Black and Mild and other drawings

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1. Black and Mild is one of my personal favorites. It is inspired by a man, that used to live in the apartment complex, behind mine. I would see him sit outside, on the curb before his building to smoke. I was so drawn in by his posture and demeanor, that a good capture of the scene had to be documented on paper. I came home from work one day, and saw him from my opened blinds, at the balcony sliding door. I quickly grabbed my Bristol board pad and ballpoint pen. The sketch turned out perfect, and I added washes. I have drawn several versions of this piece, but this particular one expresses what was seen, the most accurately.

2. Cigarette and Beer is similar to Black and Mild, in several ways. Both of these pieces are about two individual men, who lived in the same apartment complex,  but different buildings. Like " Mild " this man also sat on the curb to smoke and relax. This is the man that also is the muse, that inspired my chatacter named Forde. During this period, in which I saw him, his hair was cut low, with brush waves. He seemed more edgy and moody than " Mild " but inspiring just the same. Both of them appeared to be more like loners, in which interested me even more. 

3. Forde walking is a scene that was inspired by my observation of the same man, over a period of months. As I mentioned, he seemed to be edgy and moody at times. I would look from my window, and notice him walking off, seemingly just to get away from something. He would often wear sunglasses, hats and occasional hoodies, and ideas and plots would develop in my mind for stories. 

4. Hoodie is a drawing created, during s period I surfed the web for numerous photographs of men that inspired my male figure approach. I knew the men in my fantasies, were also those that actually existed one way or another. The internet is filled with sites and images of them. They are even seen in my everyday life, but still one will suggest I exaggerate such men, in which is fine. I see them and create the stories to justify their existence and unique beauty, in an erotic setting. They, some women included, express their sexuality provocatively in ways that are not always acceptable or understood. But there is always someone near, who notices and even appreciates the artistic qualities they display as a muse for erotic fantasy.

5. Hot and Bothered is one of those free hand drawings, that just created itself. I wanted to draw a man, without thinking of any particular direction. I began somewhere on the Bristol board, and ended with this. Many of my pieces, have been created this way, it is more about catharsis during such moments.

6. Walking is one my first successful drawings, using the newly discovered micron pens. I saw a man walking down one of the main streets in my neighborhood, one morning, while driving to work. He walked slowly, with a rather bewildered gaze. I thought he was handsome, and remembered as much as I could, when I decided to draw him. This piece is also one of my personal favorites.

7. Spring is one of my ideas for developing a knack for telling a story, in a comic strip format.  I wrote down a poem one day, and wanted to illustrate it. It was an experiment, to practice more with the micron pens, in this format. I think it is tedious, but rewarding upon completion. 

 

Black Gay Love and the Male Foot Fetish

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1. Black Gay Love, is a piece I created near the beginning of my experimentation with ink wash and micron pens combined. I did not stick with this process for long, because I did not feel satisfied with the results. I thought it stiffened my drawings, giving a mechanical appearance. I realized eventually, it was not necessary to choose one over the other ( washes or micron pens ) because they both had their own unique contribution to my ideas, at various times. I decided to just keep them separate, and returned back to combining washes, with ball point pen instead.

2. Black Gay Love # 2, was an example of keeping the mediums separate. I revisited the drawing, using microns and a black brush pen. I was not a big fan of the Sakura brush pen either. It was too bold and intimidating to me, at the time. It gave my drawings a more graphic arts appearance, that did not satisfy me either. The idea itself is very important to me, because it expresses a part of who I am. I am a black, gay man, who loves black men. It is a protest to be black, gay and proud in a racist and homophobic society. And within the African American and African community, homophobia is very rampant and weaponized throughout society, and our culture as black people.

3. Feet and Calves displays and expresses my serious leg and male foot fetish. I have a thing for big, solid men. It can be a stocky,  muscular, chubby or husky man, with " big bones " that will catch my attention. These types of men are my muse for drawing the male figure. There are several men under these descriptions that have big legs ( thighs and calves ) with wide and " meaty " feet, that I find so attractive and beautiful physically. It is what is often seen when I draw men, regardless of the chosen medium through the years.

 

4. Foot Fetish is another drawing exploring the fetish of mine. I have struggled with this fetish for years, to the point of feeling extreme shame. I am more liberated and empowered even, now because of the subculture I have witnessed and observed online. There are web pages and sites that cater exclusively to the gay male foot fetish group! It doesn't seem as perverted as it once did, and having a foot fetish, has been considered one of the most common fetishes to have, regardless of an individual's origins.

5. Foot Fetish 2013 is more of the subject, that is really enjoyable and stimulating to draw! It is always a great experience, when one can create something they are truly passionate about, despite the opinions of outsiders. I particularly like the way the hair and black bikini briefs turned out on the thick figure, lying on his stomach. Bedroom settings and gay sexuality, are some of my favorite scenes to capture in pen and ink wash. The intimacy of it usually satisfies my fantasy of drawing an erotic scene, between two men.

6. Just The Way You Are was inspired by a dream I had one night. I was working and a courier of some sort, who I found attractive, also felt the same towards me. I think there was doubt on my part about knowing rather he did or not. And he suddenly became affectionate towards me. I think he understood that I lacked the confidence, and wished to have had it to pursue him. His tender kiss assured me that I did not have to impress him, and to just be myself. I awoke thinking about it, while preparing for work that morning. The sound of Billy Joel's song( Just The Way You Are ) began to play in my mind as I realized it was something that needed to be drawn.