November
I want to start my illustrations review from the works of the best american pin-up illustrator Gil Elvgren. I choose him not only because pin-up is actual today, but also he is one of my favorites illustrators. Elvgren is fairly considered to be the best pin-up illustrator whom the world ever knew. He painted more than 500 canvases and each can be called a masterpiece. The basic technique he used was oilo on canvas. Here you can find several works of him which I consider to be his best pictures.
I personally admire Elvgren, because he raised up the style of poster painting to the level of art. He painted canvases that were stylish those times and nevertheless they do not stop to amaze us nowadays. Models on his pictures noticeably differ from contemporary standard of female beauty: ruddy cheeks, eyes beaming with happiness, wide smile without dirty trick or fretfully squeezed lips - absolute personification of feminity and plain pure beauty. Nowadays we have other female traits that are in value.
Nevertheless, you can’t take eyes off of those girls. Despite the fact that each picture has candid erotic traits, none of them looks grossy. Elvgren perfectly knew how to show all female advantages in the best foreshortening.
He extremely well fill every image with emotions, bringing it a grain of irony and coquetry. It is not possible not to like his pictures, not to admire his works. I’m looking at them again and again, and i can’t find any detail which would be unnecessary.
Every small thing has it’s meaning, interior, pleats in a dress or curl. I also want to mention good workmanship of his works.
Elvgren draw his pictures during more than 40 years. Every new work was better than previous. in-up Illustrators, artists were trying and still trying to imitate him. I can understand them. He is really outstanding person.
Gil Elvgren - official website : http://www.gilelvgren.com/GE/
wow :)
very nice girls
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So did he use actual models to do his paintings or were the women from his brain?
Good job with your blog design!
Jasper, he used actual models (his friends)
These are great designs. You’ve got talent!
[…] Gil Elvgren: The best pin-up illustrator. He’s been a favourite artist of mine, I just never knew his name til now. […]
…with friends like that… ;)
Truly an artist though, the work evokes emotion and style that would be lost in a photograph. Absolute classic work.
Really great designs. Keep up the good work!
these are really good. something nice to look at while i take a break from homework.
just wondering if you know how to find the picture of the girl knitting…
Rachel, I believe the image you’re looking for is "A Stitch in Time" and can be found under the gallery section of my website. Kudos for the Elvgren tribute.
And "Spicy Yarn"
Awesome artwork!!
If you’re like pin-ups and want to see a great selection in one book, have a look at this one: "The great american pin-up" by Charles G.Martignette and Louis K. Meisel (TASCHEN). The pictures are just pure pleasure! Many by Elvgren.
Gil Elvgren was a genius in his own time. You have done a wonderful job showing his work. Keep up the good work.
Elvgren was the best pin-up artist in the history of American Illustration. I have wanted to do some video showing his work for a long time. You have inspired me to move in that direction again. Hasn’t his work been important enough to support a major book? Nice blog too by the way.
Elvgren is amazing, I actually got a tattoo of his "Thar She Blows" (or "Funhouse") Pin-Up.
[…] Okay, I bet this has got my male readers crossing their legs. And I may have turned a few female readers off their chocolate for at least the next half hour. If reading about slug sex has made you feel queasy then DO NOT click the link at the bottom of this post. Just look at this pretty picture by Elvgren instead. You can read all about him and see more of his lovely work here […]