Nude Art Escort Ring

Con man artist holds an auction for some nude paintings complete with the models present which in reality are very high classed escorts; whoever gets the paintings also gets a date with the model, who gets a substantial cut of the profits from the sale of the painting. While a female cop trying to bring him down has a hard time proving he is running a prostitution ring as she goes undercover and posing nude for him.

Hmm... an interesting idea, though a couple of logistic issues come to mind. Mostly surrounding how she is going to bust him. When a female cop goes undercover, she is usually trying to bust the johns, not the pimp...

The concept of the painting is a bit tough too. Paintings require lengthy time to paint, unless it is a print of a painting. Either the artist/pimp is doing cheesy paintings, or is taking too much time to paint them to turn a profit.

Normally, high class escorts would be turning tricks on a one a week basis. If the pimp was making paintings for his entourage of, let's say 10 escorts, he would have to make 10 paintings a week.

My point is, unless he was doing "refrigerator art", and unless it wasn't prints of a painting, then it seems it's a lo-o-o-o-t of work for nothing. Now he might have a crew making these paintings, but again, it's excessively hard work and the more who share on it, means less for everyone...
However, if he WAS doing paintings for each auction for each model/escort, then there wouldn't be very many auctions...

A way to make it "art" but not going down to photos (it just seems cheesy and questionable that someone would pay a large amount of money for a photo at an auction), would be if you made it a limited printing of a painting of the model/escort. This way it could be reasoned as an "art auction," and the numbered prints would mean the purchaser is walking away with something.
It would mean the undercover cop would have to pose naked for a couple of months at least, with very little short term capital being generated. The artist/pimp would also have to cagily prep the undercover cop to get her to be receptive to being an escort, without actually asking her to be sexual on her "date". Otherwise, how is she an escort without his asking and thus prove himself guilty? If there was only one painting, then how is she to prove he is guilty without his stating an obvious plea of guilt? Hmm...

I see the promise of a lot of back-story leading up to the auction, which some readers wouldn't like. You might be able to break it up with before and now, before and now, before and now, but... well... it could present an obstacle in the telling the story.

Normally an auction is also driven by desirability for the object. While it could be reasoned that the artwork could be suggestive, I find it difficult to understand how the auctioneer is to hawk the artwork without crossing a line of "what the bidders will get" to make the bidders go into a bidding frenzy.
It's also pretty flimsy cover if the model/escort is said to go on a "date" with whoever wins the bid.

A better way to suggest without suggesting is saying the model/escort will personally deliver the artwork. THAT would make it difficult for an undercover cop to make a case. To prove that the pimp/artist is guilty, she might have to be undercover for more than one auction. Again, meaning it likely wouldn't be a short story which some readers (and writers) don't want to do.

It might be better if the desirability of each artwork, was promoted by previous bidders. Downside with that concept is that the bids would be relatively low for a first time model/escort. So the undercover cop would have to actually be an escort for many auctions, to drive up her future bids.
Again, not a short story, more than likely a series of stories.

Hmm, another idea just came to me.

The whole concept of how she came to work for the pimp/artist? The rational goes with the concept of her previous bidders being present:

It MIGHT be reasoned that each model/escort has to bring in previous johns to vouch for her "modeling" for her initial painting. The undercover cop/model/escort might bring in one or two undercover cops/johns to vouch for her "previous work" to get her foot in the door. Thereafter, each auction would be to resell her painting from the previous john, who would get a cut of the profits. He sells the painting, vouches for "it's" worth, and each model finds herself a new john.

or, it might also help if the artist was the auctioneer. He could attest to the dedication of the model/escort during her posing, while also being suggestive. This would bring liability back to him as being "the man holding the bag" so to speak.

Making guilt possible but then explaining his supposed innocence which makes it difficult for the undercover cop/model/escort to prove her case against him...

LWulf said:

The concept of the painting is a bit tough too. Paintings require lengthy time to paint,

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I know of mass-production painters who can churn out several decent (not great) portraits per day. One of my sisters is a commercial artist, as is one of our nephews. I have seen each paint very nice medium-size (20x30 in / 50x75 cm vicinity) portraits in just a couple hours. Yes, they take shortcuts. No, such paintings are not museum- or gallery-quality.

But for the story scenario, the auctioned paintings do NOT need to be masterpieces.

Let's say that the auctions are invitation-only for trusted clients. The johns are quite aware of the nature of the business. They don't CARE that they're not buying Picassos or Warhols. The paintings are really just souvenirs of their escort experience. Maybe the johns are a circle of rich guys who compete to collect the best set of mementos.

Hypoxia said:

...But for the story scenario, the auctioned paintings do NOT need to be masterpieces.

Let's say that the auctions are invitation-only for trusted clients. The johns are quite aware of the nature of the business. They don't CARE that they're not buying Picassos or Warhols. The paintings are really just souvenirs of their escort experience. Maybe the johns are a circle of rich guys who compete to collect the best set of mementos.

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I've done paintings and portraits (not professionally). I was using this as a comparison. Creativity, to me, is not like a light switch, so I was projecting my own limitations I guess. However, my uncle and sister were commercial artists with paintbrush and airbrush (back in the day before photoshop). I never saw them do portraits so I thought my own judgement of time was valid.

I'll defer to you on that. I still question that one person could do ten portraits weekly... (assuming there are ten escorts... maybe there is only five?) it still sounds mentally exhausting. I'd think a con artist wouldn't be such a nose to the grind stone hard worker...

If the auction was by invitation only then the cops wouldn't have heard of it. Also, if they were a circle of rich guys, then they wouldn't let a con artist get them worked up over an escort (there wouldn't be much of an auction. trust me, I know rich people and auctions. They get together and agree how much they will go up to). I kind of like the idea of it being an open auction which is how the cops hear about it, but to make it tough to prove for the undercover cop, a certain plausible deniability has to exist or it becomes a comedy.

I'm just throwing out ideas in regards to my own form of logic. The concept is, after all, the OP's who, I think, would have the final say.

I'm thinking a few college art students with the opportunity to make $50 painting some hot babes would be cheap enough. Give them two hours for each of two days to complete the work.
It would cost the con artist $500 to have the ten paintings. It would give him some time to show the paintings to potential johns/art buyers.
Selling just one painting/escort date would cover those costs and more.

Jenny

I guess one of the things that bothers me with this concept is that "high end escorts" don't use "pimps (low end street walkers and crack ho's)", they use a "Madame" or the male equivalent.

I am harping on that point because a "pimp (low end street walkers and crack ho's)" usually TAKES the lion's share of any money his girls make, leaving them barely enough to survive on, which is how he keeps control of them.

Opposed to that, the Madame or her male equivalent (I'm pretty sure he isn't called a pimp (there was a reality TV show once about some brothel in Nevada where a guy was in charge and I'm pretty sure he wasn't called a "pimp")), acts more like a business manager, and only takes a cut of all the girl's action.

I'm just pointing out this fact because an incorrect label usually causes misunderstandings on the part of the readers...

I see the con artist as being more of a "Danny Ocean" type opposed to a con-artist/pimp. A scoundrel for sure, but not cheap and petty.

I wish Rico would sign in to sound on his thoughts of all these ideas on his concept...

How about if the girls themselves could be 'interactive performance art' posed nude or nearly so at high-end cocktail parties and auctioned off to be 'displayed' at the winning bidder's residence for the weekend.

It could be sold as "poseable art" like the way one can pose an action figure.

The host could demonstrate by having the girls assume new poses as he presses their joints into new positions.

JRaven said:

I'm thinking a few college art students with the opportunity to make $50 painting some hot babes would be cheap enough. Give them two hours for each of two days to complete the work.
It would cost the con artist $500 to have the ten paintings. It would give him some time to show the paintings to potential johns/art buyers.
Selling just one painting/escort date would cover those costs and more.

Jenny

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I think having them be slightly cheesy or even bad art would give the john plausible deny ability when asked in the future why he has the picture around at all.

The reason he keeps the painting is it is a fun-kinky memory. A trophy of sorts.

The reason he gives others is the "art" was foisted upon him at a white elephant party/found at a rummage sale/left behind by a college roommate or what have you, and it was too 'cheese-tastic' to let go of.

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