52 Pin Up update

To Say I'm pissed might be an understatement. I found out that Apple has approved a nude App after rejecting mine. I am at a loss to understand why my app is more offensive than this one. My app is artwork, I mean you can walk into any museum, open to the public and look at boobs.

We have resubmitted the nude version of the app and are still waiting for approval on the "PG" version. The teeth grinding continues.

The Saga of 52 Pin Up

I've been teasing people for a week or so about my big announcement. Well, it has been delayed but I feel like I need to let you all in on it. I don't mind a good tease as long as there is some payoff.

My friend and genius Steve and I have been working on an iPhone app that features my Pin Ups. It's called 52 Pin Up. It is a deck of pin up playing cards. 54 cards (including jokers) each with a different Ronnie Werner Pin Up girl. It shuffles and displays a random card. You can also turn it on it's side and browse the whole deck.

Apple recently came out with ratings for all iPhone applications. In those ratings is a "17+" category.

"17+: You must be at least 17 years old to purchase this application.

Applications in this category may also contain frequent and intense offensive language; frequent and intense cartoon, fantasy or realistic violence; and frequent and intense mature, horror, and suggestive themes; plus sexual content, nudity, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs which may not be suitable for children under the age of 17."

We submitted an "R" rated version of 52 Pin Up to apple. If you've seen my work you know it is essentially "Playboy style" nudity. Boobs and butts. Nothing too graphic. My work is meant to be fun and sexy, a modern take on the old school pin ups of the 40's and 50's.

Apple rejected the "R" rated version. It is of course, their right to reject any content they wish and I'm not here to bitch about Apple. That said I'm a little puzzled about what is deemed appropriate in their opinion. Clearly, from the above rating nudity is allowed or will occur in games and apps with the 17+ designation. This is the response we got with our rejection.

"Applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple's reasonable judgement may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users."



We have replied and kindly asked Apple to point out what images were found objectionable so that we may correct them and get out an app that shows some boobs and butts. We are waiting to hear back but are committed to working with apple to get an "R" version of 52 Pin Up out.

All that said, we have submitted a "PG" version of the App. We are hoping that this one will be approved this week. I'll keep everyone posted. If the PG version is a hit I think we will have a better chance of getting the "R" version out.

Book Release Party

The book release party was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who came out. Here are some photos from the party.

Am I wrong?

I get a ton of requests that generally go like this . . . "Hey man, dig your work, can you tell me how you do it?" or "Can you show me how to make my art like yours?" "Can you give me a tutorial?"

I have spent the better part of 40 years drawing, I spent 20 of those years (after a failed attempt at art school) working my ass off to actually get paid to draw. I worked shit jobs, Shit graphic design jobs. Yes graphic design is a shit job - ask any artist who had to sit through a trashing of his work by a salesman. In a well know firm where i once worked, I was the only "artist" of 28 hot shot designers who could draw.

I have had more portfolio rejections than I can count. I've had clients who refused to pay for hundreds of hours of work. I lost count of comic conventions I've been to or the hours I have waited in lines next to virgins with sharpies just to get an editors bored rejection. I never gave up.

I now have a small amount of success, hard earned. Working 15 hours a day 25 days a month. I love it and would not give it up for anything.

I heard a comic artist say once "I don't have fans, I have people who want my job."

So for those of you who want to know how to do what I have spent my entire life working for . . . the answer is No.

Go draw . . . with a pencil and some paper. Really.

HEAVY METAL

Once again I am indebted to the fantastic folks at Heavy Metal. I am in their Artist Gallery and will have new images posted weekly. I'm so excited to be a part of Heavy Metal, so go check it out!

PARTY!

A Dream Come True!

I was 13 or 14 when, in search of Frank Frazetta art books, I stumbled upon Heavy Metal Magazine. Fascinated, and a bit shocked I took it up to the counter. The old bag at the checkout looked at me, looked at the magazine and told me I was too young to buy this "trash". I jumped up on the counter, grabbed the cash register and beat her to death with it. I got grounded for a whole week. During my internment I vowed to someday be published in Heavy Metal.

Well holy shit, that day is almost upon us. I just sent in artwork for the November 2007 issue! I'm so excited I have to wear Depends® all the time now. The issue comes out the second week of September. I'm gonna have a big party here in P-town. My buddy Pete has a bar that sells magazines called the Press Club and I am taking over the place. He is ordering a ton of copies and I will have my Art up on the walls. If you want to be there with all the cool people, drop me a line, I'd love to see you there.

I want to thank Kevin Eastman for giving me space in his great magazine. Kevin you are so invited to the party!

Ronnie

Jane Likes me!

The wonderful Jane's Guide has reviewed my site and I got a Quality tag! I am honored, Jane's guide is an honest, intelligent site that reviews erotica. Take a look here:

ttp://www.janesguide.com/frames.html

Love and smooches,
Ronnie

Pin UP NYC

Pin Up NYC was kind enough to put me in their gallery. Take a peek!

Just got Back

Been in Chicago for the last 5 days. Had a blast with my friends and went to a great Party. Here's some pics. BTW I'm the chubby guy in red.

Me Chris and hottie





Dead Chris and My sweet friend Veronika - The Perfect Muse





Kenny and Heidi Ho!





I wanna be Joe!





Leeloo and cornelius - what the hell is wrong with that guy in back.






um . . . . wow.





They got me drunk.

Frisky is a fun word.

I am not the best at updating this blog thing. Sorry.
So here's what's going on in Ronnie's world.

All you sig, tag, tube and psp folks can now legally buy my pinups here:
http://www.creativeimagelicensing.com/cilmhome.htm

In other news, I'm catching up on the comic book. It took a while to settle in to a pace (uh, like 8 months) but I'm moving faster. Having Karyn do such a stellar job on the color has helped immensely. The release date still isn't set yet, but as soon as I know I will announce it.

I now have an Official Ronnie Werner Yahoo!® Group for the pin up fans. Join if you feel so inclined.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friskypinups

Oh yeah, gonna be in Chicago in a couple weeks! YAY!
Love,
R

Show opening

Gallery Opening! Thursday June 29th at 5:30pm

Come say hi and have a beer with me!

Pretty naked

I got some press! A nice little review from the folks at the Art of Love.

Read it here:
http://www.lovechess.nl/artoflove/archives/comic_pinups/index.php


My sweety is in Mexico, she left yesterday and I already miss her.

Not much else to talk about just work work work. Counting the days until Kenny and I are crashing the San Diego Comic Con.

San Diego

Heading to The San Diego Comic Con in July. Gonna taunt geeks and hang out with dorks like me. I will probably be promoting my Comic book coming out in September. Hopefully I will get to hang at the Heavy Metal booth and maybe sign a few of Veronika's books. If you are there look for me. If you don't know what I look like just find the overweight geek with glasses. Should be easy to spot.

Venture Brothers!

OK fanboys and fangirls, I just put my monies down on the Venture Brothers season 1 DVD at Suncoast. Go buy it, it is without a doubt the best show on television, after Knightrider of course.



http://jacksonpublick.livejournal.com/

It's Here!

As of today my site is up and running. Please come by and look around. There is female nakedness and stuff to buy. Make a day of it!

http://www.ronniewerner.com

I want to thank Steve for all his work and tolerence. He did a great job.

Hell Yeah! [click here]

Three, I said three of my pieces will be in a new book coming from Heavy Metal!

Check it out, buy it, hell buy three dozen.
Veronika is a fantastic, beautiful, and sweet model and an inspiration to hundreds of amazing artists. She is also a friend of mine. Even dorks like me can have a friend like Veronika!

Seriously, buy it. No, not later - now! jeez.

Coming Soon

OK, so after several web designers and a lot of emails telling me my links don't work, my new site will be up in a matter of days! Stay tuned for the awesomeness that will surely follow.