illustrator Alfred Loagi has built a world where mermen flirt, fairy tale heroes hit the gym, and even the most regal warrior might stop for coffee with his boyfriend. His art lives at the intersection of fantasy and bizarre desire, shaped by childhood cartoons, the magic of Disney, and a love of pectorals.
“My favorite movie is little mermaidlol,” Alfredo says. he-man to thundercats to batmanleft a mark. Those larger-than-life universes gave him a visual vocabulary rooted in adventure and spectacle. Over time, he began to bend those influences towards something more personal.
Fantasy, he explains, provides space to explore beauty and glamor without making excuses. “It feels playful and powerful,” he says. That duality runs through his portfolio, where mythical creatures and reimagined fairy tale characters take center stage.
Reworking icons through a queer lens
Alfredo frequently revisits familiar characters and transforms them into strong, adult, heart-throbbing characters. Peter Pan, once a boy, becomes broad-shouldered and confident. Classic Disney archetypes return with added strength and knowing laughs.
His process begins simply with a sketch. “I explore different poses and compositions until I feel the concept is right,” he says. The drawing stage gives the character a unique personality. Once the vision is successful, we refine the line art and move on to digital color.
Working digitally gives you flexibility, especially when it comes to reimagining iconic figures. Still, he is quick to acknowledge the power of traditional mediumship and the discipline it requires.
When developing a piece, inspiration may start with a dreamy, romantic, playful, etc. atmosphere, but charm also plays an important role. “I tend to draw the types of men I’m personally attracted to,” he says with a laugh. That often means a muscular physique, and yes, a weakness for redheads. Merman in particular appears many times.
Strength, softness, and strange masculinity
Alfredo’s men are imposing, but hardly intimidating. There’s a wink in their gaze. Kindness that appears in the way they lean on each other.
He traces that balance to his early exposure to classic pin-up images. His father admired Marilyn Monroe, whose glossy, calendar-like charm stuck with him. Now he brings that tradition to queer subject matter. “I’m more into sweet and spicy stuff than anything overt,” he says.
Although his work centers on stylized bodies, he sees it as part of a broader conversation about queer masculinity. Some critics question his focus on a particular body type. Alfredo counters that fantasy always exaggerates desire. He also notes that he has depicted a variety of skin tones and body types, even though the audience may focus on a single image.
His most cherished messages are from viewers who say his work has given them confidence and even motivated them to start their fitness journey. “If someone feels noticed or happy, that means a lot,” he says.
Ordinary moments, mythical people
Not all works take place in an underwater kingdom. Alfredo often features fantasy men in everyday scenarios, such as riding a merry-go-round, attending Pride with his family, or spending a day at Disneyland.
He reveals that his family landscape is personal. Some of the illustrations are direct nods to his own life, with snapshots transformed into stylized muscular tributes. “We’re all pretty normal,” he says. Placing his characters in a familiar setting makes it easier to empathize with them.
That accessibility also extends to how he defines sensuality. He believes that implication is more powerful than explicit details. “You don’t need all the vegetables in the pot to make a great soup,” he jokes. By leaving room for imagination, the work becomes less graphic and more frivolous.
From screen to calendar wall
Riding an early wave of social media exposure, Alfredo launched his now signature calendar project 16 years ago. Since then, his art has gone beyond his studio and into homes in Amsterdam, London, Prague, and throughout Mexico.
Seeing his illustrations pinned to someone’s wall never gets old. Fans tag him as they turn the page each month, making his digital work a part of their daily lives.
And certainly certain themes always attract attention. “Merman…and big pecs!” he says.
what’s next
Looking back on his previous work, Alfredo feels growth rather than embarrassment. Developing a style requires patience, he says. Improvement comes from trial and error, not shortcuts.
As for the future, his imagination shows no signs of slowing down. He’s considering a series with more mermaids, more couples, and even a muscular man holding a cat. Most of all, he wants to continue building a romantic and charming world.
In Alfredo’s world, fantasy is not an escape from reality. It’s a reframing, one in which queer desire is allowed to occupy a warm, joyful space.
For more information about Alfredo’s work, please visit his website. Website.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
