Comments Page Association of Erotic Artists

Advice, Guidance, Comments, Essays, Tutorials and Opinions by AEA Members and Guests. Also Historical Articles of Note and Links to Debates and Articles Within the World's Press. Updated Regularly.

Association Guidance Packs

GUIDANCE FOR MODELS This 10 page information pack has been produced to offer guidance to those considering a career in modeling. Topics include: Do's & Don'ts, Getting Started, Promotion, Explanation of terms e.g. TFP/CD, Safety Tips, Model Releases and more.

Articles by AEA Members

ISLAMAPHOBIA OR MAKING THE WORLD SAFE FOR EROTICA? Throughout this commentary I have made the assumption that the majority of the creators of erotic art or merchandise are neither Muslim or Christian. Whether this is accurate or not I stand by the argument that sexual liberty and erotica are intrinsically incompatible with the teachings of the Bible and the Koran. Hence I make no apologies for being partisan - writes Charles Sayer.
BURLESQUE AND THE EROTICISM OF EMPOWERMENT One of the distinctions between pornography and erotic art is that the former presents actors on a stage, whilst the latter gives us a true vision of the passions and fantasies of the artist and the subject of the work - writes James Reynard
A BRIEF NOTE ON LIGHTING EROTIC SUBJECTS I am well aware that I have a distinctive, signature style of photography, which beyond its content is also identified by the way I light and present an image - writes China Hamilton
THE CONCEPT OF SEXUAL CENSORSHIP. As an artist, I have always been some what bemused with the concept of sexual censorship. There are two roads to censorship - one is religious and the other is political. The concept of religious censorship is though relatively recent in human history - writes China Hamilton.
AN INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHIC FILTERS AND THEIR APPLICATION by Christopher John Ball
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EROTICA & PORNOGRAPHY? Sex, of course, is the seed of our existence. Without it no living thing would survive. In the world today there are two main industries of this natural act: Erotica and Pornography - writes Carrie White
CYANOTYPES AND DIGITAL NEGATIVES I favour making negatives via an inkjet printer and printing out to the desired size onto Overhead Projection Film. Inkjet negatives give the photographer greater control over the finished image - writes Christopher John Ball
INTRODUCTION TO THE VAN DYKE PROCESS by Christopher John Ball
WORKING WITH MODELS It’s always a pivotal moment in any artist's career when they chose to work with a model, professional, amateur, friend or partner, paid or unpaid, it can be a daunting experience so let’s look at the options - suggests Paul Churchman
EROTIC ART AS EXIT COUNSELLING : the perfect remedy for the world's problems? By Charles Sayer
BASIC PHOTOGRAPHIC LIGHTING EXPLAINED Whether you are using flash or tungsten the basics of good photographic lighting are the same - writes Christopher John Ball
IS WRITING OR WORKING WITHIN THE GENRE OF EROTICA DISCRIMINATED AGAINST? To be quite honest, I never thought I would ever say this, but, yes, I think it is. Up until now, maybe I’ve been naïve but I’ve never had a serious problem with what genre I write in. But, now, unfortunately, I do - states Carrie White
HOW TO USE EXPOSURE METERS Though almost all of today's cameras come with a 'built-in' light meter this doesn't mean that the good old fashioned 'hand-held' meter should be thrown away as useless - writes Christopher John Ball
THE ROAD TO DARKNESS The strange world of my art is really rather beautiful to me but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder - writes China Hamilton.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GUM BICHROMATE PROCESS by Christopher John Ball
A TASTE FOR BUSINESS Entrepreneur, ~ born or evolved out of experience? Well, actually a little bit of both - states Paul Churchman
A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE ZONE SYSTEM The Zone System is a method of exposing, developing, and printing monochrome images and is based upon pre-visualising the subject matter - writes Christopher John Ball
THE ART OF SELLING IS AN ART IN ITSELF I guess it goes without saying that selling is not something that comes natural to most of us. We love to create and have a passion for our art but conveying that to a potential customer can often lead to confusion or worse rejection - writes Paul Churchman.
THE PIN-HOLE CAMERA In this day of digital perfection and software correction the 'Pin-hole' camera is a breath of fresh air and a superb tool to consider using on your next photographic assignment - suggests Christopher John Ball
THE REDEMPTION OF THE ANUS. For several years I’ve specialised in painting and sculpting the vulva but I’ve become equally fascinated by the female anus. I exhibited my ‘anal starbursts’ at the erotic festival at Olympia several times without a problem but this was largely because most of the images were semi-abstract - writes Charles Sayer
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ALBUMEN PROCESS by Christopher John Ball
OF MICE AND MEN AND TITS AND BUMS We all take the visual depiction of nudity for granted. It exists and has always existed since cave paintings. Different times and different societies have both welcomed it and rejoiced in it or they have condemned it and censored it. Whatever the point of view of the current world we have always been ok with trees and birds, hunting scenes and mountains with clouds but not with nudity and the dangly bits - writes China Hamilton
HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES RELATING TO PHOTOGRAPHY by Christopher John Ball
BE PREPARED - ADVICE FOR MEDIA INTERVIEWS So, you’ve been lucky enough to be invited to be interviewed by a journalist about your work, but before you dive in for the free publicity or to make your stand against censorship it’s worthwhile taking a moment to make sure you make the best use of this opportunity - suggests Robert Babylon
A GLOSSARY OF PHOTOGRAPHIC TERMS by Christopher John Ball
INTRODUCTION TO MAKING A SUCCESSFUL PHOTOGRAPHIC TEST STRIP/PRINT Though it is possible to purchase an 'exposure meter' for calculating print exposure times these can be expensive and, for fine art/exhibition printing, not always accurate. By far the best way to ascertain the correct exposure for any given negative/paper type is to produce a test strip - writes Christopher John Ball

Guest Articles: If you are not a member of the AEA but wish to have an article considered for publication on the Association Guest Articles section please email

THE EROTIC EYE AND ITS NUDE Judging from the massive production of erotic imagery in photo magazines, films, television, video and internet - not to mention the universal practice of 'girl-watching' - voyeurism and exhibitionism must occupy man's mind, if possible, far more than sexual commerce in the strict sense of the word - writes Stefan Beyst in this compelling thesis.
EROTICA VERSUS PORNOGRAPHY We see this term online, in magazines, on the cover of books: erotica. Erotica novels, erotica stories, poems and so on. But what is erotica? - asks Chris Donovan.
THE SURGE OF BLACK EROTICA It is no surprise that for centuries the issue of Black erotica has been controversial. These days, black erotica has become popularized by authors who are taking it to mainstream - writes Maryann Reid
MAPPLETHORPE AND THE NEW OBSCENITY Robert Mapplethorpe is now widely known as one of a pair of artists, along with Andres Serrano, who catapulted the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) into the crisis that is widely referred to as the "culture wars of the arts" - writes Dustin Kidd

Historical Articles of Note and Influence

THE CRITIQUE OF JUDGEMENT by Immanuel Kant This important text laid down the foundations and frameworks for modern aesthetics and gave birth to Romanticism
AN ESSAY IN AESTHETICS by Roger Eliot Fry Fry, a member of the Bloomsbury Group, was a British artist and critic who coined the term Post-Impressionism and championed said art movement. He was amongst the first to raise public awareness of modern art in Britain and was described by the art historian Kenneth Clark as "incomparably the greatest influence on taste since Ruskin "
THE WORLD AS WILL AND IDEA. Volume one. Book Three. THE OBJECT OF ART by Arthur Schopenhauer. The aim of Schopenhauer's doctrine of aesthetics was to place artistic work at the forefront of society, elevating art and artists above mere artisanry, craft or decoration, and his theories remain influential today.
MODERN PAINTERS Chapter VI. OF IDEAS OF BEAUTY by John Ruskin Ruskin is best known for his work as an art critic and as a champion of Turner.
ON DREAMS by Sigmund Freud Extract from the essay published in 'Grundfragen des Nerven- und Seelenlebens'. Freud is often referred to as "the father of psychoanalysis" and, though his theories cause controversy and are disputed, his writings on dreams and the subconscious have had a huge influence on artists e.g. surrealist.
MANIFESTO OF SURREALISM by André Breton. This hugely influential first Surrealist manifesto was written by the French writer André Breton in 1924 and defined the Surrealist movement.

Links to Articles of Interest and Press Reports: These links take you to websites outside of the Association. To return to this contents page please click the Articles/Essays button on the left. If you wish to respond to any article and have it considered for publication on the Association website please email

SO WHAT CAN YOU PHOTOGRAPH? It may surprise readers to learn that with a few very specific exceptions, there is no law in the UK against taking photographs. That said, there are a range of quite specific exceptions to this rule says John Ozimek in 'The Register.'
UK PHOTOGRAPHERS RIGHTS Direct link to a free downloadable PDF guide. The guide was written by Linda Macpherson LL.B, Dip.L.P., LL.M, who is a lecturer in law at Heriot Watt University, with particular experience in Information Technology Law, Intellectual Property Law and Media Law. Details of authors and disclaimers here
THE WAR ON PHOTOGRAPHERS. When you hear the phrase "helping police with their inquiries", does an image of dedicated selfless citizenry instantly spring to mind? Or do you wonder whether the reality is not slightly more sinister? Asks John Ozimek in 'The Register.'
WHAT IS OBSCENE THESE DAYS ? It's 2008 and sex seems to be everywhere. So who holds the line between permissiveness and obscenity? What is obscene these days? And how do those people entrusted to make these calls cope with the harrowing work? Asks the BBC's Chris Summers.
GUSTAV KLIMT: A LIFE DEVOTED TO WOMEN. Gustav Klimt's golden visions of the female form are about to go on show in Britain. Martin Gayford reports in The Daily Telegraph.
VICTORIAN EROTICA: THE ORIGINAL CHEEKY GIRLS. Ever wondered what our great grandparents got up to behind closed doors? A new collection of erotica leaves little doubt, says Guy Kennaway in The Sunday Telegraph Magazine.
VISUAL ARTISTS AND EVEN POP STARS COULD FACE PROSECUTION UBDER NEW BRITISH LEGISLATION writes John Ozimek in 'Index on Censorship.' Contains opinions by the Association of Erotic Artists.
WHEN DOES KINKY PORN BECOME ILLEGAL? A bill outlawing the possession of "extreme pornography" is set to become law next week. But many fear it has been rushed through and will criminalise innocent people with a harmless taste for unconventional sex - writes Chris Summers on BBC News.
VICTORIAN EROTICA: THE ORIGINAL CHEEKY GIRLS. Ever wondered what our great grandparents got up to behind closed doors? A new collection of erotica leaves little doubt, says Guy Kennaway in The Daily Telegraph.
JOHN CURRIN: THE FILTH AND THE FURY. His portraits of balloon-breasted women are notorious. Now John Currin is about to arrive in Britain with canvases of an even more sexually explicit nature. The artist talks to David Usborne in 'The Independent' about flesh tones, critical outrage – and why hardcore porn is part of the 'war against Islam'
'I AM NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG?' A bill outlawing the possession of "extreme pornography" is about to be passed. But thousands of law-abiding citizens say they will be criminalised by the law. One of them is 'Helen', from the Midlands, who explains why she enjoys watching such porn. BBC News Magazine.
ARTISTS TOO FRIGHTENED TO TACKLE RADICAL ISLAM. Essay in The Times by Ben Hoyle, Times Arts Reporter. "Across Europe there is growing evidence that freedom of expression has been curtailed by fear of religious fundamentalism."
INNOCENT PHOTOGRAPHER OR TERRORIST? Misplaced fears about terror, privacy and child protection are preventing amateur photographers from enjoying their hobby, say campaigners - writes Tom Geoghegan in BBC News Magazine.
POLICE PLEDGE TO ACT ON PHOTOGRAPHY FEARS. Police have vowed to act on concerns expressed by photographers who fear officers will unfairly target them when taking pictures in public following recent anti-terrorism publicity - writes Chris Cheesman in Amateur Photographer March 2008.
POLICE SEIZE PHOTOGRAPHER'S FILM. An amateur photographer has told how police seized his film as he was out taking snaps in a Hull shopping centre - BBC Report January 2008.
POLICE DEFEND ANTI-TERROR PHOTO CAMPAIGN. Chris Cheesman responds in Amateur Photographer March 2008.
LIVE FLESH by Arthur C Danto Essay on the artist Egon Schiele from the USA publication The Nation.
THE ART OF SEDUCTION: SEX THROUGH THE AGES, FROM EVERY POSSIBLE ANGLE. Comment on the Barbican exhibition by Charlotte Higgins in The Guardian
SEDUCED - IS IT ART OR IS IT PORN The Barbican's new exhibition which traces the history of sex in art raises difficult questions, says Frances Wilson in The Daily Telegraph.
BEYOND LUST The brilliant new exhibition Art and Sex raises the question: has art ever been about anything else? asks Jonathan Jones in The Guardian
SHOCKING? PULL THE OTHER ONE Rowan Pelling, The former editor of the Erotic Review, takes a peep at an exhibition at The Barbican exploring sex in art in The Observer.
EROTIC ART TRACES HISTORY OF SEX Emily Buchanan reviews the Barbican exhibition 'Seduced - Art and Sex from Antiquity' for the BBC
HAVEN'T THE POLICE GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN CENSOR ART WORKS THAT OFFEND RELIGIOUS GROUPS? by Charlotte Higgins in The Guardian
SEX IN THE CITY RAISES HOT TOPICS Where does art stop and pornography begin? Should we impose an age limit for a sexually explicit show? Asks Martin Kemp in the Guardian Unlimited: Arts blog
SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE Joan Smith comments in The New Statesman on the "Seduced: Art and Sex From Antiquity to Now" exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery

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