Glen Brogan Pinup Show Interview

By Jonathan Bilski

Glen Brogan

This Friday sees the opening reception of The Glen Brogan Pinup Show at Hero Complex Gallery. Sufficed to say I'm excited as a long time fan of his work and the way he draws sexy ladies. You've probably seen his work online, in the fan pop culture art galleries or on some cool t-shirts. It's hard to miss when the ladies on them look so damn good, yet have a breath of animation style.

Through Hero Complex's own Adam Smasher we had a chance to ask Glen a few questions about the upcoming show. He answered, not giving me a fun story about drawing some sort of pretty watermelon women for a Korean magazine or some weird anthropomorphic watch for Maxim Magazine. No, just down to Earth answers about dressing up as a Ghostbuster when it's not Halloween.

Jonathan: I could ask, "Why a sexy pin-up show?," but, looking at your work it's easy to tell. I mean if you and Shane Glines teamed up for a show I don't think many people would want to be going to the opening reception in a tight space. It probably be uncomfortable. On that, what made you push for a pin-up show?

Glen Brogan: It was actually Adam of Hero Complex that approached me with the show theme. I think I had drawn sexy women in enough of my pieces that he figured why not roll with it, haha.

Is there no sexy pin-up calendar this year? Or, can you only get it at the show? You never posted about it via social media. My wall is barren, it misses sexy ladies each month.

I'm hoping to do a calendar this year, but it has certainly been delayed. The show came first, so hopefully I can get something out before the end of January. I really hate to be late on it, but I find that people still ask for them all year round.

Can you tell what people can expect in this show? Will fans of every genre be impressed? Gamer, otaku, cinephile and animation enthusiast.

I wanted to do original characters for all of the pieces, because that's something I've never really done for a large show before. I really hope everyone will be pleased! The subject matter of each piece is very different, but they don't represent different genres as much as different scenes. Aside from the ladies, this kind of thing gives me a chance to draw other things I like as well.

How do you choose which ladies make it in? Is it personal preference or do you see what's been popular/trending?

Mostly they just come out of my head right as I'm drawing them. They aren't based on anything in particular, aside from a handful of pieces that a couple friends modeled for. 

How do you come up with the positions they're in? Your pin-ups do look like the girls in them are really modelling or you captured them at the right moment.

I did use live references for a couple of these pieces, which is something I've never really done outside of figure drawing classes, but for the most part I make up the poses. Sometimes I even act out part of the pose myself to make sure I'm getting the anatomical details right. So enjoy that mental image.

Can you tell us of any general advertising work or graphic design work your not proud of? Like, maybe you had to draw a voluptuous looking stapler with gams or some hot looking hot dogs with big buns.

Any of the graphic design stuff I had to do for previous office jobs was all stuff I felt like didn't really represent me. Sometimes you just have to work for someone who lacks design sensibilities but still dictates how your work should look. And I've had some regular illustration jobs that could be a bit of a grind.

While, creating your art, do you have anything on in the background. Perhaps a TV show or a genre of music?

In the moments where I'm really feeling what I'm working on, I like to listen to upbeat or fast music on headphones. It gets me geared up when I feel like I've had a good idea for how to create a line or two in the piece. When I'm not in that mode I usually just put on YouTube channels or movies.

In you social media, I see you dressing like a Ghostbuster and giving toys to children? Is this Sony trying to make the Ghostbusters PR a little bit better?

Sony doesn't have any direct involvement aside from officially recognizing us as a Ghostbusters group. We're the Ghostbusters: West Virginia Division, and we're a charity that raises money all year long via donations and merchandise that we create. Then during Christmas time we go out and buy tons of toys and essential items for foster kids. I help when I can and I am honored to be a part of it, but it's really the other folks in the group that are the heroes who get out there almost every weekend to raise money.

Has your work been fabricated against your will/knowledge? Is there any place we should know not trust or any stories about finding your work and you saying, " I never made a deal with this shirt company."

Yeah, that happens quite often, unfortunately. Basically, if it's an online store that sells products featuring original illustrations but never credits any artist by name, avoid it, because it's probably full of stolen designs. 

Any projects you'd like to be working on after your solo show?

Once the show is done I hope to start working with HCG on a portfolio art book that will collect a lot of my previous work!

Anything else special about this show you can reveal?

I worked super hard on it, agonizing over each piece until I was happy with it, haha. I somehow managed to end up with thirty new pieces, which is a decent amount more than what I had initially planned.  

The Glen Brogan Pinup Show

Opening Reception: Friday, January 11th, 7-9pm

Hero Complex Gallery

2020 South Robertson Blvd.

Studio D, LA, CA 90034

FREE Admission - Artist in Attendance

FREE Glen Brogan Enamel Pin for the first 30 Customers!

No RSVP Required - All Ages Welcome

Complimentary Refreshments