Joseph F. DeMartini

rdf:langString Joseph F. DeMartini

rdf:langString Joseph F. DeMartini (February 13, 1927 – November 9, 2019) was an American watercolor artist, who painted pin-up girls. He was born and raised in San Francisco, California. DeMartini was a friend and contemporary of famed Alberto Vargas. He mentored several artists, including Ted Kimer, a watercolor pin-up artist. DeMartini was one of the last pin-up artists who did not use modern software to create and edit his works. Below is a personal statement by DeMartini: "I was born in 1927 in San Francisco, California and began drawing and painting at an early age and attended the University of San Francisco. My earliest influence was the illustration of George Petty, but after seeing the works of Alberto Vargas in the 1940s, I discovered my calling in the art of pin-up illustration. I met Alberto Vargas in 1951 and began a close friendship that lasted until Vargas’ death in 1982. Over the years Vargas remained a source of inspiration for me. In the 1950s, I attended workshops with in San Francisco though I consider myself largely self-taught in the techniques of watercolor and airbrush. My work includes fashion illustration, calendar girls, and pin-ups. I maintain a studio in the San Francisco Bay Area and continue to draw and paint.