The Art of Stefan - 3

Stefan - Chrysler Mission

Stefan's experiments with morphing Muscle Men (see Part 1), and 'Joey' (see Part 2) don't really prepare you for this extraordinary art which explores the design and futuristic thinking of the 1930's. Not just in the obvious references to Art Deco styling but the cinematic art of the time like 'Metropolis' and 'Things To Come', which seem to espouse contradictory visions relating to science and technology but described intensely technological futures at a time when the power of electronics was unknown.

Stefan - Trooper Tom

 Into this he pitches nearly-naked soldiers (depicted à la Joey) who scale skyscrapers and iconic landmarks in defiance of the futuristic, buzzy, airship-like craft who threaten freedom. It's an elegant vehicle for drawing big, muscular men in intensely erotic poses. The dangerous missions they undertake reinforce their naked vulnerability and by implication their heroism.

Stefan - Vintage Monster

 In this case it's a Godzilla-like monster that threatens modernity,
 but as always a single Super-hero is all it takes to save the city,
with only the help of a puny mega-super-blaster.

Stefan - Bunker

Not entirely surprisingly the imagery also plunders the debris of 1930's totalitarianism as well,
with these grim, forbidding  monoliths and brutalist architecture
These allusions neatly epitomise the enemies of freedom and artistic beauty
that threaten this particular brave new world. 

The forward looking hopes and fears of the 30's later evolved into ideas of a future 'cleansed' of 'bad technology' like atomic bombs and gas warfare, based instead on relatively primitive technology.
It spawned numerous sci-fi novels which idealised low technology or saw it as an inevitable consequence of mankind's inability to channel science into purely beneficial channels.

The heroes nakedness in Stefan's images seems to chime with these ideas.

These ideas were the fore-runners of what we call Steam Punk nowadays and Stefan is still mining this seam at Deviant Art today (link below), but sadly he has given up lacing it with erotic heroes.

Stefan - Hall Of Fame

 Tom the Trooper above is obviously derived from Joey and from Stefan's interest in skimpily dressed body builders. He brings those threads together in this Art Deco influenced poster design that visualises Superheroes stripped to their satin G-strings and competing for audience approval like needy beefcake.

Stefan - High Voltage

Electro Nick has a prouder demeanour.
It isn't just the architecture and weaponry that's futuristic and given Stefan's sexy enhancements of body-builders posing gear it's not surprising that he visualises some pretty startling uniforms for his Superheroes. Like Nick's skin-tight crop-top (somewhat in the style of the 'Gladiators' TV show), plunging skimpy G-strings  in shiny sheer fabric (which sadly were not a feature of that program)
- plus Marigold gloves for when the going gets dirty.

Stefan - Skin-tight Squadron

Stefan visualises law enforcement Officers going similarly equipped and it's delicious to imagine our local Cops having to change into these uniforms down at the Police Station at the start of each shift. The prospect of being confronted by one doesn't bear thinking about, although these characters seem slightly less than heroically endowed. Which perhaps is only to be expected in clothes like that.
I can imagine some good-natured comparisons of 'fit' before setting out on patrol.

Stefan - Ticket

That encounter with a member of the public is imagined in futuristic terms here. The face of the offender tells us that the intimidating aura of the traffic cop is undiminished by his provocative kit. Arguably the reverse, this ones a pretty muscular specimen and is showing quite a lot down below.
The beckoning finger bodes ill.

Of course, we haven't seen what the driver/pilot's got yet!

I can't say if the 'speed' limit is a deliberate joke,
light years are a measure of distance of course, not speed.
There's similar confusion in the next image.

Stefan - Join The Navy

This picture also draws on Art Deco design and (I suspect) those photos of sweethearts reunited at the end of WW2 for it's inspiration. Flipping it into a gay context looks light-hearted, but given the military attitudes to gays at that time it's subversive too in an inoffensive way. 

The classic, striking imagery of the ship (which isn't military!) steals the show somewhat.

as it was originally designed to do of course!

~

To finish, a selection of Stefan's photo manips 

which don't really belong alongside his bodybuilder morphs.

Stefan - Dutch Treat

 

 As far as I can tell there's no 'message' in this picture, it's a collection of beautiful things,

not least the arched torso of a man removing his top, which is why I chose to use it.

There's a smidgeon of fetish in the beads that loop around his body,

a suggestion of the Harem perhaps and the servitude that implies.

Mainly it's just a nice picture, don't ask me what the Dutch is!

Stefan - Saint Sebastian

I have a feeling that Stefan has borrowed this Saint's figure from somewhere else 

but it's still a stunning physique, no wonder the archers missed their mark!

Notice that one arrow has pierced the pectoral muscle and re-emerged again,

it's as though it's been inserted by hand.

There's no doubting Stefan's own hand in the skimpy loin cloth 

which only just covers the male organ and appears to be draped over it at the top.

The background of (tidily) ruined city is a pleasant enough cliche,

the ethereal stub of arch just behind Sebastian might reference the celestial city.

Stefan - Baths

There's a much more 'down to earth' flavour in this attractive image as two muscular Gladiators watch another man bathe. Logically this would be another Gladiator rather than a slave or more senior member of the establishment, but it's a rather elaborate bath for that class. I don't think Stefan is a slave to such matters and you can make your own interpretation. The nudity of the watchers suggests a lascivious mood, so they won't have missed that the bather is sporting an erection. In fact their legs are entwined as though rubbing against each other. Methinks hi-jinks are afoot.

Stefan's multi-faceted work was pioneering in it's way. His images are mildly erotic by modern standards, but the muscle morphs falling out of their briefs (shown in Part 1) were outrageous in their day. His sense of style pictures makes his pictures attractive to view and there is usually an element in them that is thought- or fantasy-provoking. His occasional fetish by-ways are fun.

Stefan continues to work on design-rich, fantasy images,
but does not have any erotic content in his current work.
see Stefan at Deviant Art

Read Stefan's story from Part 1 (Muscle Art), Part 2 (Joey)

The Art of MadDoctor aka BlueApricot

I discovered this artist only recently (see foot of post),  

but was impressed by his 'clean' style and interesting 'models'.

He's found a particularly attractive and real-looking (bleached?) blond for this image

 and it looks like he's being offered up as a sacrifice or plaything for a tentacled creature,

apparently in a dungeon or cellar, although his restraint is implied, not actually shown.

The captive's nicely tended hair and white underwear suggests he's been unexpectedly plucked from civilisation for this frightening assignment, but although he looks discomforted by the mouth invasion, there are some signs of enthusiasm germinating inside his Calvins. 

This creature stands back to entertain/torment it's fit-looking victim rather than encircling him with it's tentacles, which makes this story quite an unusual offering in the genre. 

It's something of a tradition in tentacle circles for artists to set up a victim, 'freeze' him and then let the creature have it's way with him, creating a series of near-identical frames to illustrate the process. It's a mystery to me why they don't publish them as .gifs. I usually select the frame I find most interesting as representative of such sets but I thought this fully-naked variant warranted inclusion alongside the underwear-clad one. You can find more from these series via the links at the end of this article

Shades of Zamok's gym here and that little connection lifts this image into S&M territory.

Another nicely modeled captive (apart from his haircut perhaps) with a suitably worried look.

That's probably enough to fuel most imaginations.

Dicks on sticks seem a bit Heath-Robinson and dangerous to me, but strangely the motorised version, lacking any obvious human control element, seems safer and for a bound man it's inherent unstoppability is much more telling as a domination technique.

I like the basic simplicity of this imagery, but the addition of the simplest of bare rooms as a background makes a surprising difference, introducing depth and a suitably sinister, isolating atmosphere.

That sense of  remorseless processing is invested in a far more powerful robot here. The tight (yet seemingly soft) bondage of both arms and doubled-back legs instills utter helplessness into the captive who is lifted high into the air with a single, simple, body clamp to receive penetration. 

It's a striking image which puts the captive and his plight at the forefront and does not really need the dildo for it's impact. There might easily be something more threatening in the room, behind us, just out of our sight - but not the captive's. 

This prisoner is less restricted in movement, but even more dwarfed by his captivity device.

It's a nice 'dangling' image in any context and even though the underwear is very simply rendered,

I for one appreciate him being allowed to keep it on. For now anyway.

This artist's penchant for innovation in tentacle lore continues with a highly unusual species which appear to be boned and jointed with equally refined tactile capabilities. 

Like the first example they are disinclined to encircle their prey (and possibly are incapable of it)

but his gritted teeth suggests he's still having a pretty unpleasant, invasive experience.

Their 'detachment' would make him feel more like a specimen than a living being.

He dangles helplessly above them while they reach up to attack him.

After his tormentors have had their fill of him, he hangs exhausted and seemingly bruised. 

Notice that he lost his hold on one of the hand grips now.
That weakening continues in the next image as his strength ebbs away.

This is one of the best of these images conveying great sense of isolation and helplessness.

That's reinforced by the victim's nudity and the empty void in which he is supended.
He's lost his grip completely now and with it the last semblance of any control. 

By resisting the temptation to spread his limbs wider,
the artist has created some nice body and buttock shaping

lengthening the body and accentuating the sense of him dangling in space.
 .

This image is constructed from photographs, but it has a similar simplicity to the renders above.
I have no idea what is being done to this man but the high-tech cock-sleeve is very erotic and it's ethereal, kryptonite-green 'spark' looks suitably daunting. The fact that he has to be strapped down for the treatment and has a look of awe on his face is explanation enough. The slightly raised far leg suggests he has the freedom to squirm a little for us, but I think I'd have opted for 'losing' it, so he looked more fully restrained.

I think this artist might produce a memorable 'Milking Factory' if he turned his hand to it.

I don't have a proper website for this artist.
There was a Blue Apricot site at tumblr but most of the artwork seems to have been removed.
There is still some interesting medical themed stuff there
I guess he's a casualty of their recent fit of corporate decency which has also hit Yahoo! Groups.

I got these examples from a post by Olaf at GMBA dated April 1st 2020 or thereabouts 

it had more in the same vein.

(latest site link in sidebar if this one doesn't work)

Cowboy in Captivity - Can you identify him?

This group of pictures shows a hunky cowboy
who's been tied up and plug-gagged,

but do you know who he is?

1

There's lots to like in this picture, the leather plug gag for a start, it is so emphatic!

The captive's stripped top shows a nice amount of body hair and definition
 and tight jeans on the right man are always a delight,
There are some very nice thigh lines here with sexy restraining ropework.

2

The arrival of the overseer prompts some spooky touching
with a less than enthusiastic response.

3

 The captive seems to have fallen in love with his jailor already,
maybe that's got something to do with the whip.

It might make his next duty quite a lot easier!

4

It looks like a last minute appeal is being heard here.

~

I have always liked these pictures which have been in my archives for a number of years

 (the oldest has a date of 2005 on it). 

My periodic efforts to find more of the set have only turned up the same examples,

if there was a studio logo, it's been removed, so image searches go round in circles.

I really wanted to find out who the hunky captive was......

 

He bears a superficial resemblance to Morgan Black
(pictured above, courtesy of Bound Jocks)

However I think the 2005 date's too early for him
and the tattoos visible in pictures 3 and 4 don't match his.

I've also wondered if the captive is chunky model, 'Lyle' (above) 

He was doing shoots for Bound Guys around 2005
 and his face in profile is quite similar to pics 1 and 2.

He's baby-smooth hairless in this sample, but has obviously shaved off his body hair.

The cowboy above looks to have darker head hair, but his beard colour is more ambiguous.

Unfortunately 'Lyle' doesn't have that distinctive tattoo on his right pec either.

Can any of my knowledgeable readers with long memories shed light on this mystery?

If so contact me via the comments facility or my profile address 
 on the 'Contact Me' Tab (top of page)

~
More pictures of Lyle, he's a bit of a favourite of mine:



This is another decent facial profile for comparison
I can't find any trace of 'Lyle' on search engines,
It's quite likely that he has another professional name.



 Lyle has also done a cowboy with a nice fit in jeans!

The total body shave on an adult man always looks a bit weird
but I appreciate a big man with a fleshy body.
Self-shavers find it's sensual and gives sexy sense of exposure.
Others might find it humiliating and humbling
 which makes it quite potent symbol of surrender or subjugation.

Lyle is a big chap and this pose brings that out nicely.
It's all about 'bums on seats' - as the saying goes.

A superbly submissive pose made all the more telling

because of the minimal (and purely leather) restraint.

Visit  Bound Guys for more of Lyle

The Art of RW Richards - 2 Bruises and Boyfriends

RW Richards - Rage 04

The extravagant 'gag' image that concluded Part 1 of this article and the picture just above both come from a series entitled 'Rage'. Stylistically these images are linked by the selective use of colour around the eyes, but in this one it seems indicative of cuts and bruising rather than 'gayness' which I perceived in the gag picture. This fighter is a very conventional representation of maleness by comparison and the 'Rage' seems very controlled, a sort of pent up revenge instinct as a response to physical hurt or defeat, rather than anything more complicated.

The man bears a stereotypical resemblance to the blue 'Dangerous Guy' in Part 1, giving an impression of toughness and that is reinforced by the skull tattoo on his chest, which is obviously not just a naturalistic adornment. It's very interesting to see this butch number using his mouth to unravel his hand bandages in a distinctly sensual fashion. It's yet another example of RWR's fascination with this part of the male anatomy as a fetishistic indicator of personality. Intriguingly, the boxer's action also unexpectedly highlights the element of 'bondage restraint' which (unintentionally) accompanies the use of bandaging to protect hands in the boxing ring.

RW Richards - Rage 01

Where the 'bruising' is not accompanied by a reference to fighting, it takes on a very different tone. The Rage here seems very real (red being the colour of rage of course) and thanks to those cleverly positioned highlights we realise that it's also the colour of tearful eyes. The veiny, blue squiggle on his temple invokes a sense of hurt penetrating deep into the psyche.

Not that this man's masculinity is any less evident than the boxer's, quite the reverse (and in a remarkably powerful detail, the tiny glimpse of neckline suggests he has significant body strength too). His rage would be frightening to confront, but the vulnerability exposed by it has a very appealing quality that is also highly erotic. I scarcely need to point out the care that RWR has lavished on this man's mouth and it's not hard to imagine him mentally making love to his creation as he labours over the tiny details of those luscious lips.

RW Richards - Rage 06

This situation is different again and one senses it's closer to home as a man angrily rips off his conventional armour of shirt and tie to reveal the true man within. He has the look of a businessman and his face is less contorted than the previous image which tells us this is not about deeply felt hurt, but frustration with the constraints of life and our inability to show who we really are, to be our true selves. The colours here do seem to show the sort of hotness rising into the face which characterises this sort of outburst.

His frustration doesn't necessarily have a sexual basis. but given the 'stripping' element of the picture it's not unreasonable to suppose that it might be reflecting RWR's situation, both as a gay man and as a worker in the image-conscious fashion industry.

Having said that, there are other interpretations - it's possible that the black tie is significant, giving the image a wider meaning, a tragic rage about the cruelty of life and loss.
Alternatively the green tint on the left side could be an indicator of jealousy at work.

I imagine RWR would be amused by my confusion!

This older image suggests that idea of frustration with the trappings of everyday life (again symbolised by clothing) runs deep with Richards and in this case it's even more striking that this character has all the appearance of a successfully 'out' gay man with an admirable, muscled body and the figure flattering uniform that goes with it. (You may have also noted the impressive bulge in his jeans!) Apparently all this is not enough to fulfil his innermost desires, an idea that lesser mortals cherish, but can't quite bring themselves to fully believe.

It seems there's an 'Incredible Hulk' trapped within this Adonis, perhaps one with less refined tastes than appear on the surface. His clothes look modest enough and down-to-earth, but in view of his well groomed, artfully 'wild' appearance, we might suppose that they are actually expensive, 'designer' versions of commonplace gear. The economical sketching of his garments hints at that superficiality and lack of substance, contrasting it with the 'real' physicality and bulk of his naked self.

The drawing technique RWR has used for the clothes with the zig-zaggy crease lines is rather pleasing and it would be well-suited to fashion sketches. It also bears a resemblance to that used by Bill Ward in his 'Drum' comic strips. Bill was also a graphic artist so the common inspiration is unremarkable but suggests this image may have roots as far back as the 1980's

 The depiction of the man's face here is magnificent, again showing him to be on the verge of tears in his frustration, a situation that stokes our schaden freude given his enviable natural assets.
This detail shows that the kinship with the later 'Rage' series is not entirely superficial.

Explicitly sexual situations are not common in RWR's work and this is one of only two instances of anal sex which I'm aware of - and neither of them are fully explicit. This might reflect a personal reticence or simply the restrictions of publishing in the heyday of gay magazines. However, this particular picture shows no inherent squeamishness about man sex and is notable for it's forcefulness and passion which pretty much nullifies the absence of explicit detail.


The patchy body highlights which suggest both bulk and hot sensuality for an erotically motivated audience are characteristic of RWR's early work and eventually translate into the more subtle, emotional effects in the Rage pictures above. The beginnings of that sensitive observation can be seen even here, in the blissful face of the blond.

Notice the traditional stereotyping of the top and bottom (possibly dictated by the storyline)
 and the array of  fashion underwear displayed at the back, that trophy thing again (see Part 1).

RW Richards - Marine Allure (my title)

This is the other penetration image I know of and it's slightly ambiguous but very mild porn anyway. And yet it has a real sense of sexuality, closeness and physically coming together. Those simple 'crease' lines in the lower back region tell you a lot about what is actually happening!

I don't know this story but the bottom appears to be the intimidating Marine shown directly above them, so there is an interesting 'role' story going on here. In the picture, however, the sex scene plays second fiddle to Richards' marvellous depiction of the stern Marine wearing his dress cap. To me it seems to completely capture the very essence of this particular gay icon, without even referencing the full uniform! On a technical level there's some impressive detailing in the cap badge and fittings but as for the mouth and lips, my word, they almost qualify for the word, 'divine'.
How did Richards ever manage to finish painting them?

RW Richards - Santa's Gift

 Given RWR's pre-occupation with mouths you'd expect him to at least depict oral sex at some point. Images like this one are more common in his older work, but I've yet to find one which goes any further than this tantalising example. Once again, however, it's certainly not lacking in earthiness, nor a sense of intimacy. The silly Santa hat may detract from the erotic intensity, but it substitutes a impression of companionship and light-heartedness that is sentimental but warming.

RW Richards - Lovers

Another image in which the mouth plays a leading part. It's also well-observed study of foreplay and affection, indicative again of a view of sex that you might describe as romantic,
one that's about a genuine physical attraction to your partner, rather than 'just getting off'.

RW Richards - Lover kiss

That romanticism is even more obvious in this picture, but there's no lack of earthiness or passion in this full-blooded, French kiss between two lovers. RWR is notably at pains here to demonstrate their physical masculinity, but interestingly he also depicts the pairing as a dominant, butch top and a stylish, submissive bottom. However it's clearly a tender relationship, protective you might say.

RW Richards - Down Time

Protectiveness and contentment are also the messages of this sweet picture which projects a marvellously positive image for gay relationships. The foreground underwear bulge and hovering hand seems to reassure us that such qualities in a relationship actually promote sexual attraction.
Of course the youthfulness of these two might have something to do with that!

RW Richards & Mike Ruiz - No 2

Youth of a different kind is at the centre of this image, youth with attitude.

The Mike Ruiz foreground photo incorporates Richards' iconography of stylish spiky hair and painted eyes with luxuriant lashes and eyebrows. Richards has painted an echo of it just beyond.

The 'collar' made of multiple belt loops is a most emphatic 'sub-dom' statement
and there's something very similar in one of his Rage pictures which I've not included here.
It's application to what appears to be a self-confident (dare I say 'cocky'?) fashion model
  represents a cross fertilisation of RWR 'themes' which I haven't seen elsewhere.

I get a sense of the Colt that needs to be tamed in this picture
as if a battle of wills is about to commence. Nice.

RW Richards - Allure

In these reviews of gay artists, I usually try to discover common threads and follow them to a logical conclusion, but it's not always easy and RWR's work is possibly the the most complex and confusing I've attempted to unravel, with allusions to gender ambiguity and extreme masculinity, fashion and fetish, anger and romance, mouths and clothing all interwoven with a marvellously intelligent technique into varied and often surprising imagery. 

This picture is one of the most confusing of all. It transplants the 'ripped clothes' motif seen in the 'hulk' picture above into a wholly different and slightly disturbing arena. Although this image is from a collection entitled 'Allure' it doesn't fit very well with the normal idea for that word being about glamorous, passive seduction. Conventional allure is often associated with clothing, grooming and accessories such as jewellery, cigarettes - and in men, tattoos perhaps.

This character seems the very antithesis of that. His allure  seems to depend on  'poor boy', emotional manipulation rather than genuine, sexual desirability. In the coy pose, Richards seems to be borrowing from an old heterosexual stereotype, (imagine this as a woman dressed like a farm yokel and you'll see what I mean). There's a touch of Eve's Apple about it and that's not an easy cross-fit for most perceptions of masculinity, even modern ones. For me the addition of dishevelled hair and torn vest, perhaps intended to create that yokel connection, introduces a worrying hint of abuse which is not dispelled by the dark rings under the eyes. I suggested in relation to Rage 01 above that male vulnerability can be appealing, this picture has that in spades, but then again........

RW Richards - Dangerous Guys 02

The confusion continues with this picture. A 'Dangerous Guy' who looks anything but, unless you count the volatile emotions lurking in that bottle beside him. The slogans on the wall hark back to the Vietnam War of the 60's (make love not war) and this is contemporary with the Iraq/Afghan involvements, which caused equal suffering and self-examination. There's also a possible allusion to 9/11 in one of the posters, so this picture may be more literal than it seems, a veteran returning to an empty life and thus, in a political sense, very dangerous indeed. The stripping off of clothes is hugely symbolic in this context, but the picture also makes a link and a sobering, stark counterpoint to the 'Hunk' image (above) which seems hugely healthy and optimistic by comparison.

Colour in this image is largely reserved for the man's discarded clothes and on the wall: blood, fire and endings (a diagonal red line = end of). The man himself is almost entirely painted in greyscale tones, save only for a touch of pink on the cheek, like a fading bruise. It's as though we are watching his life slipping away in despair. You don't need to be a mind-reader to detect a simmering anger in this picture and interestingly Richards suggests it also has a more personal significance by adding the 'Make Art' message. It's tempting to relate it to the 'Rage' series if only in terms of Richards psyche. The inclusion of 'Obey' may also represent something more than it's straight-forward military meaning, but I can't speculate about that.

RW Richards - Rage 05

This picture seems an apt conclusion to the story, but it's a discomforting one, 

arguably more so than the other 'Rage' images which doubtless some find shocking.

Beautifully observed, it hardly needs any commentary (but notice the smart cufflinks!). 

I'm not intending to draw any more conclusions about Richards from this final sequence of images to add to my earlier summary, other than to remark that he clearly had his own acquaintance with sorrow and a desire to communicate that to us. His ability to do so makes him a truly great gay artist.

RW Richards - Self Portrait

Robert W Richards died in 2019, and this is a belated tribute to a great gay artist

His website has gone but there's still a lot of material at his Facebook page

Search on 'Robert W Richards gay art' for more

RWR's Facebook page 

Read  Part 1 of this article

The Art of RW Richards - 1 Style and Fetish

RW Richards - Restrained (my title)

This remarkable image seems to sum up a man's obsession with style and fetish.

You may not recognise the artist from this picture, but you are probably familiar with RW Richards' illustrations for gay magazine articles and stories, I included one in my Introduction to the letter 'R' from the A-Z of Fetish Artists series which is devoted to 'RWR' and highlights his stylish technique and sexually ambiguous view of male attraction. That article serves as a useful preface to this piece but I've recently discovered a fetish element in his work which I was unaware of back then (2012).

This image is much simpler than RWR's 'commercial' work but it's remarkably powerful and subtly suggestive of fetish themes with a nominal 'gag' shown, pulling back the model's head. The profile of his torso tells us that his arms may well be tied back too, even though we cannot see them.

'Style' is equally evident in this picture with the sweeping curve of the torso and a nostalgic nod to the era of art deco elegance, in the detailing of the head. The obtuse references to bondage show that style (and it's discreet fellow traveller, acceptability) has triumphed over earthiness in this encounter. Which is not to say that the result is lacking, but this is a stylistic view of bondage, not a view of bondage made stylish.

  There is a mild element of gender ambiguity in the face of the character in the image above and also those referenced in my earlier article, particularly in the luxurious eyebrows and lashes and the clean rounded lines of the faces.

R W Richards - 'Dangerous Guys' Series

However, you couldn't ask for a more masculine image than this,
this 'Dangerous Guy' is rough and tough,
but Richards' depiction of him is still immensely stylish.

R W Richards - 'Allure' Series

There's an equally masculine torso at the centre of this piece,

very hairy, including a hint of pubic hair that is highly erotic,
but it's part of a very different perception of masculinity. 

As for 'Style', this image positively reeks of it,
 from the sophisticated subject matter through to the elegant technique.

You can immediately guess that Richards was deeply involved in the world of fashion.
It's reflected in the model's unusual hat accessory and his coquettish pose.
The graceful curve of his body, represented by bold and economical strokes
 is typical of fashion spread styling.

This is not a style normally associated with male models, however, and Richards takes the sexual ambiguity further by drawing attention to the man's pouted lips, blushed cheeks and made up eyes. Given Richards fashion background, his interest in this sort of crossover is not entirely surprising.
This looks like an attempt to hijack the techniques of allure traditionally used by women to hook their men.

It's a beautiful, sexy picture, but a matter of taste whether it turns you on or not. 

I usually prefer the 'Dangerous Guys' end of the scale, but that torso.......? Woof!

RW Richards - Gucci

The artist is not precious about his fashion connections or his pretty boy characters.

This young man quivers with excitement in the presence of a mere paper bag,
simply because it's by one of the "great" designers.

His nakedness seems to be a play on the fable of 'The Emperor's New Clothes'.

There's also a matching 'Prada' fan image.

RW Richards - Shoe Worship

The humour is even more biting here, with a butch-looking skinhead, inhaling (almost guiltily) the odours of a high fashion, women's shoe showing the trademark red sole of Christian Louboutin.

The device of tying the shoes over the face adds intensity to the satire of being a slave to style, but also hints at a genuine acquaintance with this sort of fetishism and an interest in domination, which (you will be glad to hear) is also applied to more straightforward gay male erotica in his output.

The minimal styling in these images is another grab from the fashion industry and there's a close precedent in the picture of a blindfolded woman by Rene Gruau, another fashion artist. He also used a 'Black and White with Red highlights' technique. Gruau's image flirts with fetish but Richards dives right in.

 

RW Richards - Boot Licking

Superficially you might feel that this is the all-male equivalent of 'Shoe Worship', but it doesn't have quite the same intensity. There's no hint of the feminine about this man but he's not excessively masculine either, despite the abundance of facial hair and streetwise headgear. His approach to the toecap seems tentative, indicative of inexperience and possibly of reluctant submission.
It lacks the sort of earthy passion that seems to simmer in the preceding image.

RW Richards - Teeth and White Underwear

 This cheeky chap has got style and masculinity, subtly accentuated by the restrained use of pink blush around the cheeks and lips and a hint of hairy chest (in fashionable grow-back mode).

Judging by the wink, the classic white underwear he's got between his teeth must be a trophy. It suggests he's a confident sexual predator, but also that he's a man attracted by the essences of other men's intimate clothing and perhaps inclined to retrieve it in an (apparently) submissive way by using his teeth.

RW Richards - Teeth and Jockstrap

This is a similar theme, but Richards completely switches stereotypes, to a more boyish and conventionally beautiful look in the model but a sportsman's jock as his trophy, a more emphatically male garment intended for rugged, sweaty situations. He's not just holding it in his mouth either, but evidently savouring the base of the pouch with a knowing look that's very different to the guilty expression of the shoe fetishist. Despite his innocent appearance, this young man clearly has a passion for earthy sexuality. Notice that both these undergarments are subtly oversized.

RW Richards - Teeth and Jockstrap

Richards' approach to erotica is usually subtle and cautious and there's an element of primness about this exchange at first sight. But it's an audaciously intimate move and if you look at what the hands are doing, RWR is clearly imagining an intensely excited, possibly a shocked recipient.

There's also a subtle earthiness in the hint of explorations between the legs and also the implied state of the sportsman's jock - since his body is gleaming with sweat (or just out of the shower) we can deduce that it's not in quite the same, pristine state as when he put it on.

The artist has adorned these two men with tokens of masculinity, the jockstrap itself, the other man's vest/singlet and the glimpses of chest and pubic hair. But there's also a hint of something more in the kneeling man's flowing head hair, dark eyelashes and fastidiously trimmed stubble. It's hard to say whether this is simply a reflection of RWR's own views on the attractiveness of 'stylish' men or if he's hinting at a submissive, supposedly 'feminine side'.  Of course, the sportsman's shaved chest (right) ostensibly a manifestation of body building culture, can also be interpreted as self-feminisation.

RW Richards - Eat my Jock

The undercurrents of domination and submission break surface in this image and you can't be in any doubt by this stage that the humorous intensity of the 'Shoe Fetishist' is a reflection of something very significant in Richards' psyche. There's significant mood change here, in that the submissive man is not necessarily the recipient of this sweaty jock by choice. It's easy to imagine tender sensibilities being shocked by forced acquaintance with another man's intimate garments, although his tormentor is no doubt insisting, in the time honoured, male fashion, that "you like that don't you?"

Even without the jock gagging, there's absolutely no doubt who is in control here. The dominator is a lushly muscled Adonis with striking, god-like features and a generous endowment that Richards has allowed to have a modest degree of arousal (an intriguingly ambiguous indicator of his motivation!). His whole demeanour emanates confidence, superiority and matter-of-fact control which the deliberate distancing from his hapless subordinate makes all the more intimidating.

The top here is exceptionally stylish, much as you might expect from RWR whilst his inclination to gender ambiguity surfaces again in the submissive man - look at his shoulders. The youthfulness of these two men imparts a sense of playfulness, which softens the forceful subject matter. 

RW Richards - Rage series #3

Suddenly we are pitched into the world of leather and role play.
It's a million miles from the catwalk but Richards does not abandon his pink highlights for this man, instead they are employed more subtly on the lips and morph into rainbow hues on the cheeks as though he's linking the image of captivity to the notion of gay freedom. There's an intensity about this image that clearly reflects strong feelings held by the artist and the title 'Rage' is equally emotive.
In the context of his other work, it's an unexpected development.

I don't think Richards was lacking in freedom in his life generally, but in the world of fashion, if there's one thing more important than style, it's" image". Fashion at the end of the day is a heterosexual business, despite the love affair with gay men and flamboyant trappings. So it's easy to imagine constraints on freedom of expression for an artist with an interest in 'dangerous' ideas.
In other words, fetish is fine but it must be strictly superficial.

This image also stands out as a striking representative of another, completely different element in RWR's art. Leaving aside the leather trappings, what is the most prominent feature of this picture? If your answer to my question is 'a gag', have another look. In this image, just like the one that opens this article, a gag is implied but not really depicted. It both cases, it's just a strap and it's not allowed to distort the man's mouth, which true gag enthusiasts would expect.

The focus of this image is actually the man's mouth itself and if you look back at the preceding pictures mouths often play a significant role in them, either having something in them or covering them (as in the shoe fetish image, which shows another non-invasive 'gag').

So what's going on here?

More in Part 2

Julius Re-imagined - The Sheriff and his Deputy

Looks like it's back to the Office for the Sheriff and his Deputy

for a fun afternoon of slicking and pokering!

~

 One of my occasional re-imaginings of Julius' great images 

(for men who prefer their men grown up).

Based on an original image from 'Devil's Canyon 1' by Julius, p20

For others in the series, visit the previous example: Butts & Saddles
See also my A-Z article on Julius