A-Z of Fetish Artists - Squire

Squire - Two men

 

This is a real mystery man. I have just 3 pictures by him, all very fuzzy and indistinct, but so striking that I had to include him in my survey. The first is his most well-known and features a craggy jawed, boot boy having fun with a young sportsman in basketball boots. Literally swept off his feet by a big, butch, hairy man. Well, we all dream don't we? Despite the signature, it's often attributed to Palanca, presumably because of the oversized boots. (Palanca actually does bare feet rather than boots - see my A-Z article on Palanca) This picture also seems to endorse the supposed relationship between shoe size and other body parts, I wouldn't know about that but, beyond the humour, there's some nice man drawing here, both characters are appealing and there's a satisfying balance in the composition. The big boots suggest a pendulum and a sense of rocking motion, but also provide a firm base for the image.

 Squire - Military Paddling

This image employs the same theme of size and age difference, but is less playful in mood. I find the grovelling sportsman and military bully rather unappealing here, but the detailing of the boots and uniform is marvellous. That jockstrap bulge balanced on an intimidating paddle is pretty fine too. The finish is more polished in this picture, but note the odd positioning of the sportsman's left foot and right hand. 

 

Squire - At The Urinal

The final image is quite different in feel, somewhat reminiscent of the work of 'Big in Boots', an artist I have yet to feature in this series. The subject was dictated by a commission but Squire has certainly laid on a sleazy treatment. The maturity of the subject character forms an interesting progression from the earlier pictures.

I haven't been able to find any web address for Squire's art, he was mentioned at the Tom of Finland Foundation in 2002, but I don't know if he's still around, info from readers welcome.

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A-Z of Fetish Artists - Spubba

Spubba - Fetishy Boy

 

I've including Spubba in this survey mainly on the strength of this one drawing. The model depicted is smoothly muscular and beautifully drawn, his beefcake pose is very conventional and the warm colour palette almost makes you want to hang it on your wall. But Spubba has dressed him in a gas mask and chastity cage, relatively unusual fetish accessories, both of which are associated with external control. It somehow creates a powerful sense of an attractive individuality and masculinity being surrendered or enslaved. Beauty in chains as it were, but chains of a particularly controlling, suffocating type. 

He poses for a humiliating portrait, his masters new acquisition.

Spubba - The Experiment

My second example represents conventionality of a different sort. This open legged pose is replicated, over and over again, in countless tentacle pictures and yet it never seems to lose it's allure for artists or followers of that genre. In Spubba's version, the 'tentacles' seem to be technological in nature and draping rather than restraining the subject, whose submission seems more or less voluntary. It's nice to see a mature man (with body hair) on the receiving end for a change. The translucent, rubbery tubes are convincingly done and there's some nice, subtle colouring once again. Spubba is one of the Class Comics stable of artists and that skill level shows.

Spubba's work does not abound on the internet and much of it is pretty vanilla, 

start at the artist's own site - Spubba

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A-Z of Fetish Artists - Spryte

Spryte - Steam

 

If the current day tentacle phenomenon is intriguing, the spanking world's obsessive, fascination with a specific, ritualised form of male humiliation is no less fascinating. Humour is a key ingredient for the genre and Spryte is one of it's prime exponents. Thus, in 'Steam', four marines are hung up by their underpants and spanked by a primitive, steam-driven machine straight out of the Mickey Mouse, Steamboat Bill era. This is essentially four studies of chastised buttocks with sexy glimpses of tightly wrapped balls in between and the smooth shaved backsides enhance the erotic interest no end! 

No reason for the punishment is supplied, but then arbitrary humiliation is part and parcel of military service. The spanking machine is a wacky device (!) that just emphasises the impersonal, unstoppable nature of the punishment. Franco is famous for his machines of course and a similar, rotating, suspension device also appears in Jonathan's memorable series, 'Tourists' aka Gallipoli. 

 

  Spryte - Barber Shop

Spanking is regarded as a non-sexual pastime by some of it's exponents, but Spryte's victims usually present an erotic display and he is not reluctant to show spankers (or spectators) with erections. This barber shop image directly links spanking and sexual excitement, with the razor strop belt as a key ingredient. It's not clear if the the customer's long hair and beard is responsible for this assault, or the result of putting off the experience! 
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The erotic potential of the traditional barber is under-exploited in fetish art – we have haircutting and shaving, both intimate personal services with fetish connections. The imposing chair is just right for bondage and the customer's body is mysteriously cloaked in a protective sheet. In the days before sexual liberation, the customary offer of 'something for the weekend, sir?' (i.e. condoms) was an excitingly sexual question.

Spryte - Builders

 

This image is one of a series showing macho, hairy-arsed, construction workers being ordered around and punished by a particularly effeminate, upper crust manager who seizes on any opportunity to give them spankings – for smoking, time wasting, organising strikes etc. The oppression role-reversal message is not particularly subtle, but the humiliation of beefy builders, forced to expose their assets and endure endless rear-end pain is no less enjoyable for that.

Spryte - Juice

Spryte's output is not dedicated solely to spanking. This plant attack picture might be considered as tentacle-ania, but the tightly wrapped men's bodies, about to be engulfed (and consumed?) by the carnivorous plant is closer to high bondage art, dressed up in an exotic form. The groping and probing of the 'tentacles' here is just a means of luring the victims to their fate, whereas in most tentacle pictures, the groping and probing is their fate. The background figure disappearing into the flower head is a particularly sexy idea and the device of having two buddies suffering together adds an extra erotic twist. It also allows him to elaborate on the plant's modus operandi.  

Despite the comic format, this picture is not really funny at all and has subtle depths. Most viewers will instinctively recognise and enjoy the Freudian psychology at work – man transformed into a penis and drawn into the womb, or if you prefer, man rendered helpless by his sexual excitement and hence vulnerable to being consumed by the object of his desire. What a way to go!

Spryte - Prison Scene

 

This prison scenario has no spanking ingredients either, but there's another striking power reversal as white prison officers perform on each other for the pleasure of a black inmate. The prisoner's characterisation is a cut above Spryte's normal cartooning and very attractive – he's streetwise, confident, muscular and well-endowed. In contrast to his power, the captive officers, deprived of their uniforms, have a hairless, fleshy, soft-skinned quality that is curiously submissive and erotic. 

Spryte - Boxer

 

Many of Spryte's pictures show animals and mythical creatures turning on their human tormentors and returning their abuse in like form (e.g. by branding them or springing mousetraps on tender regions). More role reversal. Sometimes, however, the motivation is pure devilment, as in this image of an entangled boxer, biting his lip in pain, as a small, malevolent spirit uses his dangling tackle for a miniature punch bag. In some pictures the devil is identified as Spryte's alter ego, enjoying similar sadistic pleasures at the expense of strapping lads.

Spryte's light hearted cartoons are justifiably popular and he shows great imagination and originality of thought in his wide ranging exploration of male humilation and revenge scenarios. Despite the simplicity of style, his depictions of muscular victims, clad only in skimpy/ripped clothing often have a genuinely sensual quality. His depictions of the most attractive and powerful of male stereotypes, inexplicably controlled and suffering at the hands of the most unlikely of tormentors, taps into deeply erotic and emotional feelings and gives hope to us all!

Thanks to SoupGoblin who has kindly provided me with some links for Spryte - see the first comment below. There's a decent collection at Jock Spank (link in sidebar), Google will throw up lots of examples too.

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Riding the Wedge by Spi-n-t

An appendix to my A-Z article on  Spi-n-t, this page from his epic comic 'Yosauro' shows a device more like the gym horse which started this series than the sharp wedge alternative we have seen lately. There's a nice lock-in moment in the first frame.

This variant has insect-like or perhaps reptillian form (from Yo-sauro?). Also the capability to grow a rather substantial horn mid-ride to entertain the trapped rider. Unfortunately the supervisors are distracted by the arrival of royalty just as the fun starts.

To see other artists interpretations, click on the 'Riding the wedge' label  below

A-Z of Fetish Artists - Spi-n-t

Spi-n-t ~ Axeman (from Yosauru)

 Spi-n-t (Spinete) is a serious commercial artist who makes forays into comic erotica notably in 'Yosauro' (1995) where my first image comes from. The massive cock-on-the-block rivals the exuberance of Tom of Finland, but of course this picture wouldn't work if it were a normal size. The gothic executioner has an over-the-top tool of his own and the straining face of the prisoner, trying to escape his fate, is delicious. You can see the outcome of this scene at the artist's blog (link below). Spi-n-t's style is marked by well developed, sometimes exaggerated, sensuously curving muscularity which glistens lusciously. The hooded executioner is a clue to another of Spi-n-t's interests, exotic fetish clothing - bodysuits, hoods, fishnets - you get the picture.

Spi-n-t ~ Es Miooo!!

'Es mio' (it's mine) is an example of the comic extremes of Spi-n-t's style, lampooning the leather scene. The picture features some of his imaginative costuming and fetish appliances. It's not entirely devoid of serious, erotic content, if you reflect on the underlying scenario of a master asserting his ownership of a slave. It's a theme I can't recall having seen done by any other artist. At the same time, there's something sinister and unpleasant about the squabbling tops and the indignation of the violated slave. Take a moment to appreciate the quality of design and graphics in this little piece.

Spi-n-t ~ Fiesta Nocturna

In this picture of a fetish bar comic characters appear again, canoodling at the bar in all their finery. They are contrasted with much more 'real' beefcake characters lurking on the right, whose sex appeal is expressed in more conventional, but extraordinarily potent terms. It's a more glamorous style that looks good in conventional male oriented advertising. This picture captures the atmosphere of a busy bar very well, with just a few, well observed cameos, there's actually another adjoining segment to it which you can see at the blog.

 

 Spi-n-t ~ Don't Stop

'Don't Stop' is a memorable depiction of domination and erotic passion. The pose of the 'top' captures real masculinity and there are some nice details - the intense facial expressions, the tightly held collar leash and the incongruous black sneakers. This is a nicely structured composition putting together angles and curves, a bit like the illuminated letters of a mediaeval manuscript. The oversized organs work well, not just as expressions of sexual ecstasy, but visually, their curves and flying juices acting like baroque embellishments to the pleasing body shapes. 

 

Spi-n-t

This final picture depicts a muscular, young captive suffering in the aftermath of a lashing. His mighty body is tightly bound and he has been pierced and tethered, subjugating and humiliating him. His handsome, grimacing face is amazingly expressive of pain and the struggle to endure it manfully. With no gloating captor to distract us, we are drawn in to the intimacy of his suffering, it's powerful, erotic and quite disturbing.

See more at Spinete's blog:- Spi-n-t

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A-Z of Fetish Artists - Spartacus

Spartacus - Ball Game

Spartacus was a prominent artist of the 60's known for depicting young men at play. It's mostly decent stuff on the surface, but with suggestive overtones and details for the intended gay audience. Tight shorts and bare bottoms feature prominently and some of his bulging jocks have pretty unambiguous shapes. 

In 'Ball Game' there's more than a suggestion of illicit groping, centre stage, and those tight shorts and hairy thighs look just as good today as they must have done 50 years ago! I imagine the accompanying copy would have included arch references to 'tackle' and 'diving'. If you think this is not a fetish picture check out juxtaposition of pointed studs(!) and buttocks, bottom right. 

That glimpse of elbow between the upturned legs suggests more interference going on and the three guys at the back look as if they are up to no good too. The tackler's outstretched hand grasping suggestively between the background figure's thighs is a more subtle, conventional 'hidden eroticism' but Spartacus is definitely pushing the envelope here.

(Click on the label below for other examples of hidden eroticism).

 Spartacus - On A Training Ship

My second picture, showing a 'crossing the line' ceremony, gives a glimpse of what might have been (and possibly was in the artists unpublished work). A series of young men are tied up and blindfolded before having their heads dunked in a bath full of crabs and eels, which has been placed at the feet of 'King Neptune' so that he might enjoy their humiliation. 

The bulk of the picture is taken up with conventional 'boy physique' imagery, somewhat in the style of Scott-Tuke, which gives the piece an air of youthful innocence and adventure. This probably made it more acceptable naughtiness in it's time, but paradoxically the reverse applies today. The clothing details are revealing, ripped shorts and some fairly racy open flies and scanty thongs – not to mention another pair of 'in yer face' hairy thighs – reassuringly adult.

Spartacus' boys often have an Oriental or Polynesian appearance, it's a useful identifier for his work.

Spartacus - Shower series

The final image comes from a more explicit era and the artist is clearly revelling in his freedom with a mega-oversized organ. I don't know quite why the young coach is being restrained while being simultaneously pampered, but there's a companion piece in which he spanks the lads and you can see visual evidence that this picture follows it in the sequence. Perhaps he's being tricked and prepared for revenge. 

The atomiser is delightfully camp but quite suggestive if you think about it, likewise the talcum powder, which would need amazing properties to reach it's intended destination. I love the detail of the boy's hand gently tapping the canister to promote pouring. This imagery recalls an advertisement of the era in which salt is sprinkled on a chicken's tail as a prank.

 The quality of this last drawing contrasts markedly with the earlier pictures, although those images have probably suffered from the limitations of '60's magazine printing (and later scanning) and were surely much better 'in the flesh'. This later style suggests to me an acquaintance with Harry Bush's work (or vice versa!). Oh, what treasures have we lost?

I haven't found a decent site for Spartacus' work but it turns up at art groups and vintage photo sites, there's a selection at this gallery which includes most of the images I know of. Information about other work is welcome.

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