Pickedapeck

It seems like there's a whole new generation of gay artists arriving on the scene of late, possessing top quality technical skills and highly individual techniques. That exciting trend is exemplified by the remarkable pictures of 'Pickedapeck'

Good Morning Sunshine

 You are immediately struck by the calm pastel colours and the uncomplicated designs (designs somehow seems a more appropriate word than compositions). The men he draws are very modern fellows with swept hair and well trimmed beards, often wearing glasses in nice, positive portrayals. Examples of domestic imagery like this convey a sense of uncomplicated, youthful living and loving.

 (see also the last picture below for another example)

Pickedapeck - Welcome to the Club Sir

The erotic styling (what unexpected words this artist is making me use!) is centred around plain white underwear and socks rather than total nudity. As a fan of white shorts since adolescence I totally endorse this approach, few artists make them count as much as this one.  However, the spotlight in this picture above and the hint of physical restraint tells you there's more to his work than that

Pickedapeck - Try To Relax

 It comes as a surprise to discover an abundance of fetish elements too, featuring bondage and even breath control. Despite that, there's a sense of experimentation here rather than anything more sinister, an impression borne out by this title. The plethora of modern equipment with comfortable seating, computers, headsets and microphone suggest it's a very well organised experiment though. How times have changed from bike shed days! The distinctive characterisation of the captor/controller seems to simply suggest a degree of difference rather than historic stereotyping. It doesn't look like he's even going to be directly involved, since the captive's senses are already fully occupied.

Pickedapeck - Breathless

In this variant of the same idea, the restraint frame is totally domestic but the body positioning is much more erotic with the upward sweep of the tubes deeply suggestive of extraction in progress. The artist spells out the breath-control element which is propelling the captive's excitement, not just in the title but in his parted lips and flared nostrils we glimpse though the mask. This is serious stuff all of a sudden.

Chunky earphones are another modern, iconic ingredient in Pickedapeck's imagery, but is this man undergoing serious sensory deprivation and brainwashing - or just listening to music?

If you think it's the same thing go stand in the corner!

Pickedapeck - Laterz Dude

I'm a fan of simplicity in bondage imagery and this is about as simple as it gets. The detail isn't too clear here but the captive is trying to escape from his cuffs and his wild eyes tell you he's none too happy about being put on hold (as it were). The caption here is couched in language that's casually dismissive introducing a psychological leverage of total domination and uncertainty. In a world of pristine white clothing (and gags) those leather restraints seem to be heralding the end of innocence.

Pickedapeck - Non Verbal Communication

Darker toning here, darker straps and a professional quality leather gag seem to signal deeper, deviant devilment. The practical arrangements we can see don't seem so terrible, although we don't know if that ring's a vibrator or a more aggressive shock device. However the facial expressions indicate that both parties know this is more than just having fun. 

The teasing out of the captive's cock from the protection of those close-fitting, highly conventional (virginal?) underpants seems to symbolise a significant event. I'd be interested to know what music the artist thinks is being played here! 

At one time the captor's tattoos would have signified manliness, rough manners and sexual tastes to match. Nowadays it seems to be a classless 'coming of age' thing of a more sophisticated nature. Like the 'welcome' picture above, I sense a sharing of experience here, a passing on of 'the knowledge' and an induction into things they don't tell you about in school.

Pickedapeck - Go With The Flow

This image differs from similar ones above in that a jointed robotic arm is provided, able to do more than just suck to maintain a supply of ejaculate. Though restrained and gagged, the subject seems quite relaxed (enjoying the music?) as he submits to the machine's demands. There's a sense of calm introspection here, almost like giving blood and you can well imagine he'll get a drink and a biscuit afterwards. 

A number of Pickedapeck's images depict the solitary and passive enjoyment of sex like this and in others where another person is involved he is sometimes doing the same job as the robot arm here. Of course the role of unselfish sexual comforting is not without it's own pleasure and gratification, but it's not usually the stuff of porn images which is what we are dealing with here, despite the high quality artistic presentation. It's all part of the benign and ordered universe that seems to be the backdrop for this artist's imaginings.

Pickedapeck - In Space No-one Can Hear You Come

This image seems to encapsulate that sense of detachment and introspection even more, but it's coupled with an oblique and rather extreme take take on the whole idea of breath control (i.e. exposure to the vacuum of space). That makes you wonder if the borrowing of the title phrase which normally ends in 'scream' is as arbitrary and wacky as it first seems.

 

Pickedapeck - The Volunteer Is Ready

This volunteer also seems happily relaxed, all he has to do is listen to his 'cans'. But he is strapped down, suggesting he might otherwise want to leave at some point. Some of the other images above have tubes and leads of undefined purpose but in this medical-cum-laboratory experiment we also seem to have electrical stimulation of various zones (including 2 tastefully-placed ball tinglers) in addition to conventional 'friction' techniques. I love the way his cum extraction tube passes back inside his shorts on the way to an unseen receptacle.

Pickedapeck - Gymspiration

Any gay man whose been a regular gym user will 'get' this fantasy. That stunning ginger guy who always gets the attention and sets the pulses racing. Here he gives up his juices in an exercise not included in the normal fitness curriculum. His stylish, co-ordinated apparel is set aside so he can be seen in the artist's universal white uniform of desire. 

The visible ejaculation, destined to land on his own face, is a embellishment that doesn't appear too often in Pickedapeck's output but coupled with the restraints and a firm hand gag it assumes the character of submission and controlled behaviour rather than relief. It looks like the old "You like that, don't you?" routine for non-believers, but then, what man doesn't like this, if it's offered in the right way?

Pickeapeck - Labrat-57

This is a relatively recent (2017) image that revisits the 'Lab Rat' theme and develops the artist's thoughts on it. The title here points to a whole succession of men undergoing this experiment, which accounts for the sophistication of the equipment. The vacuum pump 'cum' milker is shown connected to a sizable collection vessel suggesting repeated extractions are required (and possible!). The breathing control tubes are augmented too, with a bellows attached to the smaller of the two airways. This dual tube arrangement also featured in 'Breathless' above so we can imagine that it is not simply monitoring the patient, who appears to have slipped into unconsciousness.

All sorts of sinister possibilities come into view which are not dispelled by the gloomy lighting. Suddenly those neat white shorts seem to have assumed a similar status to medical operating gowns, providing minimal cover while the professionals deal with the subject's body at will.

Portrait Of The Artist At Work

 

As Tom of Finland said, "if a new picture doesn't make me hard I know it's no good" and this image is a terrific example of that phrase in action. Artist self-portraits in our genre usually depict him with a naked model tempting his brush and palette, but I suspect this one doesn't use such things. You can tell this rendering is utterly truthful. Even with his trousers down, this guy manages to seem cool and self assured. Even his computer comes with an erotic label, casually subverting the most subversive and domineering of global companies. I can't wait to see what else Pickedapeck has up his shorts!

Regardless of the real or imagined fetish content of these pictures, I can't help but be struck by the visual integrity of Pickapeck's very distinctive style. Regular readers will know I normally look for sensuality as a key ingredient in erotica. His highly stylised men don't have the gleaming mounds of muscle that usually characterise this. His style understates their physiques and makes them seem more like real people. Their sexiness is conveyed to us via a different route of carefully chosen clothing, accessories and hair. These are more suggestive of real personalities than muscles are. The actual sexual content is restrained and quite respectable by modern standards. I'll be fascinated to see how his technique and content develops in the futures and whether he reveals more clues to the secret desires that seem to bubble wickedly under the surface.

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