The way we express ourselves intimately with our partners in real life seldom resembles the glamorous heaving and sighing of movie sex scenes. Italian artist Riccardo Mannelli eschews these cinematic cliches when he conveys personal moments between couples. In his ongoing series of works on paper, Mannelli’s approach to erotica feels natural and unpretentious. The bodies he focuses on are not idealized by any means: He honestly depicts his subjects’ aging physiques, tattoos, and body hair. By embracing these so-called imperfections, Mannelli celebrates their beauty.
In honor of Valentine's Day, the annual 
Netherlands-based illustrator 
On scraps on paper, the drawings of Turkish artist Razi Razavi seem to apparate in a ghostly manner, the artist’s sparse details having both uneasy and captivating effects. Each visage carries its own, private narrative, yet many stare directly into the viewer’s eyes. As you’lll see below, the artist’s practice also extends to painting, yet maintains similar qualities.
Sasaku Kusuriyubi’s wild characters and scenes carry both joyful and otherworldly qualities. The artist, garnering praise on social media from the likes of James Jean and Yu Maeda, seems to take influence from both anime, mythology, and a broader pop sensibility.