Latest Illustration for Penthouse
I do a few illustrations a year for Penthouse, which I have no qualms about doing so long as I am not asked to do anything pornographic. This is something they understand and only give me a call when they need a humorous illustration for an article that isn’t too “blue”. They are really great to work with.
The September issue has a full page illustration I did for a humorous article about why guys have “sex on the brain” i.e. it’s all some guys think about. Initially the art director wanted me to do an image of a guy with his brain coming out of his skull, and all the bumps on the surface forming intertwining bodies and female forms. That was a little borderline for me. While I followed through on that in a sketch, I also suggested something a little more classic looking… the same open skull but with tiny female figures popping out all over. Here are the sketches:
Sketch based on original idea
A different approach…
The art director liked the look of my second sketch. I thought the cartoony treatment of the naked female figures sans nipples or other realistic anatomical details gave them a “Barbie” doll look that was tasteful in this context. Here is the final art:
Click for a closer look…
Tags: freelance illustration, Penthouse
Hi Tom its nice how you draw the girls coming out from hes head, very unique and funny; thats 24/7 daily basis on a young kid……..and for most of the man. Take care.
First one I’ve “clicked on for a closer look” in a while.
This would make a great gag for a friend or client at a theme park if you wanted to poke fun at thier “horn-dogged-ness”. Is the young man in your illustration depicted after anyone inparticular?
Gee, Mr. Richmond, can we put that up on the wall at Six Flags?
lol Cool, I didn’t know you did stuff for Penthouse.
And Penthouse was REALLY ok with the no-nipple look? OH, THE HUMANITY!
In the first version, I do like how it takes a second to realize that the brain’s folds are interlocking bodies, but it does have a more introspective (introverted?) look — especially with the eyes directed to the midline.
But I think the final composition works much better for a humorous article, and I love the execution in both the sketch and the full-color version.