As I venture deeper into the story of Hon’Raa, I am met with the challenges of creating a compelling story that remains true to both its fantasy elements and that of erotica. Certainly fantastical worlds are teeming with opportunities for characters to get it on, but creating visually compelling erotica is not always as easy as one would think. Any artist who delves into erotica knows that there is more to it than putting two or more naked bodies together. Considering all elements, like the position of the models or the expressions on their faces, are critical to creating anything erotic. Even more, the story itself needs to build tension and allure.

To be genuinely erotic, an image or story should be more than just mere pornography. There is an abundance of that, and it takes no imagination to view or read. Real erotica should tell a story, create sexual tension, and, if done right, make the person seeing or reading it get lost in that moment as if they are there. I wanted to share some of the things used to create a beautiful piece of erotica. These suggestions will help make those looking at it get turned mentally as well as physically.

Sometimes Less is more.

 What is missing from the image or tale can be as important as what is present. Elements should interact with one another in suggestive ways without being explicit. But, expressions of desire are present in the eyes, on the mouth, or with a gesture, always. It is possible to express allure with very little, using graphics and/or composition to say something clearly. Hinting at the models’ intent or what their thinking with a gesture or expression can be a powerful tool without creating something that is overtly sexual. Being provocative and not always explicit is a vital ingredient in making anything erotic.

Create Intentional Tension.

Stimulate the viewer’s imagination or even strand them in a moment of anticipation – as the electricity felt in the air just before lighting strikes. Erotica is psychological by nature. It’s a fundamental difference in what makes a work erotic versus pornographic. There is an expression for it: “the tease.” If you are working on a comic, pictorial or story, it’s essential to raise the temperature slowly to evoke emotional anticipation. If it’s always heavy-handed with raw sexual imagery, it may insight emotion among some viewers, but it will miss the mark on erotic and lose those who want to feel intensely sensual when viewing or reading erotica.

Be Unique and feel it.

When Salvador Dali painted “The Great Masturbator” in 1929, I am 1000% sure he wasn’t looking at someone else’s work when painting it, but instead drawing on his own emotion to create his style of art. Originality goes a long way in creating works that provoke intense emotions. Creating carbon copies of what everyone else is doing is a great way to learn the art of creating erotica. This is especially true if you are mimicking the work of artists like Amy Matthews, Martine Johanna, or Jasper Goodall, but eventually, being true to your desires is essential to creating erotica that inspires others. To make a work sexy, you have to feel that way, which only comes from inside you. If you rely solely on what you see via porn or what someone else has done, then you will likely miss the mark because you have no emotional connection to it.

Don’t Take It Too Seriously.

People take sex way too seriously. Many a terrible thing can come from people having pent up and twisted notions about sex. This truth makes sex and depicting it a sometimes tricky matter. It can easily offend the still puritan notions of sexuality that predominate in society or elicit bad memories. Putting some humor into your work can allow you to cut through all the hang-ups people have. Humor can disarm the audience and enable them to come to the erotic work with open minds, and who knows, maybe become a little less prudish. 

Know Your Audience

Context can be as important as a work’s concept. There is a difference between a bedroom and a subway car. Each setting has a different personality. If you establish a context, you build a narrative that is very much different from just posing a pinup to evoke lust. There is nothing wrong with that, but knowing who is viewing your art is essential here, because if you want to attract everyone, men and women alike, then your work should have a balance of both visual elements and a narrative. Women want anticipation and a story, while men excite more at the visual. Knowing who is looking should influence the type of art you create.

Erotica is about the anticipation in an encounter rather than an explicit act. It is about evoking emotion beyond just making someone wet or hard. It stimulates the mind as much as the body when we get erotica right.