Savage Art Studio

The devil is in the detail

Had a little revelation the other day..  it was a combination of things  first a meeting with a great artist..  Chris Christoforou  not only a fantastic artist, but a really nice guy too.  we spent a lot of time talking on a wide variety of subjects, which will no doubt become subjects for subsequent blogs..  we did spend time talking about fine detail and the importance of good quality of reference material.  Following our chat I have been re-evaluating some of my own ideas in art work..  as a parallel to this I have been working on a new short story, a piece called “in the driving seat”  it was intended as a 2500 word short story  but it currently stands at about 11,000  I am working on the second round of edits. Thank you Laurie www.blackvelvetseductions.com    The editing process takes you a while to go through, and most writers sigh when they see the edits.  But the up side and it is a massive up side, you go deeper into the story and the characters.  Without going into to mush of the plot, after all I would like you to buy the story, it is about domestic discipline, spanking to be precise.  The first pass of edits got the story into a rough shape.  Beginning, middle and end.  The second round gets us looking at characters and there motivation and emotions.  I was sat at the pc this morning working on a letter to my editor and publisher and mentioned a bit of detail I was working on and suddenly a little light came on  and I drew a direct comparison between my art and writing.  The analogy I used with painting was.….  the devil is in the detail.. you can draw a tree  and it is a tree..  no question..  but there are lollipop trees, a ball on a stick and trees where you see every leaf, every detail in the bark..  writing for me is the same, the first pass is the sketch.  On the second  come the detail and third yet more detail and observation  detailed emotions is rather akin to fine detail painting.

With the current story “in the driving seat”  by and large I am happy, it has direction and is coming along   a bit slow but solid progress   the scene I am working on takes place in the kitchen and is prior to the spanking in the first found the woman is angry..  but in looking at the character and getting into the character, yes she is angry, but it is more than that, she is resentful.  The male lead has just ordered her to strip.  If I had kept is as angry she would tell him to bugger off, or maybe worse, to make the scene work, she has to strip so changing the emotion to resentful she will do what he says begrudgingly.  It was that parallel with fine detail which got me there, seeing the depth of emotion in the same way as I look for the fine detail in art.

Why Are You Writing?

It is a question I have asked myself.  Along with, do we just write for ourselves?

I guess what prompted sole searching was this….  I have a friend, actually a life model from my art class that has written a rather nice book. It is a good story, a rather nice romance. I thought of BVS and had her pass it along to Laurie Sanders.  Chatting further, the life model told me that she didn’t want to do revisions, that as far as she was concerned the book was finished. I knew there and then that the book, unless vanity published, would not see the light of day. It is not enough to write, even if you write well. The stories need to stand on their own in the market place and they need to be commercial enough to sell.  It makes sense in my opinion to make the stories you write as market driven as possible by aiming at the market. Writing for your self is great fun, but writing with a view to publication is quite a different matter. 

I’m sorry if that turns our life passion into a commodity, but it is a commodity when you stop and think about it.  If you intend to get your words in print.

If our books were a can of beans with an interesting label and a pretty picture people might stop and look at it. They might even pick it up. But when they read that the beans were strawberry jam and curry flavored, they would put them down again. I wouldn’t advocate making the product bland just for it to fit in. I am more in favor of individual, unique, thought provoking, and challenging writing. However, it makes sense to cut out the things that don’t work from the outset.   If you are told that wimpy beach bum heroes just don’t sell, and that rugged dependable types do sell  it kind of makes sense to do more of what the consumer wants (rugged dependable type heroes) and less of what they do not want (wimpy beach bum type heroes). 

I suppose as I have asked the question I should answer it for myself.

Why do I write?  I love it..  it is as frustrating as heck but I love writing and drawing, it is my life.  And I suppose I am optimistic enough to think someone might be interested to read and look at the work I do

Happy writing and make every word count

Ric

I know I am preaching to the converted here. 

I was in a writer’s forum the other day and I was struck by the general attitude the writers took. The attitude of many of the authors was, “Well.. I spent all that time writing the book, the least the publisher could do is ALL the promotion.”  I found the attitude strange.  It was almost the writers were washing there hands if the project.  The publisher can’t autograph the books or set up signings on my behalf writers, even if they wanted to. The best the publisher can do is to send out some direct mail pieces to their readership or to bookstores. But they can’t promote the book in the same way I can as an author.

I really can’t see what authors expect to gain from taking the stance that publishers should do all the promotion.

From my prospective, and I might be on my own with this, though I hope I am not, getting a story into print has been one of the proudest moments of my life.  I have been writing without success for years. Finally hitting the right combination of story and the help of an editor that believes in me I am in print.  That story took about a year from concept to print.  I wanted the whole world to know..  I can’t understand a writer who wouldn’t.

The writers in the forum seemed to think that, with the book in print that is the end of the process for them, that once the book was published it was just a matter of sitting back and waiting for the royalty check to pop through the door. 

As JFK put it “Ask not what your publisher can do for you.. but what you can do for your publisher…” or at least I think he said that.  I see it as a symbiotic relationship between myself and my publisher.  I want to get the book out there.  They want to get the book out there, book sales being the result, hopefully.  So surly everyone is on the same team rather than a “them and us”  we all want it to be a success, surly that’s why we wrote it..  right?? 

I was struck by the irony that many of the authors didn’t seem to see royalties as being connected to promotion and promotion leading to sales, like the “Royalty Fairy” was mysteriously popping a cheque in the post. There was kind of a “not my problem” feeling to it.. 

It all goes together as one circle.  Promotion leads to sales and readership which leads to more sales and a larger readership.

For the actual promotion, I have a little list of ten things to promote that I try to do every week.  My list isn’t just for promoting my writing but is for promoting my erotic art as well but the principal is the same.  The top ten is an aspiration list, with the most important tasks down to less important tasks.   I rarely do all ten, but I feel if I have done at least two or maybe three of the things on my list, then I have done something and one piece of promotion is better than no promotion. It all adds up.

I’ll get off the soap box now

Ric

Can you be Just to close to the work?

In a physical and emotional sense I believe you can..  my approach to this is two fold as artist and writer.   First as an artist you can be just too close you really don’t see a project clearly at the time.  On many occasions I have painted a picture, which I loved considered it to be a good work, to revisit it a few years later and think “what the heck was I up to when I painted that?”   and the reverse is true..  a painting that I considered a bit lack lustre at the time with the benefit of hindsight looks a valid piece of art..  the same is true of writing  though sadly a lot of my early stuff was so shallow I would be to embarrassed to show it to anyone now.  It is all apart of that growing process..  I guess one of my hardest learnt lessons so far in writing is, keeping it in a point of view and deep characterisation.  It is important to fix your point of view and keep it there and if you switch to another view point make a clear transition.   But of course when writing you can’t always see it..  You are too involved..   For what it is worth..  My ten cents..   Sometimes it is good to step back and look at the BIG picture, either art or writing, is the structure good?  Does the idea work over all?  Is the plot strong? 

Cheers….  

Ric

under-painting  

As an erotic artist I explore all kinds of art techniques.  I have always admired the skin tones of the classical artists and I employ some of there methods in my own art production.  One is a process called under painting.  If you look closely at skin you will see, especially in hands, feet and any un-tanned areas, a slightly green tinge to the skin caused by the veins beneath the skin. Ladies will note some of the newer make-up foundations have a lit greenish tinge to them too.  my method is to paint the skin areas with the same tonal value in an olive green and once dry I apply my usual cocktail of skin tones over the top..  here to illustrate the technique are staged pictures from a resent painting click here to see.  When painting in general and flesh in particular it is important to consider the direction and strength of light and the colours of objects around and how they react together

Erotic art Erotic writing

As well as artist, I write erotica too and I have three pieces in print, all with Black Velvet Seductions.  http://www.blackvelvetseductions.com/   The first, was for the supernatural anthology, “The Crimson Z”  I was one of the five writers to contribute to the work.  I was very proud of it as it marks my first published written work.  I also painted the cover illustration, form an idea by Robert cloud.  I have to thank all the family, that is Black Velvet Seductions, for all for your encouragement and support and thanks to Laurie Sanders, for her support and making my dream come true. 

I wrote a short story for BVS for there valentines day competition  “The Key” and I currently have two other stories in production for BVS “The trainer” and

“Temporally yours” which will be a part of the follow up the “Crimson Z” anthology.  It is a stand alone story, so Laurie Sanders decided to release it with “The Key” in January 2008.

I have done the cover art for around 30 titles to date…. and a shameless plug here.. I am always open to offers from publishers.  I currently work for 4 but always on the look out for more not just romance and erotic titles but anything really I have just finished some work for a children’s writer, also I have just finished 60 illustrations for a book  on the female orgasm.  any work considered sci-fi, fantasy, non erotic and private commissions. so really open to any suggestions.  My work can be seen at www.swage.net  

On to writing, I am dyslexic and had a real hard time writing something to a standard that a publisher would accept, so here I have to thank Laurie Sanders, without her hard work, patience, and belief in my ability I would not be able to call myself a writer.  I have always loved writing.  I have always liked stories and their twists and turns. 

Here is a little extract from  “The Anniversary” a story to be found on the Crimson Z. 

With kind permission from Black Velvet Seductions

Extract

She looked at Peter and his eyes were still fixed on her. It was obvious that he was amused by the struggle with the skirt’s clasp, yet he only kept a slight smile, not wanting to break the sensuality of the moment. “Your shoes please.”

Evelyn looked down at her shoes.  A part of her wanted to resist. This was wrong wasn’t it? It was wrong for a man to issue instructions for her to strip, wasn’t it? She was not a whore, to do as she was told, a play thing, a life-size, queen-sized, Barbie doll.  Yet this was compulsive. Peter was no monster, quite the opposite.  He had a charming way about him. He was a gentleman.  She felt like she was being charmed out of her clothes, but there was something compelling in the way he talked.  Something in the matter of fact way he asked her to remove each garment, that made it impossible to refuse.  She felt his glance alter from warm to steely, the longer she delayed, though in truth from request to action it was a fraction of a second. Peter was almost motionless, yet the glint in his eye and the power of his voice made each request overwhelming.

She was confused why the removal of the shoes was so symbolic, was it the reduction of height? Or her feeling of helplessness?  Evelyn took a deep breath and steadied her nerve.  She slipped into the abyss, as the shoes were gently slid off and she stood before him in bra, panties and pantyhose.  Now resigned to her fait, she felt the sooner she was naked the better, then at least there would be the love making.  Evelyn went to remove her bra, but Peter stopped her.

“Not until I am ready, please. You may remove it, but only when I ask you,” he continued with cool measured voice.

Evelyn was confused, he didn’t want to see her naked? “I don’t understand, Peter.”

Peter leaned forward, “This will happen all in good time, but it will happen in my time.  I would like you to do as I ask.” There was no anger in his voice, just the opposite, it was a calm response, which Evelyn found comforting rather than upsetting.  “I want to savour you, as I would a gourmet meal. Which is better filet mignon or hamburger?” Peter clasped his hands together and studiously steepled his fingers “Which would you like me to consider you? Filet or burger?”

Evelyn needed no time to think “Filet.” She had been regarded as a burger, too many times in the past

Peter leaned back in the seat again. “Are you ready to continue?”

“Yes Peter.” She looked directly at her lover.

Peter returned her smile and said, “I have a request.  I have certain tastes and it would please me, very much, if you would address me as Sir.  It is a simple word that shows respect. It is a word that shows me you are ready and willing to serve.  The choice to serve is for you to make, and this is a choice you must make freely.  It will feel a bit strange at first, but it is a way some people live their lives.  It is a way I live mine. 

I have a profound feeling that you would take to this lifestyle.  And I feel deep down, that you have a need to serve.  I know you have a need to please me.  Do you feel you are you ready to take this first step?  Do you feel you are ready to do as I ask?  To please me?”

Though she was unsure in her mind of the implications of what it meant to serve, without hesitation she replied, “Yes Sir.” The Sir came out of her lips naturally, as an involuntary reaction to his authority and she liked the way it sounded, respectful and comforting.  She was aware  again of the moistness in her panties and she knew there would be no hiding it from Peter.

“Good girl,”  Peter said, with a flash of white teeth. Then his lips set to a warm smile.

“May I ask a question?”

“Of course, you may ask anything.”

“What does it mean to serve?  What is it I have to do?”

Without hesitation Peter replied “To serve me well, requires you to do as I ask, when I ask you to do it. This requires you to trust me. I wish you to follow my requests carefully, without question, because you know it is what I wish. In serving me, it also fulfils a side of you that has not yet been fulfilled.  This is very much a two way street.  You must want to serve.  You must want to trust.  And in return our love for each other will blossom.”

Reassured by his words, but still a little apprehensive she asked “what if I fail?  What if I can’t live up to all you expect?”

Peter took her hand and kissed it his warm lips grazed her flesh  “I want this as much for you, as I do for myself. It is not a an audition to be passed.  You need to want to do this.  You need to feel in your heart that this is right for you.  In return I will support you, nurture you, guide you, and hold you.  I feel that you have been repressing these feelings of submission, a little like a caged bird. I want you to be the person that I know you have locked away deep inside you.  I want you to be that person for you.  It will seem a little strange at first, giving me that power over you.  But in time, and with trust, it will become second nature for you.  And with trust you will focus on your service to me. And I in turn will devote my life to cherishing you.  Trust is needed because you have to know instinctively that what I ask you to do will not harm you.  You will find a deep sense of well being in your service.  But it is your service to give freely” 

………….

Thank you for reading

Ric

Erotic Art

As an erotic artist myself, I have looked at and thought a great deal about, the nature of erotic art.  I am a member of the Guild of Erotic Artists and it is quite clear that the ideas of what is erotic vary dramatically.  One person’s cheeky, is another persons pornographic.  I have exhibited in Washington DC, and London at Erotica, Passion and skin two, also at the adults only show at the NEC Birmingham.  I have met a great deal of people and have listened to a great number of people on the subject.  It is seems that the views are equally diverse. 

My take on it, and I stress this is a personal view, is that erotic is not what you can see, it is more where your imagination takes you.  An example, a picture of a nude can be erotic but it leaves little to the imagination.  for me a model in lingerie or a thin covering is much more erotic, it is the hint of something you perhaps shouldn’t see.  It is an elicit peek, a sneaky glimpse up a skirt, or in summer the way a body is seen through brightly back light cotton  ( Pervie of me I know, but this kind of research is all done in the name of art and no personal gratification is got from any of this…..  Honest)   for me erotic is in the mind, what is countered up by the art.   Some of my work is less subtle than others.  I see it as an exploration, an on going explanation of my own skills and thoughts on what is erotic.

I invite thoughts and comments

Just my opinion

In these blogs it is just my opinion on these subjects and I invite comment and welcome discussions and questions, if there is something you would like to take further.

Right  so here we are..  blogging at last, I do hope you don’t find it too dull.

An introduction is in order.  My name is Richard Savage, I am an artist and writer.  The art well I paint and draw most subjects, from wildlife to comic illustrations, but I suppose I am best known for my erotic art.  I sell prints and originals all over the world and I have dome cover illustration for more than thirty books.  I love art and love to be a part of the whole creative process.  A new side to the art is life casting and I see that as an extension to the drawing and painting.

Writing.  I write for Black Velvet Seductions www.blackvelvetseductions.com

I have three stories in print “The Anniversary” a part of the supernatural anthology “Crimson Z”  the second is “The Key”  and “Temporally Yours”  there is a new one in the pipeline called “The Trainer”  more about that in future blogs

Enjoy the art and please do come back to Savage Art