Illustrator Alfredo Roagui has built a world where mermen flirt, fairy-tale heroes hit the gym, and even the most imposing warrior might pause for coffee with his boyfriend. His art lives at the intersection of fantasy and queer desire, shaped by childhood cartoons, Disney magic, and a fondness for big pecs.
“My favorite movie is The Little Mermaid, LOL,” Alfredo says. That early obsession with animated world, from He-Man to Thundercats to Batman, left a mark. Those larger-than-life universes gave him a visual vocabulary rooted in adventure and spectacle. Over time, he began bending those influences toward something more personal.
Fantasy, he explains, offers room to explore beauty and attraction without apology. “It feels playful and powerful,” he says. That duality runs through his portfolio, where mythic creatures and reimagined storybook figures take center stage.
Reworking Icons Through a Queer Lens
Alfredo frequently revisits familiar characters and reshapes them into burly, grown-up heartthrobs. A once-boyish Peter Pan becomes broad-shouldered and confident. Classic Disney archetypes return with added muscle and a knowing smirk.
His process starts simply: sketching. “I explore different poses and compositions until the concept feels right,” he says. The drawing phase is where the character gains personality. Once the vision clicks, he refines the linework and moves into digital color.
Working digitally allows for flexibility, especially when reimagining iconic figures. Still, he’s quick to acknowledge the power of traditional mediums and the discipline they require.
When developing a piece, inspiration may begin with a mood, dreamy, romantic, or playful, but attraction plays a role too. “I tend to draw the kind of guys I’m personally drawn to,” he says, laughing. That often means muscular builds and, yes, a soft spot for redheads. Mermen, in particular, resurface again and again.
Strength, Softness, and Queer Masculinity
Alfredo’s men are imposing, yet rarely intimidating. There’s a wink in their gaze. A tenderness in the way they lean toward one another.
He traces that balance back to early exposure to classic pin-up imagery. His father admired Marilyn Monroe, and that glossy, calendar-style glamour stuck with him. Now, he channels that tradition into queer subjects. “I’m more interested in being sweet and spicy than explicit,” he says.
While his work centers stylized physiques, he sees it as part of a broader conversation about queer masculinity. Some critics have questioned his focus on specific body types. Alfredo counters that fantasy has always exaggerated desire. He also notes that he’s illustrated a range of skin tones and builds, even if audiences sometimes fixate on a single image.
The messages he values most come from viewers who say his work inspired confidence, or even motivated them to start a fitness journey. “If it makes someone feel seen or delighted, that means a lot,” he says.
Ordinary Moments, Mythic Men
Not every piece unfolds in an underwater kingdom. Alfredo often places his fantasy men in everyday scenarios: riding a carousel, attending Pride as a family, spending a day at Disneyland.
The family scenes, he reveals, are personal. Some illustrations are direct nods to his own life, snapshots transformed into stylized, muscle-bound tributes. “We’re all pretty ordinary,” he says. Grounding his characters in familiar settings makes them easier to connect with.
That accessibility extends to how he defines sensuality. Suggestion, he believes, is stronger than explicit detail. “You don’t need all the vegetables in the pot to make a great soup,” he jokes. Leaving space for imagination keeps the work flirtatious rather than graphic.
From Screen to Calendar Walls
Alfredo launched his now-signature calendar project 16 years ago, riding the early wave of social media exposure. Since then, his art has traveled far beyond his studio, landing in homes across Amsterdam, London, Prague, and throughout Mexico.
Seeing his illustrations pinned to someone’s wall never gets old. Fans tag him each month as they flip the page, turning his digital creations into part of their daily routine.
And yes, certain themes consistently draw attention. “Mermen… and big pecs!” he says.
What’s Next
Looking back at earlier work, Alfredo sees growth rather than embarrassment. Developing a style, he says, takes patience. Improvement comes from trial and error, not shortcuts.
As for the future, his imagination shows no signs of slowing. He’s considering more mermen, more couples, maybe even a series of muscular men holding cats. Above all, he wants to keep building worlds that feel romantic and inviting.
In Alfredo’s universe, fantasy isn’t an escape from reality. It’s a reframing, one where queer desire is warm, joyful, and allowed to take up space.
For more of Alfredo’s work you can visit his website.
