FH-10

Of the many Pinup projects I have completed over the years like prints, a video box cover, instructional articles and pinup girls for various companies and publications the project that I am most proud of is the Artool FH-10 Pinup Shield.  Its an artist freehand template for airbrushing and I worked very hard to design it and even had a hand in designing some of the packaging. To this day since creating it for Medea/Artool in 1997 I still get a nice but small royalty check on a quarterly basis. As long as I am getting a check I know it is still selling! If you want one they can be found in many art catalogs including custom automotive supply catalogs. It can be found at Amazon.com   I wrote a perspective on pinup art and the use of freehand templates for an online art newsletter years ago and the content of it can be read  by clicking here. Just scroll down untill you see the article TEMPLATES AND PINUP GIRLS.

Flirt was a good girl art book showcasing the work of 56 artists from many places around the world, including Canada, the United States, Turkey, Egypt, Finland and Madagascar. Flirt was a unique combination of styles and points of view. From realism to abstraction, with a side trip in the underground. I say "was" because it's now sold out.
One reviewer noted me as one of the better artists in the book! Way cool! Here is an excerpt from his review... "There's some real bad art in here, it's kinda like Daniel Clowes' ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL come to life. But there's plenty pretty stuff too, some truly qualifying as of the genuine "pin-up" variety, most notably; Edward Reed's Vargas-inspired retro cheesecake, dreamy, timeless nudes by Mostafa Fahmy (that'd flatter any living room wall on black velvet above the couch), charming upskirt good-girl art by Thierry Labrosse & Donald Caron's gorgeous buxom pastels, one of which graces the full color back-cover (that should've been the front cover). "

A Word From Mark...

Its not everyday that you get a professional artist writing about you!  I met MARK WILKINSON while in Germany at the International Airbrush Expo and here is his memories of the event (complete with pictures!)

In December 1997 I had a step by step published in Airbrush Action magazine thanks to the invite and guidance of Craig Fraser and the then editor Joseph Lasala. Back issues are still available but they only have about 90 left. You can get a copy Here

Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas

The Spencer Museum of Art holds many originals created by Alberto Vargas and is located at the University of Kansas. I have always wanted to make a trek there and see them. I have an opportunity but haven't had the time to do so... a few years back Stephen Goddard wrote a thesis on Vargas and his work and I am one of many that he contacted for information about Alberto's technique. I can only surmise that he was familiar with my Vargas derived technique for doing pinups as my work was published as how-to's in a few art magazines. I credited my technique as being based on Alberto's work from which I gleaned from his work including information from his own writing on the subject in one of his books. Anyway I am no expert on Vargas or his technique per se' but I had a couple of clippings on Vargas and one was an ad for Wold Airbrush which is an airbrush he endorsed as his airbrush of choice when he first moved to the U.S. He later used Paasche airbrushes but that rare and obscure advertisment proved insightful to Stephen Goddards essay. The essay can be found Here

And in the credits I am mentioned in good company including a member of his family!

-Reid Austin, Michael Broadfoot, Barbara Coleman, Astrid Vargas Conte', Lou Harbor (Hrabko), Jim Hartley, Bill Leisk, Vallie Pettersen, Edward Reed, Mark Roeyer, Elizabeth Schultz, and Dominque Taddei openly shared their expertise and insights.

I am also mentioned in the notes: 10 and 22. I thank airbrush artist Edward Reed for sharing this information with me.

so in a way I feel something of a connection to my would be mentor. I feel he is my teacher although posthumously. To be included amongst those contributing to an essay about Vargas where roughly 150 originals are held safely today is nothing short of the most incredible honor I think I could have. So I am already literally a footnote in pinup history!

What a cool coincidence! I dig big Band swing from the 1930's and 40's and I am a pinup artist which started during those decades as well.... Turns out there is a big band swing group called  ... what else? The Eddie Reed Big Band! And their homepage contains a pinup of course! Go check them out! www.eddiereed.com

Video Star

Back in the late 1990's (ya back in the 20th century!) I had three instructional airbrush videos available thru the now defunct Airbrush Magazine. One of those videos was an instructional video on how to paint a pinup girl which was a companion piece to a how-to article written in the 1996 Volume 3.1 issue.  It sold well but once the publication ceased to exist so did my master copy of the tape... I tried to get it back so I could distribute it myself but I never heard back from the publisher so it is gone forever. I do have the rough, unedited copy on VHS but I currently have no plans to release it since it is a bit dated and the quality of the tape probably isn't up to reproduction standards as it is. I do intend to produce another instructional pinup video and or DVD but this won't happen for some time but I will make any announcements on such a project here!

Gallery Showings

Meet Edward and see original works at the Belle Muse Art Gallery, 79B Wentworth Street, Charleston, South Carolina during their Artist Reception scheduled for Friday February 27th, 2004 from 5pm til midnight.  Wine and cheese available. ( UPDATE: As of February 30th I am no longer with Belle Muse Art Gallery due to conflict of interest.)

Saturday November 8, 2003

Meet Edward and see original works at the Blind Tiger on Broad Street in Charleston, South Carolina Saturday, November 8th from 5pm til close.  Limited Edition Prints will be available.

Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.

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Book Illustration

In 1997 a book was published and distributed world wide that I did an illustration in.  I did a mermaid illustration for the children's book "The Island Child" by Monica Simmons MEd.  I think it is now out of print but copies are still available at Barnes and Noble booksellers and many others.  Bright girly colors were requested so it is more cartoon in style then I normally do but hey.. it was a children's book afterall! Order a copy HERE

Just a Tease!

Lili St. Cyr

This image was commissioned by Greg Theakston for the third issue of TEASE! Magazine spring of 95. Lili is a well known Burlesque Dancer from the 1950's. This image accompanied an article she herself wrote about the industry. Unfortunatley TEASE! Magazine was sporadically published and was difficult to find and was finally sold in 2003 to a new publisher and it is no longer the fine pinup authority it used to be.  Back issues including the one I did work for can be found at Budplant.com

Madam Petzoldt

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This flying butterfly was a commission for Petzoldt of Germany which is the largest distributor of airbrush and custom automotive supplies in that country. She can be found in many different states of dress at their website www.petzoldts.de

Be a Model or Just Look Like One!

In 1996 I got to be on the other side of the camera to be a pinup of a different sort. I got my hair teased, a little powder on the face so I don't "shine" and then I felt the heat of the studio lights as I became a model for the first (and last thankfully!) time for a national micro brew magazine called Beer Across America! Ya Baby, that's my own hair!

Shield Your Eyes!

Okay, what's worse than seeing my mug inside a magazine?  My mug on the cover of a magazine! I wrote a two part article for Airbrush Art + Action magazine on how to render expressive eyes amd as a joke I sent a picture of myself with an eyeball in my mouth...well, it ended up on the cover of Issue 12  January 1997.

Just ignore the "Oompa Loompa hair!

Swirly Whirl

The Sotar Girl

This Pin up was created to promote the Sotar Airbrush Company which is a division of the Badger Airbrush Company.
She's briefly promoted the Sotar 20-20 Airbrushes in Airbrush Art + Action magazine.  (and made the cover!)

She made her debut at the 1996 Airbrush Expo held in Atlanta where I demonstrated the use of this fine airbrush.  This is probably one of the most difficult and time consuming images I have produced. I rarely work with frisket film or illustration board but that is what I used to create her. The original measures about 30 inches by 40 inches which also makes her the largest piece I've completed.

Badgering Betty

I believe this is my first published pinup!  I created a little water color sketch of Betty Page back in 1991 and fellow art friend Scott Fitzgerald added the lettering and background as a mockup for an idea for a possible t-shirt.  We never did print the shirts but he submitted it to Badger Airbrush Company for their forth coming 30th anniversary product catalog.  This was all unbeknownst to me so you can imagine my surprise when the catalog was handed to me and Badger gifted us with gold plated Badger airbrushes with our names inscribed on them!  It was re -published larger in a followup product catalog from Badger a few years later.