doesn't include nudes. Even if you are a fan of nudes, it's hard to display it at your work place, at your house (especially when there are kids or just visits around) or any given place. I am very liberal when it comes to the display of my artwork, but I understand that it's not that easy for everybody.

Due to this same reason, selling or promoting this kind of images is hard as well. I've been doing erotic artwork for years now, and I know how hard it can be, even in a semi-liberal society like the one I live in. I do know that it would be a lot easier for me if I was selling artwork aimed to all ages in general. Actually, let me rephrase that: it would be less hard, not easier, because nowadays it's hard to sell any kind of artwork (my sincere respect to all fellow artists out there). So, yes, I know that I am in a way making things harder for myself, by choosing this kind of artwork, especially when it involves nudes. But, it is truly my passion, and I wouldn't be myself if I didn't follow it. Also, I wouldn't be myself if I wasn't making things harder for myself indeed :)

I have been asked many (maaaaany) times why I like to draw women almost exclusively, and if it wouldn't be easier if I broadened my horizons. The answer to the last question is yes, it would make things a lot easier, less complicated. But, on the other hand: drawing women, naked or sexy clothed... totally rocks! I honestly love it, and it's worth my effort, worth my time. So, with this statement, I will wrap this up and get back to my hard life, drawing sexy naked or semi-naked women for a living. Oh yeah!

Stay tuned for the new images coming in the next few days. Would you like to see them as soon as they're released and even better, see more of my drawing process? Then please consider becoming a patron of my art, your contribution will help me stay an independent artist. Visit my Patreon profile here to become a patron.

That's all for now. As always, please feel free to leave a comment, I do love reading them. See you next!
​~Pops.

Hello there! I am in a light mood, listening to music, taking a quick break in between drawings. My light mood is a direct effect of the music to which I'm listening at this moment. In the same way, music can get me in a more powerful mood... or even a depressed one. For as long as I can remember, I have liked music (as almost everybody in this world does), and it has helped me evoke sensations and feelings. These sensations and feelings are what I eventually try to render in paper or canvas. In other words, my artwork.

I want to write about this, because music is truly an essencial aspect of my work. You can say that it's up there next to the models that have inspired and keep inspiring me. Music is not  a person, is not tangible, but it certainly keeps mecompany while brings me inspiration. If my artwork was a person, music would be its sidekick, its buddy :)

I still remember being a teenager, when I started to focus more into realistic artwork, specifically pencil portraits. These portraits were rough edged, my early attempts to render human features. Due to the lack of experience, they would take me hours and hours to finish. Note: my occasional portraits still take me hours to finish... I just do it in a more efficient way. Anyway, I remember back in those early days, drawing for hours at a time, wearing my headphones, listening to my Walkman. Yes, my Walkman (well, an off-brand version), not a disc-man or anything like that. I am talking about that portable device that played cassette tapes, not even CD's. Oh, yeah, I'm old! :)

But, the point I want to highlight is how important music was for me back then, while drawing, as my companion. And up to this day, still is. Of course, times have changed. Now I listen to music from my computer, instead of a Walkman, at my studio. Nothing fancy, just a basic pair of speakers and I'm ready to go. I don't even own a MP3 player. I turn on the radio when I'm driving, maybe pop in a CD, or once in a while I stream some music on my phone.That's it. The rest of the time when I listen to music is while I'm drawing. And it's at those moments when I really fly.

So, you might be wondering what kind of music I like or to what kind of music I listen when I'm drawing. Well, contrary to what you might think, those are two very very different questions. The kind of music I like, or better said, the genre of music that gets me going in my daily life is rock, mostly metal and hard rock. That's my daily bread you can say. Rock, mostly old. Depending on your particular taste, you might think that this music is either plain noise or an awesome experience. Of course, I'm in the second group. I grew up listening to oldies: 50's and 60's rock, both in Spanish and English (being born and raised in Mexico). Later on, when I became a teenager, I started to listen to harder and more complex rock, and that's when metal came in to my life. The artwork inspired by it, in my early days, was more of the dark Fantasy nature. No, I'm not talking about BDSM or anything like that. The fetish images came in later, but that's another story :) No, the dark Fantasy I am talking about refer to images of fantastic creatures. All this, of course, featuring sexy girls.

OK, what I just mentioned is the music I like, but not necessarily the music I do listen when I'm drawing nowadays. When I am creating artwork, I try to choose a song or a list of songs that fit the mood of the image I'm creating. Let me clarify something: when I mentioned that I have "music that I like, and then music to which I listen while creating artwork", it doesn't mean that I don't like the music in the second category. I do like it, a lot, which is why it inspires me. I might not be fan of the genre of a particular song, but if it inspires me, then that song is welcome in my list. When I'm drawing I listen to many different kinds of songs, that I wouldn't probably listen outside my studio. I can be head banging to a heavy metal piece and then jamming to a pop song right after. Or it could be a romantic oldie song that gets me thinking. Or even Mexican rancheras or norteñas music (hello Mexican Independence Day image every year!). Certain songs bring me not only a certain mood, but also a certain memory, moments of my life... which in turn will get me to a certain mood. That is the reason why I like songs that are so far away from metal, like the Mexican rancheras that I mentioned earlier: they transport me to different times of my life, in this case, a time when I was living in Mexico. In a nutshell: as long as it fits and it inspires me, any song is good in my book.

It's fair to say that music is the extra element in the fuel that keeps me going, when I create artwork. As I've always said: art breeds more art. My artwork is proof of that. I will continue doing my part, creating artwork inspired in art, hoping that what I do inspires others as well. :)

See you next!
~Pops.

Whazzzzup? Here I am again, rambling and writing about the stuff revolving inside my head. Pizza? Tacos? A quesadilla maybe? I guess I should go eat before I start to write, it seems like I'm hungry. Ah, screw it, I know I can ignore the growling of my stomach for a bit and keep writing.

I am in a very good mood (yaaay!). Why? Because I'm going to be insanely busy during the next few days. I guess I sound like a masochist, uh? Nah, I just like to work, more specifically: I like to draw. See, next week is AVN AEE. No, that's not a code name for a new dance move, but it refers to Adult Video News Adult Entertainment Expo... yeah, I know, the name itself doesn't help much to understand what it stands for. Long story short: AVN AEE is the most important expo show within the porn industry in United States, held annually every January, here in Fabulous Las Vegas.

I myself have been to the show many times as a visitor and once as a vendor. I like to go to look around. Yes, I do like to look around, and believe it or not, there are more things to see there than T&A. Being that said, there is a lot to see in that department as well :) Hey, after all, it is a porn show!

But not everything is look & see around for me when it comes to AVN AEE (or simply AVN to everybody who knows about this expo ). I also go there with my artwork/business in mind. AVN is a great, great opportunity to meet with the talent part of the adult industry, in front and behind the camera. Since AVN is an expo catered to the fans as well as the businesses, it really provides me with the opportunity to connect with the right people. And that's what I've been doing in the last couple of years, after I realized that I can attend this show and have fun, while looking out for what's best for my artwork at the same time.

The AVN expo starts officially Wednesday next week (Jan 18). Soooo... what does AVN has to do with me being so busy now? Well, a great way to get in touch with models is to bring a sample of the artwork made with them as a reference. Models in the adult industry are not the exception. Therefore, you can be sure that I'll be taking prints of my artwork as I always do, as thank-you gift to the models in question. I already have a couple of images ready from last year that I'll be bringing to AVN, however I also want to render a couple more images, of models that granted me permissions to use their image a while ago. Due to my busy schedule during last year, I haven't been able to render those images yet... but the time is now! :)

So, cheers for a busy but productive couple of weeks ahead, where I'll be getting ready for a day at a porn convention, showing off my artwork. Pleasure or business? What about both? ;) See you next time!
​~Pops.

What's up? It's time for another blog entry. I'm really happy because it's Friday... although I don't know why. Now that I work from home, there isn't really a difference between Fridays and Mondays. Nevertheless, I still follow Garfield's lead by hating Mondays... and still love Fridays.

I am looking forward to get some work done today and plan on what kind of work I'll be focusing for the next couple of weeks. As I mentioned before, I do have a lot of plans for this year and barely enough time to make them a reality. One step at a time and steady pace is the strategy to follow. But enough of talking about plans... talking too much about doing something is the easiest way to prevent yourself from doing it.

So, let's talk again about pin-ups, rendering pin-ups. Going back to topics I've covered in previous posts, I have mentioned how sometimes I'm approached by aspiring professional artists. This happens mostly at shows, which I haven't done in a while, but I also get approached online. I get asked about techniques, mediums, sales, protocol when it comes to models, etc. I have said this before, but I'll keep saying it, over and over again whenever I touch this topic: I am by no means an expert, but I'll share what I've learned though the years, in the hopes that this will help other artists avoid the mistakes that I've done in the past, in any area related to pin-up artwork.

For the purpose of this blog entry, I'll focus on an aspect of my work that seems to appeal to the majority of the fellow artists that approach me: the "look" of my work. Some say that it looks real (as in tangible, not realistic), some say it looks alive, even though they are cartoons or cartoon-esque pin-ups. So, what's the secret? Well, first of all, it's not a secret, since I'm always happy to share. But, what do I do that is special? Nothing, really, I just focus on trying to make artwork that flows, that breathes. That doesn't mean that I've always achieved it, but I certainly am getting more and more aware of how to end up with a result that is good for me. But let's talk more about it.

When it comes to rendering a pin-up, my final goal is to have an image that looks sexy, but also looks consistent over all. What I mean with this is how I focus on shading and coloring, as well as anatomy (which includes face anatomy). These are the basic principles when I do artwork, and those are in my opinion the first aspects on which an aspiring pin-up artist should focus entirely at first. At the very least, get familiar with those, the more you sketch, the more you practice, the more you'll master them. It might be hard (and expensive) to get a live model in order to practice, but there are other ways. In my particular case, most of my practice came from photos, especially from Playboy magazines (oh, Playboy, I owe you so much!). I have to mention this: drawing from photos is never like drawing from live models, especially because you're missing that third dimension; however, I didn't let that get in my way, and neither should you.

Now, even though shading, coloring and anatomy are in my opinion, the most basic (and important) aspects, they are not enough. Even if you learn to render your pin-ups with great shading, vibrant coloring and flawless anatomy, they still could be "lifeless". How can this be?, you might ask. Well, let me ask you this: have you ever traced a photo? You probably have, maybe not. If you haven't, try it. If you have, you'll probably understand what I say next. You can trace a photo all you want, down to the tiniest detail. Everything is there, all the details. However, the drawing won't look alive. It will be accurate, but it won't be alive. Samewise, when it comes to rendering a pin-up, relying only in the tecnical aspects (like shading, coloring and anatomy), will deliver a very accurate image, but not necessarily an image that "talks" to the viewer. This is when your sense of artistry comes to play,  a very important factor when I do artwork. What do I mean by this?

Once I'm done shading and coloring, once I'm sure that the image is anatomically correct (well, as sure as I can be), I try to evaluate it. Not with measurements, but just with my plain sight. How does this pin-up look? Does it talk to me? Does it move? Do the lines flow? In other words, I make sure that the artwork "feels" right to me. That's the part where the artist definitely has to step in, as I mentioned in the previous paragraph. I personally look at my artwork while still in progress, trying to see if the image is unified as a whole, instead of looking like a group of well rendered pieces. You might be scratching your head, thinking: how do I do that? Or more specifically, what am I doing wrong? Unfortunately, I cannot show you if you don't see it. That is one of the hardest obstacles to sort as an artist. However, don't get discouraged. All the opposite, get motivated to breathe more and more life into your work. Analyze it, turn it upside down, do whatever you need to do to get a different perspective. Try to feel your artwork. I can guarantee that once you put your effort in it, constantly and consistenly, you'll start to see things in a different way.

Look at the posted image from last year, based on porn star Kendra Lust. This is definitely not a portrait, but it's a good example of what I wrote. I used Kendra's photos as reference, in order to create this image. The face and body came from two different photos, both of them from Kendra, but two different photos nevertheless. Imagine how this pin-up would look if I had just copied what I saw: a good rendered head pasted on top of a good rendered body. Yes, I used both as a reference, but at the end you have to "unify" your work, make it look good, natural... alive. That's the moment when you have to let go of the reference image, at least to a certain point, and trust your instincts as an artist. Add a line here, remove a line there, and so on.

I know that it's easier said than done, but I know it's not impossible. How do I know this? Because I've been there. So, keep drawing, keep sketching, keep painting, keep innovating. Keep challenging yourself. That's the part that rocks of being an artist... of course, drawing naked and semi-naked women is awesome as well! :)

Thank you for reading this blog entry, I hope you liked it. As always, if you would like to support my work, please visit my Patreon profile to become a patron, by clicking here. Have a great weekend everybody and see you next!
~Pops.

After thirty days of absence, I'm back at blogging... oh yeah! Last time a posted a blog entry, I was about to wrap it up for the year. And I did. Now 2016 is a good memory, a very complex and long one, but a good memory indeed. 2016 was a year full of accomplishments on a personal and professional level, a year where I refused to say "maybe next time". I won't go into detail about it, since I already wrote about that in my past entry, but if you would like to read about it, just click here.

So, what's up with 2017? Do I have any plans for it? I mean, I did a lot for myself last year, so I guess I should sit back, relax and enjoy what I did, right? Not even close. Yes, I did a lot in 2016, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The reality is that there is a lot of work left to be done in 2017... and the years ahead. I am not remotely close to being able to hang up my hat and say: "I'm done". But honestly, even if I could, I don't think I would ever been able to do that. Nevertheless, as I have expressed before, the feeling of knowing that there is so much to be done is what keeps me going... and I love it!

Ok, but enough about plans, there will be plenty of time to show my progress, as we delve into 2017, month by month. However, I do have something to show off, even though we are just getting started, and that's the new "Happy New Year" pin-up. The reference model for the image in question is my dear friend Fascinatrix (Karina), an exceptional Brazilian burlesque performer. The last time Fascinatrix and I collaborated was in 2011, when I rendered not one, not two, but five images of her. After these many years of having her pin-ups as part of my portfolio, still being in the favorites among my clients, Fascinatrix is truly an example of how a model can become part of my life, through art. The artwork inspired by her modeling and her performance, has become an essential part of my work. Not because I said so, but because I saw it, through  my fans, through my clients. Thank you, Karina, for being not only a great inspiration, but an example of what is to live art, to breathe art... and to breed art as well. Obrigado, minha amiga!

I want to note that, even though the past mentioned image is the first of 2017, it really belongs to a block of images that I started rendering on the second half of 2016, the last five holiday images of my portfolio so far to be precise. These images consist of the holiday pin-ups of every year, some classic, some new, but all of them featuring a new look/style in my artwork. But more importantly, they feature models with whom I have been fortunate enough to collaborate for the past several years. That doesn't mean that I get to work with their image all the time. At the very most I get to collaborate with them separately once a year. But, that's precisely why I wanted to highlight it: it's truly great to be able to work with so many models, but it's even more rewarding to keep a friendship with some of them after all these years. They have supported my artwork for a long time. We go our separate ways and in a way we get together again every so often to create a new piece of art. Personally, I feel proud and excited when I see the work each one of them has done during the time that has passed in between our collaborations. I not only get to say that I admire them and worked with them, but more importantly, I get to call them my friends. Thank you Lisa Del Toro, Seffana (Seffy Moon), Ijsselina and Fascinatrix for making the images I mentioned earlier, a tribute not only to pin-ups, but to real muses as well. I look forward to work with more models that have been part of my growth as an artist, as well as new models when it comes to my portfolio. But for now, the credit goes to you, my friends, for still being the inspiration that you were many years ago when we just met through our words.

Now, getting back to business after a well deserved vacation, I just want to confirm that my online store is open again. I know, I know, everybody is broke after the holiday shopping, but hey, the store is there, in case you want a  print or merchandise. One of the plans for this year is to introduce more and more merchandise to my online store, so stay tuned. Would you like to be informed about sales and coupons? Just subscribe to my newsletter and you're set to go. Last but not least, if you like my artwork and would like to support it, please consider becoming a patron of my work, through Patreon, a platform designed specifically to connect artists with people who would like to support them. You can visit my Patreon profile by clicking here.

That is all for now. I will be back later on this week to keep rambling about what is to be a pin-up artist, in my own version. I just want to wish everybody a Happy New Year, hoping that this year starts the right way for you. If it hasn't, don't worry, we still have 12 months left to change that. Bring it on, 2017, I am ready and waiting! :)

See you next time!
​~Pops.