Anatomy of a Spanking Illustration

Awhile back, I received a request to do a step-by-step demo on producing a color piece. I thought I would just email it to them, but they said, 'No, no. Post it on the blog!'. I didn't think very many people would be interested - but they argued that, for those who aren't interested in the process, they can just scroll down to the finished piece.
Fair enough. If you aren't a fellow art geek, then scroll away. For those of you who are, I hope this little demo inspires you in your own efforts.

First, let me state emphatically that I do not consider myself an accomplished digital artist worthy of teaching others. If you really want to learn digital painting, there are plenty of online resources. I am too impatient to wade through them, so I just wing it. So consider this a demo of what even an amateur can do with the right software tools - I use Photoshop, almost exclusively.

I prefer to do the initial sketch in pencil on paper. However, I find cleaning up my scans and fixing the grain in the linework once they've been transferred to the digital realm such a pain in the ass that - well, let's just say not every pain in the ass is to be savored. 

Most of the time I draw from an image in my head, but for this demo, I was inspired by an old photo of dancer/actress Barrie Chase I found on Tumblr. I liked the silhouette of her pose, and infused a little imagination to make it more spankocentric:

Because I like the women and the illustrators out of the 50's and 60's, I am inspired by the look of the illustrations from that era. Illustrators back then were not afraid of linework showing in their final piece, but they were selective about it, so I decide at this point that something of the line drawing will survive to the end.

So let's start with some basic washes of color to get the tonal values established. Not too worried at this point about edges. That can all be cleaned up later. I use the skin and hair tones to guide all the other values and colors, so blocking them in is the first task.

Now some other colors can be blocked in, careful to avoid ones that will overwhelm the flesh tones. The shoes are a little intense, but that's ok - I know that they will eventually be balanced by the redness I will be adding to her hubbie's backside.

At this point, I decided to add a 'halo' around the edges, both to add a little visual energy, and allow her shorts and his shirt to read even though they are the same as the background (another trick of the old illustrators, letting some part of the foreground unpainted so the background shows through). 

On second thought, I abandoned that idea in favor of making her shorts 'pop'. Tight white shorty shorts are just too delicious to be allowed to melt into insignificance! So I added a muted color to the background, and reduced the saturation of her shoes.  I also started refining the muscle shapes and highlights. The finished piece is starting to reveal itself now. 

And we're done. A wife displaying her own artistic brushwork. You'll notice the linework is still there, but has been removed in areas where two surfaces are in contact (her thigh on the bench, or her elbow resting on her knee). I usually leave the face and hair til the last, simply because they are the most expressive element, and if I do them first, then my natural laziness might lead me to hurrying the rest. I try to get some type of expression on the face in every drawing, even if its just a subtle one like here. Even nuances of expression can say so much. I see a lot of spanking photos on the net where spanker and/or spankee  just look bored to death. I suppose the spanker often thinks she is looking stern, but it often does not come across that way. 

Hope you enjoyed my little art class.

Blog Hop

My good friend Penny Hasler over at Naughty Little Writer invited me to join in on a 'blog hop', wherein bloggers in a particular genre - in this case, writers of spanking fiction - answer a series of questions. In my case, she thought it would be fun to include an artist in the mix.

Now, Penny being the sweetheart that she is, how could I say no?

I've learned that it's not usually a good idea to say no to Miss Hasler. She knows how to give a right proper scolding and is just as good at swinging paddles as she is at stopping them with her butt.

So here are the questions I'm to answer:

What are you currently working on?

I usually have a few pieces on the go, in various stages of completion. One is a color piece with a breakdown of how I develop an illustration from start to finish. That should be up soon. As well, there are a few rough sketches of caning scenes, and maybe a new babysitter illo (big surprise, huh?)

How does your work differ from others of its genre?

The only deliberate decision I made in approaching this genre is that I wanted my illustrations to read with an instant clarity - that is, bold shapes based on principles of visual dynamics I've picked up over the years. Thus I make only occasional use of backgrounds, which I find compete with the character shapes, and also swallow up a lot of valuable time! Beyond that, I don't make a conscious effort to make it look any different. In fact, I too often try to emulate styles of artists I admire - and usually fail. The way I naturally depict things usually just insists on asserting itself. Not a bad thing, really. What's the point in being a second-rate somebody else, anyway?

Why do you do this FM spanking art thing at all?

'Cause I like it. In the beginning, it was rather liberating to share my personal fantasies with the world. And I was delighted to find others who shared similar fancies. Now, coming up on three years later (!), that initial kick has diminished considerably, and it's about the art itself, constantly striving to improve.

How does your process work?

Usually, it begins with a scenario in my head, then a coffee and a flurry of  'stream of consciousness' sketches, most of which are unintelligible (except to me). The goal is to hit upon an angle or pose that captures the spirit of the scenario. If I don't succeed, I bank the sketches for a future try, or if I do, it's time to get serious about the final image. I used to draw everything on paper, but lately I've been experimenting more with digital 'pencils' in Photoshop, with varying success. The breakdown I mentioned above will explain the painting process in more detail.

I hope that answers your questions, Miss Hasler. Thanks for including me in this little cross-blog venture, even if I am not among the cadre of  literary kink-inkers.

Bullseye!

Hello. Remember me? Name's Red Rump - though I have been so busy lately, I'm afraid I am not living up to my name very well. I could use a good rump reddening, but I guess I'll just have to settle for dreaming of trading places with this poor sot...

The Office of Correctional Services, Pt. 11

Good Morning Tess

Wow, I can't believe we’re into February already! This school year is just flying by. I've been doing a lot of studying, a lot of researching and essaying, and driving out into the countryside on weekends taking photos for painting winter landscapes. I did manage to get in a day of skiing. This winter, for all its relentless storms and brutal cold, has been a skier's paradise. I am so out of shape, though – my muscles were so sore after that day I could hardly walk. Gave me a taste of what old age has in store for us all…

How are you and your new beau getting on?

Hi Linds

Your winter sounds like our winter. Never seen so much snow, even for Colorado. Jim and I are doing great. He is such a nice guy. The best I've come across in a long time. We`re planning a trip down to Sedona for Valentine's. Can't wait.

BTW, you haven't mentioned anything about Royce or your part time job (if you can call it that) for the last month. Is all that spanking stuff out of your system?

Hi Tessie

Sedona would be wonderful! I am so jealous – and happy you seem to have found someone who looks like a keeper. And no, 'all that spanking stuff' is most definitely NOT out of my system. I just thought you might be getting a little tired of my going on and on about it. But since you asked - things are a bit slow at the OCS right now. I've only been called in to work twice since Christmas. But Ms H has been giving me lessons in the punitive arts. She has me practicing on a pair of small chair pillows, working on my form and my aim. She says I demonstrate some talent with the cane. I must admit, I do so love wielding that thing, especially the whoosh sound it makes – music to my ears. I give my own pillows a solid fifty strokes every night before bed. I'd love to practise on Royce, but he is crazy busy with his own courses right now, and there`s not a lot of privacy to be had around campus, anyway. We did meet at Starbucks last week, and I promised him that when spring arrives – if it ever does! – we`ll find some abandoned barn somewhere and I'll deliver him a sound whuppin`  that will make up for lost time. I told him that he would be expected to cut his own switch, and that he'd best learn to do a better job of it than the last time, or else! I also told him how eager I was to see him twist and squirm under my strokes, to watch the welts rise on his bare flesh, and to hear his cries and gasps of desperation. He gaped at me like a little boy getting his first glimpse at a naked woman, and had a decided awkwardness to his stride when we walked out.  Once we got out to the parking lot, I gave him a stern warning not to masturbate over our little discussion once he was home, but I tend to think my words went unheeded!

Something else is going on, too. I FINALLY got a reply on my application to Delta Kappa Phi – they have accepted it (yay, me!). Remember, that was the whole reason I took that position at the OCS in the first place – one of the entry requirements was doing some kind of work around the college, and the OCS was the only thing I could get. Well, it took long enough, but I guess they decided it was sufficient. I still have to pass a final interview and then the initiation, but it looks good right now.

Hello Linds,

Congrats on your sorority app! That`s exciting! As for Royce, are you sure the two of you are not involved, even without meaning to be?

Hi Tess

No, we really aren't inclined romantically. Don't get me wrong – we are fond of each other, but we love the spanko relationship we have right now. It's kinky and unique, and frankly, if we crossed that line into boyfriend girlfriend territory, it would get more complicated and something of that fun kinkiness would be lost.

As for Delta Kappa Phi, I am trying not to get my hopes up too high. And to tell you the truth, I am more than a little nervous, too. You know, it's an old school sorority. The initiation is pretty rough. One of the girls told me in secret that it involved some pretty intense paddling.  I don't know if I want to go through that.

I know what you must be thinking – what a hypocrite! Lindsay is willing enough to dish it out, but not take it. Well, you're right. So I'm a hypocrite. Sue me. I am not a fan of pain, and I'm not abashed to admit it. When I mentioned the initiation to Ms H, she smiled, and said "Good! Lindsay, you need to do this. A disciplinarian should experience corporal punishment first hand herself. She needs to understand exactly what she is inflicting on her charges. It will give you a proper perspective and a more profound respect for the implements you wield."

I couldn't really argue with her – one does not argue with Ms H, in any case – I know she's right. Before I wield a paddle professionally, I really should know just what one feels like on my own bare butt. Still, I've seen how the students howl under Ms H's paddle, and my knees go weak thinking about it happening to me. At least those students don't really have a good idea of what they're in for until it's too late. I do have some idea. They say that the unknown is what causes us the most fear, but I don't know about that.

What do you think, big sister – should I go through with this or not?

Lindsay –

I suppose that depends on how committed you are to this disciplinarian thing.  She is right – how can you dish it out properly if you can't empathize with what the poor sap you're beating is undergoing?

OMG, listen to me – I'm starting to sound like your boss, for crying out loud.  I am totally out of my league here. Do what you want , little sister. You always do. Just be sure you know what it is you want, first.