213+ Pin-up Design Ideas, Images & Inspiration In 2023

All The Classic Pinup Poses for Vintage Glamour Photoshoots

Express yourself with a custom pin-up design created just for you by a professional designer. We’ve collected some amazing examples of pin-up girl images from our global community of designers. Get inspired and start planning the perfect pin-up design today. The term pin-up refers to drawings and paintings, illustrations and photographs of semi-naked women. The term pin-up was first attested to in English in 1941.[3] Images of pin-up girls were published in magazines and newspapers, as postcards and as lithographs, and calendars.

• The concept of pinups can be traced back to the 1890s, when actresses and models began posing for risqué photographs that were sold to the public.
• Really liked the mix between looking sexy at the same time but funny and natural on the other hand.
• Learn how to make your pin-up design tell your brand’s story.
• Pretty soon, it was the 60s and imagined illustrations just couldn’t compete with the likes of Playboy, whose mix of explicit images and –ahem- articles, had taken America into a new age of sexual fantasy.
• But the outbreak of World War I saw the demise of the Gibson Girl.

I gave the character a curvy figure wearing a patterned lingerie and for her face I gave her a smile for a friendlier approach. This is a non-winning entry so if you want this design, feel free to invite me to a 1-1 project. The client was looking for 1940s style nurse with a red cross armband and a nurse hat, t-shirt designed for a passionate nurse worker. Yet he made these humdrum scenes both implausible and accessible by setting up his pin-up girls as cutesy girl children/sex kittens (basically the photo type for any modern rom com lead!). As a makeup style, the classic pin-up underwent a revival in modern fashion. The red lip and winged eyeliner made a re-emergence in 2010, with singer Katy Perry being the most accessible example of modern pin-up makeup.

More from Merriam-Webster on pinup girl

Grable’s pinup featured her in a one-piece suit with her back turned to the camera, displaying her famous legs. This image was especially popular among soldiers, who dubbed Grable the “Girl with the Million Dollar Legs.” I hope this list of pinup poses inspired you and will come in handy in the future. After all, this photography style can improve your portfolio and is super fun and playful, too. Take a look at posters and stock photos from decades past, and you’ll see a variety of classic pinup poses that exude beauty and grace. Beautiful models in pinup poses became the talk of the town in the mid-20th century, with vintage posters remaining popular to this day pinupz.in/aviator.

• He’d have models pose for pin up photos, then set his pencil to work, nipping, tucking and enlarging certain key assets until he had the perfect fantasy.
• A “Petty Girl” was the classic all-American girl next door, just reeeeally sexed up!
• These early pinups were often marketed as “French postcards,” and they were popular among soldiers and sailors who were looking for a bit of fantasy and escapism during their time away from home.

If you’ve seen the historic “We Can Do It” girl posters, then you already have a good idea of how this should look. A great design shows the world what you stand for, tells a story and makes people remember your brand. Graphic design communicates all of that through color, shape and other design elements. Learn how to make your pin-up design tell your brand’s story. The client asked to create Pop Art /comic book Style Characters to represent his product in a marketing campaign and as part of the packaging.

Examples of pinup girl in a Sentence

The concept of pinups can be traced back to the 1890s, when actresses and models began posing for risqué photographs that were sold to the public. These early pinups were often marketed as “French postcards,” and they were popular among soldiers and sailors who were looking for a bit of fantasy and escapism during their time away from home. If you want an amazing pin-up girl artwork that stands out from the competition, work with a professional designer. Find and hire a designer to make your vision come to life, or host a design contest and get ideas from designers around the world. Nothing says “unique” like custom pin-up girl artwork designed just for you by a professional artist. We’ve collected some amazing examples of pin-up girl art from our global community of illustrators.

• In Jim Linderman’s self-published book, Secret History of the Black Pin Up,[35] he describes the lives and experiences of African-American pin-up models.
• I’ve outlined my top tips for glamorous pin-up girl poses below.
• Get inspired and start planning the perfect pin-up design today.
• 1990 marked the first year that Playboy’s Playmate of the Year was an African-American woman, Renee Tenison.
• Magazine and calendar companies began featuring pinup models in their pages, and these images became hugely popular among servicemen and civilians alike.

A vintage suitcase, an antique phone, or vinyl records make great accessories for this pin photo style, too. A bit of back arch makes the legs look longer, as the front leg stays straight and the back leg bends forward at the hip. Another classic pin pose is this standing one, where the elbows point out to the side and hands come down to rest just under the chest. The ‘S’ pose is one of the most notable examples of pin-up posing.

Pin-up girl artworks not a good fit? Try something else:

Get inspired and start planning the perfect pin-up girl art today. She was known for her crimson red hair and her signature fishnet stockings. All of these pinup girl models set the stage for future models. Here are the top posing tips we can take away from these amazing pinup models. If you look at pinup girl stock photos, you’ll see models often hold flags or balloons as props, too.

• Just now it’s labelled as a vintage and classy alternative to the today’s more intense male gaze.
• If you want an amazing pin-up girl artwork that stands out from the competition, work with a professional designer.
• After all, this photography style can improve your portfolio and is super fun and playful, too.
• Historically, Black women in pin-up are still not as common as their white counterparts.
• Express yourself with a custom pin-up design created just for you by a professional designer.
• Gil stepped up George Petty’s knack for the everyday, placing models in even more average scenarios (cooking, decorating, hanging out with cute animals).

I love the timeless style and making fresh new imagery with a classic twist. Pretty soon, it was the 60s and imagined illustrations just couldn’t compete with the likes of Playboy, whose mix of explicit images and –ahem- articles, had taken America into a new age of sexual fantasy. Gil stepped up George Petty’s knack for the everyday, placing models in even more average scenarios (cooking, decorating, hanging out with cute animals). A “Petty Girl” was the classic all-American girl next door, just reeeeally sexed up! She was lithe, but curvy, with elongated limbs that made her legs go on for daaaays. It’s a popular way to show off the legs, shoes, and a beautiful dress or skirt.

Hands Under Chest

The ‘S’ pose, power pose, and hand on chest/waist are some of the most popular pinup posing options to consider for a stylish photo shoot. I like pin up style, it was also supposed to be girly/vintage with candy sweet colors. Petty-style drawings were used to both sell magazines to men and everything — fashion, homeware, films — to women. MGM even made a film about the drawings (the imaginativley titled Petty Girl). The classic style of the pin-up originates back from the 1940s.

• MGM even made a film about the drawings (the imaginativley titled Petty Girl).
• Notable contemporary pin-up artists include Olivia De Berardinis, known for her pin-up art of Bettie Page and her pieces in Playboy.
• Beautiful models in pinup poses became the talk of the town in the mid-20th century, with vintage posters remaining popular to this day.
• The pinup style really took off in the 1940s, during World War II.

Notable contemporary pin-up artists include Olivia De Berardinis, known for her pin-up art of Bettie Page and her pieces in Playboy.

Power Pose

However, the recent revival of pin-up style has propelled many Black women today to dabble with and make works based on the classic pin-up look to create their own standards of beauty. In Jim Linderman’s self-published book, Secret History of the Black Pin Up,[35] he describes the lives and experiences of African-American pin-up models. Today, the pinup style is still going strong, with a new generation of models and celebrities embracing the classic look. Pinup-inspired fashion, including corsets, bustiers, and high-waisted roots, has made a comeback, and pinup photoshoots have become a popular theme for bachelorette parties and other special events. One of the most iconic pinup models of the 1940s was Betty Grable, whose photo in a bathing suit became one of the best-selling posters in history.

Betty was the original quintessential 1950s vintage blonde bombshell, with her “impossible waist” and hourglass figure. “The most gorgeous body” of the 50s vintage era helped establish the pin-up fashion trends we still see to this day. It’s the perfect piece of furniture for a girl pin model to lean on while complimenting her beauty and style. Models like Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton represented a more modern and androgynous version of beauty, with Twiggy’s boyish figure and short haircut becoming iconic.

Get the print magazine.

T-Shirt design with the pine up girl and Boeing Stearman plane for Born to Fly. Invite me to work and I’ll be happy to discuss your design needs. Her realistic approach was selling like hot cakes, from adverts to film posters and men’s calendars. Placed slap bang on a double page in the middle of the magazine, Petty’s drawings coined the term centrefold, as they were torn out and given prime real estate on walls and lockers around America.

• Russell, meanwhile, was known for her hourglass figure and sassy attitude.
• Overall, the history of pinup girls is a fascinating and enduring part of popular culture.
• The ‘S’ pose is one of the most notable examples of pin-up posing.
• Jet supported pin-up with their full-page feature called “Beauty of the Week”, where African-American women posed in swimsuits and the like.

African-American pin-up finally gained a platform when the magazine Jet, which published material related to the African-American community, was created in 1951. Jet supported pin-up with their full-page feature called “Beauty of the Week”, where African-American women posed in swimsuits and the like. This was intended to showcase the beauty African-American women possessed in a world where their skin color was under constant scrutiny.

Final Thoughts on Pinup Posing

Last but not least, make sure to add variety to your glamour photo shoot with both standing and seated positions. This is a great chance to try a few different angles, with the pin model facing the camera directly or turned to the side. For this shot, have the model bend both legs and rest them high on the stool.

He’d have models pose for pin up photos, then set his pencil to work, nipping, tucking and enlarging certain key assets until he had the perfect fantasy. Marilyn Monroe was ushered in by the greats before her, but always found a way to stand apart and shine. She was renowned for setting the trend of the curvaceous bombshell. She helped define an entire era of glamour in fashion and film culture. From film to dancing to pin-up, she exemplified classic Americana style. Pinup girl poses had a massive influence on fashion and pop culture in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s.

Dolly Parton, Roxane Gay, The Other Black Girl And More Pop Culture…

Really liked the mix between looking sexy at the same time but funny and natural on the other hand. The classic Petty, Mozart and Evgreen style of pin-up is very much back in. Just now it’s labelled as a vintage and classy alternative to the today’s more intense male gaze. As well as this “cheesecake” pin-up style, Gil was known for his masterful (and slightly maniacal) manipulation of the female form.

• Here are the top posing tips we can take away from these amazing pinup models.
• The client asked to create Pop Art /comic book Style Characters to represent his product in a marketing campaign and as part of the packaging.
• Invite me to work and I’ll be happy to discuss your design needs.
• The ‘S’ pose, power pose, and hand on chest/waist are some of the most popular pinup posing options to consider for a stylish photo shoot.
• I love the timeless style and making fresh new imagery with a classic twist.
• It’s the perfect piece of furniture for a girl pin model to lean on while complimenting her beauty and style.

I’ve outlined my top tips for glamorous pin-up girl poses below. Models should keep their backs straight and heads held high to capture the essence of a classic pin-up girl. Beautiful models wearing stylish outfits are the stars of the show in this type of photo, especially with a complementary background.

Pinup Girl Images

Great artwork tells a story, makes people look twice, and creates a unique experience that can’t be matched. Art and illustrations communicate all of that through color, shape and other design elements. Learn how to make your pin-up girl artwork stand out from the crowd. Client wanted pin up pig with big legs to have sexy and funny look at the same time.

• If you want an amazing pin-up design that stands out from the competition, work with a professional designer.
• Models like Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton represented a more modern and androgynous version of beauty, with Twiggy’s boyish figure and short haircut becoming iconic.
• Take a look at posters and stock photos from decades past, and you’ll see a variety of classic pinup poses that exude beauty and grace.
• The term pin-up refers to drawings and paintings, illustrations and photographs of semi-naked women.

With millions of men fighting overseas, pinup girls became a way for them to feel connected to home and to the women they left behind. Magazine and calendar companies began featuring pinup models in their pages, and these images became hugely popular among servicemen and civilians alike. Though Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page are often cited as the classic pin-up, there were many Black women who were also considered to be impactful. In the 1920s the most notable black burlesque dancer was Josephine Baker. Dorothy Dandridge and Eartha Kitt also added to the pin-up style of their time, using their looks, fame, and personal success.

How to create your design

Every pin girl shoot should include several standing poses, and hand on the waist is another easy one. If you want an amazing pin-up design that stands out from the competition, work with a professional designer. The fearless and feminine pinup girl, incorporated in flora and fauna, celebrating nature, depicting strength and acknowledging beauty in multi-ethnicity. The French style icon was known for dark cat eye makeup and her infamous bouffant hairstyle, accented with thick headbands. If you want to expand your photography skills, I highly recommend getting creative with a pinup photo shoot. Some of the most well-known models throughout history absolutely nailed pinup posing.

• For this upper body shot, models turn to the side and lift one arm up, showing off their strength.
• No more would women obligingly get that Gibson Girl figure by donning an s-bend corset.
• I like pin up style, it was also supposed to be girly/vintage with candy sweet colors.
• Bardot, a French actress and model, was known for her pouty lips and tousled hair, while Loren was famous for her curves and sultry gaze.
• Her realistic approach was selling like hot cakes, from adverts to film posters and men’s calendars.

Models need to keep their shoulders up and legs straight to make the most of this stance, which shows off the chest and waist. The girl power pose is one of the most enduring images from the World War II era. Each pinup pose should show off the model’s shape and style, with a playful personality as another key element. Other popular pinups of the 1940s included Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, and Jane Russell. Hayworth was known for her sultry gaze and dark, glamorous look, while Monroe was famous for her blonde curls and girl-next-door charm. Russell, meanwhile, was known for her hourglass figure and sassy attitude.

Tammy Treat Is The Fashion Inspo You Need…

Overall, the history of pinup girls is a fascinating and enduring part of popular culture. From their humble beginnings in the 1890s to their current status as a beloved and enduring style, pinups have captured the hearts and minds of people around the world. Whether you’re a fan of the classic glamour of the 1940s or the more modern and edgy look of today, there’s a pinup style out there for everyone. The pinup style really took off in the 1940s, during World War II.

• If you look at pinup girl stock photos, you’ll see models often hold flags or balloons as props, too.
• Art and illustrations communicate all of that through color, shape and other design elements.
• For this shot, have the model bend both legs and rest them high on the stool.
• The term pin-up was first attested to in English in 1941.[3] Images of pin-up girls were published in magazines and newspapers, as postcards and as lithographs, and calendars.

It was not until 1965 that Jennifer Jackson became the first African American to be published in Playboy as Playmate of the Month. 1990 marked the first year that Playboy’s Playmate of the Year was an African-American woman, Renee Tenison. Historically, Black women in pin-up are still not as common as their white counterparts.

How to create your pin-up girl artwork design

Classic pinup poses can stand the test of time and make for quality photo shoots with a vintage touch. I’ve had some experience as a beauty photographer, shooting fashion content inspired by 1960s US pinup poses. In the 1950s, the pinup style continued to be popular, with models like Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren becoming iconic figures. Bardot, a French actress and model, was known for her pouty lips and tousled hair, while Loren was famous for her curves and sultry gaze. Check out this list of the best classic pinup poses to enhance your next photo session. The term “pinup” refers to pictures of attractive women that were meant to be “pinned up” on walls or other surfaces for men to admire.

Otherwise, try sitting on one leg or putting a foot on the stool with a bent knee. Models wearing jeans and a fun top or a paintsuit can show off their style by turning slightly to the side. For this upper body shot, models turn to the side and lift one arm up, showing off their strength.

Biphobia and Bisexual Erasure Lead To Health Complications…

By the 1930s, a more a-typical version of the classic “pin-up” was starting to appear, but it was the “Petty Girl” that would take her to stratospheric levels of fame. But the outbreak of World War I saw the demise of the Gibson Girl. No more would women obligingly get that Gibson Girl figure by donning an s-bend corset. Soon there was a Gibson Girl boom, with her face appearing all over magazine and newspapers, quickly becoming the ideal standard for American beauty. Among the other well-known artists specializing in the field were Earle K. Bergey, Enoch Bolles, Gil Elvgren, George Petty, Rolf Armstrong, Zoë Mozert, Duane Bryers[13] and Art Frahm.

• She was renowned for setting the trend of the curvaceous bombshell.
• This image was especially popular among soldiers, who dubbed Grable the “Girl with the Million Dollar Legs.”
• In the 1950s, the pinup style continued to be popular, with models like Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren becoming iconic figures.
• Find and hire a designer to make your vision come to life, or host a design contest and get ideas from designers around the world.
• One of the most iconic pinup models of the 1940s was Betty Grable, whose photo in a bathing suit became one of the best-selling posters in history.
• In the 1920s the most notable black burlesque dancer was Josephine Baker.