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Interview with Lorenzo Sperlonga

Who are your main influences as an artist?

The main influence are definitely the models I work with!

Sure I can name a lot of phenomenal pin up and fantasy artists, like Elvgren, Vargas, Olivia Frazzetta, Royo which I all admire immensely. But our styles are very different, even if we paint the same subjects. So I think I am more inspired by the beauty of my muses and the things I see everyday, a book, a movie or even a simple billboard in the streets of Los Angeles.

Can you tell us something about your career so far?

I have been blessed with the opportunity to do this job since I was 18 and make a living out of it. I started in a small advertising studio back in Rome as an illustrator. Photoshop didn't even exist back then, so everything had to be done by hand. And that's how I learned to use traditional media like acrylics and inks. In 29 years doing this job I was fortunate to collaborate with dozens and dozens of publishers all over the world. I have seen my paintings in several galleries in here in the US and in Europe. My complete work has been published in four different books: The Art of Lorenzo Sperlonga, Dirty Works, Poison Apples,

Steampunk Dolls and Femmes Fatales.

What is the most difficult aspect of drawing a beautiful woman?

Technically speaking, probably to catch the right expression of her face. If you get that right, half of the job is done.

Can you compare the cultural climate in Italy with the United States?

United States are definitely way more conservative than Europe in general.

If then you bring that into the specificd of my job I can tell you that half of the population here is terrified by nipples. Show them a naked boob and they get upset... Don't ask me why but that's the truth. But then it beats me they are perfectly ok with mass murderers and the use of automatic weapons. Obviously nipples are more dangerous than bullets, right?

How do you come up with ideas for your drawings? Do you think of a story you want to tell in your picture beforehand or do you just start and see where you get?

It goes both ways: sometimes I have a very specific concept in mind, others I just start and see where it takes me.