It had been far long since we’d had the pleasure of discovering new drawings by the Toronto-based illustrator Maurice Vellekoop, who’s always seemed torn between opera and erotica. Last time, the fat ladies won. And this time, it’s all about the boys.
So, Green Candy Press has published a very good looking, large-sized, 120-page collection of all-new, full-page art, divided by the author in various sections (Calendar Boys, Sports, Fantasy, etc.). The volume is introduced by Vellekoop’s partner, who tells us about his lover’s life and career, his influences and his goals in producing this body of work.
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What’s particularly interesting is the evolution of Vellekoop’s style. While remaining clearly his own, the drawings are a bit less cartoony than they used to, a bit more realistic. At the same time, the bodies are often less bulky, longer and narrower. The reader will have to decide which style he prefers, but both are highly sexy and alluring, in my opinion.
As for the colors, they are as warm and vivid as usual, giving the always ithyphallic male characters depicted here a glow that adds to their attractiveness.
The reader will also have fun spotting the numerous references that pepper the pages: from Star Trek to Da Vinci, from Gainsborough to Greek mythology.
Maurice Vellekoop’s Pin-Ups looks like the inside of the artist’s mind. Aren’t we lucky to have been invited to have a peep?
You can buy the book at Amazon.
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UPDATE June 2011: Maurice Vellekoop now has a wonderful website of his own.
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