Hustlin' Hog's Rear View
Another pinup study, loosely interpreting art nouveau elements with pulp art.
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What’s in a pinup?
Hugh Hefner (of Playboy fame) said that the ideal pinup is one in which "a situation is suggested, the presence of someone not in the picture" and that the goal was to transform "a straight pinup into an intimate interlude, something personal and special." In the above examples, see how she’s opening a decanter, perhaps to share a drink with you which could lead to something more? Or you’re playing a game of pool and she’s gripping the cue suggestively. These both imply that you're there with them and what might happen next.
Perhaps the trick to a successful pinup is to establish CROW (Character, Relationship, Objective, Where), but the Relationship is between the solo subject and the viewer. That's really interesting… How might we imply such a relationship?
I was very happy with my last render (It Came From Behind) from a technical perspective, but it was kind of boring. I think if I had added a couple elements to the foreground (eg, an open spell book) then the implied relationship is that the viewer is a summoner of a hunk. That would've been a much stronger pinup and I regret not thinking of that sooner.
Lesson learned! For this render I would establish the Relationship between character and viewer by implying that the viewer was about to fill up this hog. I used a few tricks to attempt this.
Symbolism
This is not a subtle image. Clockwise from left:
Hog is holding an orange handkerchief in his left hand, which is code for "anytime, anywhere"
He's watching you from his mirror, giving us a full view of his rear view
A gas pump on the ground, perhaps you were about to fill him up
Chevron decals on the back of the bike point to Hog's rear, which is framed neatly by a white jock
Hog is also posed in a lordosis position; a posture assumed by mammals during mating.
All of this before a long tunnel, which could be interpreted as a big gaping hole.
Speaking of big long tunnels, here's a side view of the scene. The severe lens distortion and focal length meant I needed to curve the scene to fit in view. I think this makes it feel more fantastical, almost like you're falling into a hole that appears to go on forever.
Composition check
Pinups aren't known for their complex compositions, but you'll find the golden spiral and ratio used in a few places. I've also continued to explore the Art Nouveau arch as a framing device. It's not as graphic as Alphonse Mucha, but I'm finding my own interpretation.
35mm fisheye
Just like my last pinup, I'm using an exaggerated lens distortion paired with a short focal length to emphasize certain assets.
Hair
Despite all my notes on pinups, this render was intended to be more body hair practice. Look at how Jiraiya (a master of the masculine form) uses very stylized pen strokes so that each hair is distinguishable. My hairs were based on realistic measurements, and looked realistic...but a stylized body hair has a more masculine presence.
To achieve a more stylized look with higher contrast, I increased the diameter of the body hairs about 50x bigger than a real human hair, then gave the hairs a bit of a curl. I think there's still room to improve, but the hair is much more pronounced now.
A happy ending
Was it good for you too?
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Thank you for reading and enjoying 🙇🏽♂️