About Paul John Ballard

Born in London, 1960. After a short spell in the army, I studied for a City and Guilds in electrical engineering, then spent 12 years in the construction industry.

I have always had a passion for drawing and always will. I sold my drawings for sweets in infant school. My artwork was hanging all over the walls of my junior school when I left it in 1971. It was still hanging there in 1976 when I left senior school. I had an innate ability, but also had a great desire to create art.

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I love being able to capture what I see – it gives me a great feeling of achievement. Now add a beautiful woman to this ability, and you have a fantastic combination. You may wonder and marvel at crystal clear lakes, majestic mountains, panoramic vistas – all of nature’s beauty. But to me the most breathtaking views are of a beautiful woman.
Try to imagine a sleek aerodynamic car, with all the latest features and a performance that is top level. This is nothing compared to a woman.

To capture a woman’s image I like to do a few good sketches. This way I feel as if I am getting to know her, and her personality starts to come through in the drawing or painting. You can see any happiness or any pain around her eyes. Her stance and the way she poses also tell her story, and contribute to the picture. Reflecting the subject’s personality in the artwork makes her more real and gives the artwork more depth and interest. I always try to make my artwork sexy – to make the viewer lust for the model.

I have spent time studying and reflecting on the Old Masters at the National Gallery in London. My favourite piece exhibited there is ‘An Experiment on a Bird in an Air Pump’, painted by Joseph Wright of Derby. I have sat in front of this for hours, just in amazement, thinking to myself that I will never stop painting until I have the ability to render artwork like this.

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“I don’t have a muse, I like to paint and draw as many beautiful women as possible”.
In comparison, it is like travelling the world visiting all it’s beautiful places. You want to see more – each site is beautiful but different. Try to imagine painting every lovely woman you see along the way. You will never run out of subjects and you will always be interested in the next subject. It’s hard to explain this to people, it’s just my passion.

In 2007 I was voted ‘Best Erotic Artist’ by Scarlet magazine and was presented with the award at a prestigious ceremony in London. This is a fantastic achievement for me. My work has since been featured in numerous magazines across the world and in national newspapers as well. It’s a great feeling to see my work in print and know it is being appreciated. It is also a realisation of how far my work has brought me.

I was hired by Elstree Studios after showing a portfolio of my art, and progressed to painting backdrops and sets for Glyndebourne Opera and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. I have painted murals and reproductions of Old Masters for clubs, pubs, wine bars and restaurants, but now spend most of my time on personal projects and commissions.