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slyeagle — Virility
Published: 2011-07-27 18:23:51 +0000 UTC; Views: 5094; Favourites: 276; Downloads: 72
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Description
GraphitePostwork in CS3
I'm not sure about the "color" version, here. I may change it back to the grayscale.
Anyway, yes. Unicorn. I drew him for my husband (who recently had a birthday. Happy b-day, sweetie~). I also drew him for me, the way I like unicorns, the way they were envisioned back when people believed they were real creatures. Back when if you went to the deepest woods of the most exotic places, you could find the cure for all poisons in the creature that represented the treasure of everything that becomes a young man. The creature that often represented Christ himself.
I have a desire to reclaim that sort of meaning in relation to unicorn imagery. I also have a desire to reclaim positive aspects of masculinity in our culture. Everywhere I look in current art, I see virtue and beauty related to female figures only. The few artists that use male figures in such a fashion get labeled negatively labeled "gay", turning virtue and beauty back into feminine aspects immediately. What is masculine, then? Agression and destruction. That's not right.
Screw you, current values. It's time for some re-evaluation. Beauty, serenity, life, mystery, and fortitude shouldn't only belong only to half the friggin' population.
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Comments: 53
This unicorn looks like a puppy with its tail between its legs. When I then saw that it was titled "Virility," I assumed it must be saying that virility should be (or is) ashamed of itself. I'm sadly unable to see in this picture what you're striving to convey. ;_;
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Questioning the stereotypes of the modern world? Yes please!
This a truly beautiful work and my only critiques are that the unicorn's legs are a little too slender for the proportion you set for the rest of his body - makes it look a tad unbalanced. But you did a great job on the water. It could end up looking flat but having just the right reflections gives it a sense of realism without loosing the serenity you were obviously going for.
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This is lovely! I really like the way you handled this!
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Beautiful work! I totally agree with your description too
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Very pure. Very graceful, and delicate. The mirror effect and the white lotus - gorgeous.
What is masculinity? I wouldn't know, I guess. My man is very thoughtful and gentle. To me kindness has always been important. Bambi and Simba were my childhood heroes - young, strong, calm, and determined. Heck, my favourite personal character that I am drawing currently is a male unicorn, and I love the thing to pieces.
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Wow, I love this piece, your anatomy is beautiful! Great work <3
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What a lovely unicorn. 
I say this as someone who prefers kirin to the western depiction of unicorns.
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So you admit it! Western stuff can be cool too! XD
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I do like western stuff. XD It's just I've been kinda jaded on unicorns with all the emphasis on female chastity. =/ Unicorn as symbol of male virility and beauty is way cooler in my opinion.
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Astonishing look and I love the reflection in the water like that awesome touch!
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It truly is a stunning piece worthy of comment.
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this is very beautiful.
i know what you mean about masculinity.
it often annoys me that some men feel they have to be relentlessly macho otherwise they will be seen as girly or gay.
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Exactly. I drew it for my husband, who is not at all macho, but I've never thought of him as effeminate.
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I know how you feel about the masculinity thing. You know I have one piece that I think is really touching that gets NO attention because it is two men. I love the moment I captured and don't feel such times have to be between a man and a woman or two women only! SO IRRITATING! and you also know that my main character is male. I get more crap about how I should have made him a girl, or that a man can't be beautiful like that and he's so effeminate... Why is he tainted or assumed to be a woman because he has a little depth to his features? He still has a well defined adam's apple (Irony since he's Cain) and a noticeable bulge that I never intentionally put in his damned pants. He's most assuredly male whether I like it or not. He even has a thumpingly huge nose and angular features, but somehow he still comes across as girlish?.. men feel too damnit... and if they don't, kickem in the nuts, then they'll feel something, LOL.
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It's his well-defined and detailed lips. Come on, everyone knows that only the females of the species has lips.
...to be honest, the faces of the women in most comic books look like men with fat lips and mascara to me. 
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LOL, I'm right there with you. I guess that's why I have always been drawn to indie books. some of those artists suffered through a few figure studies classes with models that took ballet or martial arts and you can tell. Their men are men and women are women. I tell the name slingers they can tell the difference because all my girls have the boobs I wish I was born with 
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This is a gorgeous unicorn - he is exactly as unicorns should be and he is how I imagine unicorns. Is it wrong that there's still a part of me that secretly (or not so secretly now that I just posted it to the internet 
What I particularly like about this unicorn is the combination of masculinity and grace. It is well-proportioned and is clearly not a delicate creature. I also like the color you chose for the eyes; very striking against the white hair.
And your commentary is spot-on. Let us reclaim that which is good, both in unicorns and in men! *cheers*
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If you don't want to see a unicorn someday, then you have no soul imho.
This comment makes me
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Amazing work, and the anatomy is spot on! 👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Personally, I don't see any color problems here. The whole peace is beautifully detailed, even with it's simplicity. It vibrates tranquility and mystery, giving me the impression that I'm glimpsing something that I ought not, that I happened upon sight.
Great peice. I'm faving this.
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Thank you so much! That is exactly what I was going for.
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Personally I like the dab of color, it gives it a bit of life while retaining its mystique. Also this guy is adorable, simply with the way he's peering back at the viewer.
Honestly I'm just gonna vote for the 'screw gender roles' option. I doubt whatever set of dangly bits one happens to have matters that much.
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The color is a little unkind to some shading errors though. >.> Might just have to fix them.
It's more about identity than roles, for me. People find a peace in belonging. When I was young, I didn't think dangly bits mattered. But the older I get (and the more they dangle >.>) I realize that I was wrong.
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Heh I can understand that. Its just too pretty to get rid of though. >_>;
*nod nod* Guess I get to be young and stubborn for now then.
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