Welcome. . . to the cake issue!

Well, hello there! Do you love our cover art? We sure do! Thanks to Cris Delara, who painted the cover exactly how I saw it in my head. No mean feat, considering all the other gubbins that lurks in there. I hope you’ll enjoy the poster, too. Which pin-up will you choose to adorn your wall? Will it be the sassy cover art, or will you opt for Loopydave’s beefcake, or Fiona Stephenson’s Elvgreninspired image? Send us a pic of where you put it up!

This issue is definitely a celebration of all things pin-up. Alongside Cris’s cover and Fiona’s classic cheesecake workshops, we’re also proud to showcase the art of Zoë Mozert, a ground-breaking artist who some may have forgotten over time. We’re also featuring lady art specialist Serge Birault, an artist whose love for octopuses and women in rubber I simply can’t forget…

However, I also thought it would be interesting to ask an artist (namely the sublime Julie Dillon) to share her thoughts on how she views and paints a female pin-up. You can see the results over on page 74. I also couldn’t resist setting Loopydave loose on creating the perfect beefcake. See how this man measures up on page 68.

Recently on our letters page, we’ve briefly touched upon the issues around women in art and whether they’re at a disadvantage because of their gender. Over on page 16 we’ve gathered a group of female artists and art directors to discuss the issues.

As ever, let me know what you think about the issue.