Mitchell's A to Z of Male Fetish Artists - The Letter 'D'

Picking my favourite 'D' is easier than 'A' - 'C' were. Sensuality in the figure imagery is a key ingredient for me and the more artistic styles of Domino and De Bauch - though great to look at - don't work for me in this respect. Dante is tops for fetish content but though I normally love this pencil drawing style for some reason I don't connect with his men. The mechanics of the torture seem to take over the drawings. De Souza's pictures give me ideas for my own pictures but are a bit static and his middle aged men are perhaps a bit too normal in appearance. That leaves Drubskin who does achieve a degree of sensuality within the constraints of a cartoon but more importantly presents a physical and emotional interaction between two men. So Drubskin joins Amir, Brick and Chris as 'group winners'.

Mitchell's A to Z of Male Fetish Artists - Drubskin (Revised 2017)

Drubskin - basher

 Drubskin is the last of the D's. He's another cartoonist and often depicts slim men with skinhead haircuts dressed in the regulation jeans and braces. The menace often associated with this stereotype comes across quite clearly in this image. 

Drubskin - Recycling

Drubskin depicts this skinhead's aggressive character in a gang-oriented, pecking order scenario. His casual hardness, standing on his submissive partners arm to keep him boot-licking, while at the same time giving him a contemptuous golden shower is a much more powerful statement than the cartoon style leads you to expect. The glimpse of  ass crack seems to imply that this chaps humiliation will have a sexual dimension too. The emphasised boots in the foreground are Drubskin's trademark. Notice the discarded tube of glue on the floor.

Drubskin - Shavin'

This picture seems to show skinhead aggression directed at a traditional target, a rebel of a different ilk which I might broadly label as 'the hippie'. Notice he is not wearing any boots so he's not in the gang, well not yet. Bound to a crude wooden throne, his head is forcibly shaved of dreadlocks. There's a playful air, but it's not shared by the captive and in the left-most hand there's a hint that this scene too may have a sexual denouement.

Drubskin - Lend a Hand

This last example of the skinhead gang culture is much more benign, romantic almost. It's a scene of (advanced) sexual experimentation in which one participant at least seems to be being inducted. The tattooed man with him is decidedly cute! Drubskin introduces sock worship here and it doesn't look like they were clean-on this morning! I like the way the hard-nut, mohican'd fister uses an upholstered stool to spare his knees from the rigours of the bare wooden floor.
Artistically, there's a particularly pleasing balance in this composition.

Drubskin - Beer at Coach's

 It's natural for sportsmen to idolise their coach, but the association with sport and sweaty endeavours lends this sock-led encounter a very pungent aroma. A cynic might read this as the Coach stays sober, but gets his boys drunk for nefarious purposes (as if!). The story-telling in some of Drubskin's pictures is a great plus point.

Drubskin - RuggerBuggers

There's no suggestion of dastardly exploitation here, an almost-vanilla exploration of sportsman sex. It's the rugby ingredient that draws me to it, that and the bright yellow kit which helps make this a very pretty image.



Drubskin - Burst Pipes

Drubskin's picture of a plumber spanking his apprentice is one of the nicest I've seen of this scenario successfully bringing out the age difference without making the apprentice into immature jail bait. There is no hint of a father-son relationship, real or pretend. It's pure man on man. The artist shows their respective emotions rather neatly. It's another example of the surprisingly erotic power that cartoons can have.

Drubskin - Revenge on a Cop

This scenario seems less common than you might expect in gay erotica. Most artists seem content with the conventional power hierarchy, so cop screws hapless villain. Drubskin upends that and the cop too, but apart from the poised gun, there's not a lot of evidence that he's that reluctant a participant. The hoods give the two villains an air of menace and mystery but they are device that's not that effective for me for some reason.

Drubskin - Stall 2

 I've put this image in last position because it is rather surprising. A rather dishy-looking skin is busily servicing a man from a different planet. You might see this as refreshingly non-ageist and so it is. But the characterisation detail of the older man seems to be telling us that he's an unappealing, oafish slob who hasn't looked at himself in the mirror for a long time. Implying that the boy's interest resides in much more basic matters. It's a logical extension of the the other fetish practices depicted by the artist, thought-provoking but challenging to less adventurous souls.

see more http://www.drubskin.com

For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below or search for specific artists using the index page or search boxes (top right)

Mitchell's A to Z of Male Fetish Artists - Domino

I debated whether to include Domino in this series. His erotic pictures are not especially about fetish subjects but the theme that runs through them which is very much in the 'mitchmen' vein is the sense of compulsion and submission. This is sometimes indicated by the use of clothing depicting rank - Cops of course, the boss's suit or simply over-sized boots!. In other pictures the domination is shown by the hand grasping the victim's hair or the raised fist of the biker. So we can squeeze Domino in as a contender.

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In terms of artistic qualities no one could doubt his pedigree. The pen and ink drawing style is used to create a tremendous sense of realism with dense detail and spectacular light and shade effects. His pictures are filled with iconography that tells us unmistakably - we are in the USA. The drawing of figures and clothing is excellent. It's a shame that there is only a small amount of his work available to us.

Mitchell's A to Z of Male Fetish Artists - De Souza

I have only discovered De Souza recently but though he may be little known he's well worth a place in the mitchmen A-Z. His pictures show men tied up and abducted for torture or sexual exploitation. They have a Latin appearance and are often past the first flush of youth. Suits and ties feature frequently whilst the abductors often wear balaclavas. This latter iconography is very effective in creating atmosphere - perhaps because it belongs to the present day and is therefore loaded with real life associations. Surprisingly balaclavas are rarely encountered in the normal run of fetish art. Nor are suits for that matter and it is nice to see an artist allowing his victims to retain their clothes if only for a while. They help the story telling so much!

The pictures are simply drawn with bold cartoon-like outlines but sophisticated photographic shading. I particularly like the attention given to facial expressions which add to the effect by conveying emotions and intents to the figures. My favourites are the mummification scenes which show the helpless horror of the victim as he is wrapped for removal.

The pictures reference http://bdmanbrazil.com.br/ but I am not a member of this site and cannot verify if the pictures are still there. There also used to be a gallery on the 'Biff and Brad' Yahoo Group but this seems to have disappeared now. I'd welcome any information on this.

Mitchell's A to Z of Fetish Artists - De Bauch

Article revised and extended Feb 2022 (1371)

 

Marc DeBauch - Crazy Cowboys of Coxuck Canyon (detail)

Marc DeBauch is a prolific artist who paints and draws both conventional and erotic subjects in the traditional manner - fully representational with detailed realistic backgrounds. His fetish output covers a wide variety of themes from Cowboys to Leather Dungeons. The image above gives a good idea of the erotic power of his work, the moulding of the cowboy's buttock is delicious. This image is only a detail of a much larger tableau, full of different groups of figures doing their own thing. The rest of the picture (which you can view in the cowboy gallery at his website) shows some very explicit buddying-up and men dabbling in some controversial, unconventional interests along the way - just look under the horse! 

 

 

 

Marc DeBauch - Abduction of Adam

 

 This subject matter of this image also shows fetish converging with the real world as two leather masters hustle their captive down a fire-escape in broad daylight, en route to their dungeon lair where they can deal with him in private. It's a scene reminiscent of  Bill's collection for enslavement in Leo's story of 'The Estate'. Positioning the scene in an area open to public view opens the possibility that this is not role play, but a real abduction with an unpredictable outcome, it's a masterly touch.

 

You will observe that Adam, like Bill in 'The Estate', isn't altogether dismayed at this turn of events. The simple exhibition of Adam's nakedness in this image would probably be enough to create it's sexual charge, but when this artist goes for the erotic, he doesn't hold back! The likelihood of the trio being seen is probably fuelling all their excitement, but the abductors must be particularly thrilled at the uninhibited qualities already being exhibited by their new acquisition. 

 The title of this piece obliquely references the world of Old Masters (The Creation of Adam) which is an intriguing connection. In subjects like this, though, the representational artist is really competing with photography. The bearded face at the back is certainly up for that comparison, it's excellent. The others are a bit uneven, but any artist will tell you that Adam's backward angled head is a killer pose.

This image replaces the previous censored version

 

 

Marc DeBauch - Bound Mohawk

This picture features a Mohawk sub, his hair style seemingly an indicator of outsider rebelliousness. His submissive pose indicates that has now been tamed by these Leathermen. They have stripped him of his clothes which now lie on the floor in front of him. The bulge of the Leatherman on the left is a clear indicator of what's expected of him next. I suspect Tom of Finland's work may have influenced this element.

 

 DeBauch is into Leather and he doesn't neglect bondage, but it doesn't feature prominently in his work, not even in the preceding abduction scene. That's possibly because he's plainly very interested in the earthiest regions of gay activity where expression is best left unrestrained. Notwithstanding that he's drawn some interesting ropework here with loops and cinches clearly defined. The noose around the captive's neck is a threatening embellishment.

 

 

Marc DeBauch - Lucky Slave

A naked man with a Mohawk features in this picture too and although his 'captors' are dressed as cops this does not seem like a street arrest scenario but rather a typical, leather-guy role play. That may explain the 'lucky' tag or perhaps it's an allusion to the good-looking men who have made him their pet and the fact that they are men who can afford to kit themselves out in authentic cop gear. Of course they could be gay cops with a leather bent who have offered a villain an unconventional way of avoiding justice - but one suspects it might involve some form of incarceration and punishment.

Once again here Tom's influence can be seen in the cop's stance and their bulges and boots.

 

 

DeBauch - Kirby In Leather

There are lots of images showing raunchy leather sex in this artist's output but this portrait of a leather man undressing shows that DeBauch's interest in the leather scene is more than skin deep (pardon the pun!) He's clearly trying to capture a real person here and there's an element of affection. The pencil/ink style is not exactly simple but has a sketchy flavour and does not attempt to sensualise the subject and yet there is a sense of personality and sexual buzz in this man which transcends his modest physical appearance. The leather jacket, harness and especially the swollen jockstrap all contribute to this and despite the lack of technical refinement they all look 'right'. The title suggests this is a shared 'dressing up' scene. These are usually arousing for the participants and we can fantasise what follows.

Marc DeBauch - Max Undressing

 

This image has a similar, charming tingle which is not entirely due to the prodigious organ which is being displayed while it's owner clumsily wrestles in child-like fashion with a T-shirt that's harder to get off than it ought to be and is temporarily parked over his face. In this brief moment we can glimpse a man who despite his keenly honed muscularity is a real person not an unapproachable god.

Marc DeBauch - Bound Angel

There's a similar sense of availability in this unusual bondage take on the fallen angel theme. This young man seems to be at that awkward age, too old to be a cherub or sprite, but not old enough to be an official angel, disdainfully relaying God's will.  Binding the angel's wings and not just his wrists shows impeccable logic, but amazingly it doesn't seem to have affected his ability to fly, or at any rate, to hover. The gag seems an equally sensible precaution against unwanted pronouncements about being kind and good which are always on the lips of the young as well as the pure.

 

 Interestingly the result of being restrained is not consternation but wary resignation in this being (compare with Luxuris' Angel). There's also the visible stirrings of erotic anticipation. Perhaps there's a vacancy he might fill in the Eros Department, once he's had a few practical lessons.

 

 

Marc DeBauch - Year of the Dog

 This attractive whimsy of a rich, young man surrounded by his adoring pets is a very gay, mildly erotic adaptation of the classic portraiture of the 18th century where wealthy patrons posed with their wives, horses and other livestock in front of their grounds and homes. The tiddlers fighting over a pair of his briefs which they've also been pulling out of the draws behind has a vaguely sexual air about it, not least because he doesn't seem to mind it at all. If you explore this artist's work you'll find many examples of humans and animals together. However, in this picture, I'm more drawn to the feeling that this man is wealthy and pampered as much as his pets and he clearly keeps himself in good physical trim but is probably no angel. He seems a ripe candidate for the transformative scenario in the image below. 

Marc DeBauch - Eager Slave

 

 

 This captive isn't the same man of course. He strikes a relaxed pose but I don't see much indication of the eagerness alleged in the title. Rather, he looks unhappy and apprehensive, as well he might if this is his awakening after a first night in captivity. If he's glanced out through the grille to admire the dawn sun-rise, he's probably found that he's been incarcerated in a remote, inhospitable place. If the ropes bound round his wrists and ankles feel uncomfortable, the chain and fetters that lie unused on a bed of straw nearby look harsher and far more permanent, giving him food for thought he'd rather not have to deal with before breakfast.  Unlike the angel we saw earlier, this man has a face that shows experience, which means he's able to figure out that this situation is more daunting than it is exciting.

 

 

Marc DeBauch -Military Piss

A burly Instructor stands over a soldier who has been given a round of naked push-ups as punishment for his military short-comings. Forced exercise is a fairly normal training chastisement, not very often in the nude* and hardly ever with the embellishment of a golden shower, although I wouldn't rule it out. 

 

 *Something similar featuring plain, cold water rather than warm piss came up in a recent post in the Royale Series and featured in the TV clip Bad Lad's Army which alleged that it was normal practice for training difficult recruits 'in the bad old days'.

 

This squaddie/grunt doesn't seem to mind anyway, quite the reverse. His inappropriate use of undercarriage friction to alleviate the dreary humiliation of his punishment has probably prompted the Instructor's unorthodox action, but if he sought to douse his cadet's ardour with it, it's clearly backfired. But at least it's given him an opportunity to show off his impressive credentials to us as well as his biggest fan.

 

 

DeBauch - Raven Master

 

There's a strand of DeBauch's art that features mythical fantasy images and this is a rather nice example. I normally find it hard to get excited about imaginary worlds as erotic playgrounds, even if the landscape seems to contain half-buried penises. I'm always up for an attractive pair of buns though and that inviting sight makes this another striking example of the artists ability to conjure up the erotic in a perfectly acceptable piece of art. The simplicity of the image helps, it compares favourably with the scanty-costumed, pseudo historical dramas of Vallejo say.  

Marc Debauch - Alpha Assault

DeBauch's uncompromising approach to sexual ingredients - if you're gonna show it, show it properly - makes this a hot potato potentially but I like the honesty of this piece, not as a titillating example of forbidden forms of sex, but as an allegory of power, domination and animal lust (in it's metaphorical sense). Depicting the complete body of a 'monster' in images or films is often a mistake, but DeBauch's lithe werewolf is convincing and so is the act of copulation, carefully balanced on a rocky outcrop with his human prey overwhelmed and cradled in his arms.

Marc DeBauch - Dancing Satyrs at Winter Solstice

 

 

Two satyrs dance around a small tree in a wintery forest, in an almost perfect composition which is rather beautifully painted. It invokes the teasing display of wildlife courtship rituals which we see all the time in TV nature programmes and envisages them as performed by near-humans. Male to male displays in nature are not necessarily homoerotic, but obviously it pleases us to see it that way. The nakedness and animal genes of these creatures with the cold snow falling on their naked skin warmed from the exertions of the dance combined with the private, desolate location conjures up an earthy atmosphere of sexual anticipation. The slightly sensual treatment of their torsos and naturalistic faces provide a modern, homoerotic flavour.

This piece has the same honesty that I spoke of earlier - if you're going to depict satyrs don't pretend it's not about sex. It has authentic ancestry in mythology and a whole genre of classical illustration, and that honesty is usually found in ancient art but modern society rejects it or ridicules it as 'too rude'. There's really little to object to in this image which doesn't involve copulation or emissions. It has a great deal of integrity purely as a piece of art and it's message of desire and seduction is enhanced by the erections, indeed it depends on them, they are not just a smutty embellishment. It is highly erotic but there is a sensible reason for that it and in any case it is optional for all but the most prudish viewers to see it that way.

Marc DeBauch - The Ass End Of The Day

How else could I end this article? The artist's witty title hardly does justice to this cowboy's glorious bubble butt as he (seemingly) contemplates wading naked through a dense thicket of spiky, phallic cacti into the setting sun. Masochism of the highest order, but rather him than me! The use of colour here is spectacular and accomplished. 

There's a slightly risqué but even better companion piece 

in the 2022 post announcing the revision of this article.

There's are good collections at Fine Art America also Marc DeBauch on Instagram
visit http://www.marcdebauch.com/ for more.

Mitchell's A to Z of Fetish Artists - Dante

Dante is another artist who specialises in the more gruesome fetishes - cutting, nails etc - my illustration only hints at the scope of his subjects. Suffice to say he doesn't do things by halves! The better drawings are in a straight-forward representational style without artful elaboration. Unlike some artists the characters depicted get as much attention as the mechanics of their tortures and on the whole are attractive young men. Of course this adds extra poignancy to their suffering, although it must be said they seem to endure what would be excruciating pain with great stoicism. I warm to his story telling technique - placing items around the picture which tell us about the victim and where he is. In some picture the victims themselves are labelled as fags or wear gay insignia which, in my view, is not so good. Respect begins with the self.

Some of my pictures reference www.tentaka.com but I have been unable to verify if Dante's work is shown there (but see comment below).

Mitchell's A to Z of Fetish Artists - The Letter 'D'

An occasional series in which Mitchell picks his favourite fetish artist for each letter of the alphabet. So far he has selected Amir, Brick and Chris


The letter 'D' does not give me a long list of fetish 'giants' to choose from.
My selections are Dante, De Bauch, De Souza, Domino, and Drubskin. This list excludes some fairly substantial artists - DAD, Dupre etc but purely on the grounds that they are not primarily fetish artists. Dorus, the Dutch Artist, will be considered under 'K' for Wilhelm Kok.

I'll start with Dante in my next posting.