Please have this speedy Merthur sketch. Time is on low supply nowadays.

"Aftercare" for @merlin-bdsm-week

You have made us proud, the Merlin fandom once again rose to the occasion and brought us 34 amazing fanworks!

You can check them out in the masterlist HERE

Remember to show your love to your fellow fans all year long!

Whereter you participated or not, we's like to hear your thoughts for the future, we'd like to have some FEEDBACK:

please take a minute to answer our 2023 Feedback Form

(literally takes 1-2 minutes)

And if you still have some steam to blow, I hope we'll see you join Kinkalot this summer ;)

Magical restraints

Fandom: BBC’s Merlin (post-canon) AU / Harry Potter AU: Dark!Merlin

The magical restrains of Merlin the Great on Arthur Pendragon, Once and Future King.

Made for the @merlin-bdsm-week.

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“So, you’ll go dark wizard on me, after all...” Arthur mumbles, resigned to his fate. “This isn’t going ‘dark wizard on you’, Arthur.” Arthur didn’t expect an answer. He blinks. “This is ‘alternative and constructive use of magic’, if you will.” Merlin is staring. Arthur doesn’t understand if he’s waiting for a retort, or if he’s waiting to see the moment he gives up any pretence of fighting what even the famed Once and Future King cannot fight. Arthur doesn’t have the slightest intention of yielding, though: he’s left with only his honour and he won’t let Merlin crush it. “What you’re doing,” Arthur yanks at the restraints. Useless: they don’t budge an inch. “What you’re planning to do is not ‘constructive’.” Merlin is still staring, unblinking. There’s amusement in his eyes. Like a cat that plays with the mouse before the killing blow. Arthur can’t accept it that he’s playing the role of the mouse. And even if he’s tied up and unable to even twitch his head without Merlin’s permission, Arthur builds up his courage. At least Merlin appears to be listening, so he must talk. “What you’re about to do is destructive” Despite it all, he can’t stop hoping. Perhaps Merlin is still in time to stop. Perhaps... “Oh, what I’ll use on you will be,” Merlin’s voice is further lower and threatening now. And Arthur can’t stop the shiver that runs down his back. “What I’ll do to you will be constructive and instructive, Arthur. To teach you your place.”

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More about the AU under the cut. (More fanworks from the fandom at the proper tag)

Merlin bdsm week Day 3:  Magic | Punishment

Thank you to everyone that participated in this year's Merlin BDSM week!

Please continue to enjoy these wonderful works and share your love with the creators! ♥

DAY 1

• Day 1: Negotiation - Created by NotInPublic Lost and Found - Merthur, 3k, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

• Day 1: Negotiation, Safeword - Created by Salamandair The Art of Negotiating - Merthur, 1.8k, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

DAY 2

• Day 2: Sex Toys - Created by NotInPublic For the first time - Merthur, 6k

• On Day 8 for day 2: Sex Toys - Created by PapySanzo Sex Toys - Merthur , fanart

• On Day 8 for day 2: Sex Toys, Sex Shop - Created by Shana_Rose First Meeting - Gwen/Morgana, moodboard

• On Day 8 for day 2: Sex Toys, Sexy Shop - Created by Sunfall_of_Ennien Would You Like That Gift-Wrapped? - Merthur, Gwaine/Percival, fanart

• On Day 8 for day 2: Sex Toys - Created by SageOwl Put A Ring On It - , 3.9k

DAY 3

• Day 3: Magic - Created by prue84 Magical restraints - Merthur, manip, drabble

• Day 3: Punishment - Created by NotInPublic On the edge - Merthur, 3.5k

• Day 3: Magic, Punishment, Glory Hole - Created by SH_After_Vesper Hold yourself down - Merthur, 2.9k, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

• Day 3: Magic, Punishment - Created by shana-rosee just think of the fun things we could do - Gwen/Morgana, moodboard

• On Day 8 for day 3: Punishment, Glory Hole - Created by Sunfall_of_Ennien The Game - Gwaine/Percival, Gwaine/Knights, 1.3k

DAY 4

• Day 4: Dungeon - Created by naughtystelle Prisoner - Merlin, fanart, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

• On Day 8 for day 4: Sensation play - Created by Sunfall_of_Ennien To Make You Feel My Love - Merthur

• On Day 8 for day 4: Sensation play, Scene - Created by Shana_Rose can't keep my hands to myself - Gwen/Morgana, moodboard

• On Day 8 for day 4: Sensation play - Created by Ravenwilds Touch Line - Arthur/Percival, 2.6K

DAY 5

• Day 5: Pain - Created by NotInPublic I don't want to wait in vain - Merthur, 2k

• On Day 8 for day 5: Pain, SadoMaso, Marks - Created by Excited_insomniac The Boy From Wales - Merthur , 6.5k, warning: underage

• On Day 8 for day 5: Pain - Created by NotInPublic The cover of darkness - Gwen/Morgana, 1.8k, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

• On Day 8 for day 5: Pain - Created by Sunfall_of_Ennien Return To Me - Merthur, fanart

DAY 6

• Day 6: Aftercare - Created by NotInPublic All that remains is you - Merthur, 2.7k - panic attack, safeword use

• Day 6: Aftercare - Created by artstelle Untitled - Merthur, fanart

• On Day 8 for day 6: Aftercare - Created by Shana_Rose I'll take care of you - Gwen/Morgana, moodboard

• On Day 8 for day 6: Subspace - Created by Sunfall_of_Ennien Falling Slowly - Merthur, fanart

• On Day 8 for day 6: Aftercare - Created by Sunfall_of_Ennien Sweet Release - Merthur, fanart

DAY 7

• Day 7: Bondage - Created by miraylasmut "I have you for breakfast" - Merthur, fanart

• Day 7: Bondage - Created by miraylasmut A gift neatly wrapped | Punishment for self deprecation - Merthur, fanart

• Day 7: Bondage - Created by s0mmerspr0ssen The Night of the Senses - Merthur , 23.7k

• Day 7: Bondage - Created by Sage_Owl All Tied Up - Merthur , 4k

• Day 7: Bondage - Created by artstelle Untitled - Gwaine/Percival, fanart

• Day 7: Bondage - Created by PapySanzo Shibari - Merthur , fanart

• On Day 8 for day 7: Bondage - Created by Shana_Rose pain is for pleasure - Gwen/Morgana, moodboard

DAY 8

• On Day 8 for day 8 8: Multiple Prompts - Created by bad_peppermint Monitor - Merthur , 5.3k

• On Day 8 for day 8 8: Your own - Created by princessoftheworlds, violetmessages pretty boys and pretty things - Merthur , 3.1k

If you're creating a visual oriented fanwork or you're a writer who needs to see all the details to craft the perfect sentence, we thought of you!

This resource post is for visuals. It is geared towards artists who have never drawn BDSM art or want to try to represent new kinks for our fest.

⚠️ Proceed with caution! ⚠️

There are no images in this post, only links. All the links contain nsfw content varying from artistic nudity to sexual photos. 🔞 I specify the content (cw) of the website linked to the best of my ability, but none of it is appropriate for the average office workplace.

Please be mindful of your own triggers and limits before clicking any link.

■ General advice

Drawing kinky and/or bdsm scenes for the first time requires some level of research, but depending on what you want to depict it can be more or less than your average piece of art.

Drawing temperature play with ice? As easy as googling "ice". Drawing specific gear like puppy play hoods or a shibari design might require more diving.

■ Genitals

Before delving in the saucier part, I thought some basics might be a good introduction. Not all BDSM involves genitals, but some of it does, so take what you need.

[cw the following are all drawn 2d tutorials of genitals]

- Tutorial on dicks - More dicks and piercings - T-dick in various states - T-dick more in detail - Vulva tutorial - Vulva tutorial on pixiv

For more drawn references the sites that have the best tagging system are imo: • Rule 34 [cw the page opens to an anime drawing of a girl in bikini, depending on what you search it contains every kind of 2d porn] • Pixiv (requires login) [cw, before login it has a sfw interface, once you log in the main page differs (it shows what's popular at the moment etc) so it can contain 2D porn or be entirely sfw, proceed with caution]

Why looking at nsfw art? Looking at art first might ease you into the subject and make it feel less awkward, and artists tend to accentuate details, so observing other artists is a great tool to see what they did and seeing if it works for us too!

■ Now, onto Real Life Resources!

• For genital photos, but also for any kink I'm sure a reddit community or thread exists! While reddit has a bad reputation from its user base, when it comes to unedited nsfw photos is a great place to look at, the downside is that often the photos are not professional and the face is cropped for privacy reasons. • Flickr has a good tagging/filtering system and while it doesn't have explicit sexual content, it allows kink and "artistic nudity", some examples: - Shibari Group on Flickr [cw: photos of people of various genders, tied up, various states of undress, genitals can be seen in some photos] - Folsom Berlin Group on Flickr [cw: people in bdsm gear, parading for the fair in the streets, leather, latex, various states of undress but no genitals showing in the first page linked]

note: Folsom is an annual BDSM and leather subculture street fair, there are many pride events with a parade part dedicated to kink or leather: looking into Pride photos could be a great way to take a look at gear being worn without having to seek porn • Check Youtube for gear reviews, sex education content and dungeon tours like this one by sexplanations [cw sfw video showing a dungeon and some activities are demonstrated by a woman as the sub and a male dom, both clothed] • Twitter has some content but it's basically impossible to filter properly, so I don't personally use it, but following some accounts as you find them or looking at tags, like Shibari Photography [cw people tied up, nudity] might get you some interesting results • Go back to the origins and check DeviantArt. DA has some amazing stock photos [cw might contain nudity] - for example I recently found this account on DA (thetiedtyper) [cw naked women in stock, pillories and chains, full nudity] that has some kinky stocks photos, perfect for the Merlin setting! • Browse BDSM Sex Shops online (or irl if you want to): sex shops have good photos of the gear and also they use the proper name for them, so you can look further into it. - Mr S Leather [cw bdsm gay sex shop, photos of examples of the objects used during sexual activity, naked bodies and genitals showing] - Etsy [cw bsdm gear search on etsy, nudity, naked people showing the accessories] While buying handmade sexual paraphernalia can be risky, there's no risk in looking at these amazing crafts to feature them in your art. You can find some really creative stuff here. • Change search engine Have you noticed how, no matter how hard you try, google will never show you decent nsfw results? I have, and it's because their filter is busted Ecosia and DuckDuckGo work best in my experience, but I'm sure other alternatives exist. You can use our resource post to see some keywords to use. • Look at porn Most porn websites have good photos or at least free video previews. I personally don't look at videos unless I need to understand a specific practice or pose (thing can get complicated ;) ) Porn is great to get the anatomy (we can bend in unexpected ways!) and also to get the way different parts interact. A rope can be tighter or more loose and that impacts the skin and fat/muscle of the person. Leather bends and reflect light a certain way. Even the simple ice from my initial example might surprise us with how the skin reacts with goosebumps or reddens and how the ice slides over it. You can also notice the set: some porn sets are simpler and some are dungeons with a very neat aesthetic, a gloryhole setting might look shady and dirty or be a "normal" bathroom stall. Just a couple examples: - DBNaked [cw: explicit porn, photos of extreme bdsm practices, the link directs to the BDSM gay category, but the website features porn of every kind, you can search the categories/tags to what suits your needs] - This shibari Japanese website which I'm including because the ropework is beautiful [cw solo photos of men from clothed to naked, tied up and with other various kinks involved, unrelated but it features a lot of clothing kink too XD]

■ Materials that will make your life easier

You've got the reference, your visual library is full, what can make your drawing experience even smoother?

Many programs have assets/materials that can help you

• Clip Studio Assets: - This rope brush set (you might recognize from our banner <3) 100 clippy Content ID: 1843256 - Free rope brushes - This free chain brush Content ID: 1844909 - Free Seam brush, useful for giving details to leather and corsets Content ID: 1848691 - Free Stitch brush for more clothes or accessories detailing Content ID: 1896762 - This "fluid" brush, 10 clippy, worth it! I swear by this one, I use it mostly for sweat and it's *chef's kiss Content ID: 1790153 Some Materials websites do not allow terms like 'blood' or 'semen/come' so artists may use "glue" or other alternative search terms. CSP has a lot of scars brushes and many more <3 you can easily look at them in the assets, depending on which kink you choose. But what about other art programs? • Gumroad is a marketplace for artists. Search 'keyword + brush' and toggle the NSFW button on to have more results. The price might vary from a couple dollars to more depending on the kind of brush and set. Gumroad also has nsfw photo packs, if you really want a specific thing or to check them out. - Free Glue Brush for Procreate - Free Mystery Liquid for procreate - Free milk brush for Procreate • DeviantArt [cw this opens the main page for DA, may contain nudity or 2d porn] has some materials you might use.

I didn't go more in depth for Photoshop because i think it has its own shop/marketplace. For Krita and other softwares I couldn't find any brush, I think their software engine is not as advanced right now.

The textures on Gumroad and DA work for all programs.

■ Follow nsfw artists and engage with the community

Many artists share what they use or where they got it, and can often give useful tips, no matter what they draw. I hope these tips, as modest as they are, will be helpful not only for the BDSM week, but also for Kinkalot and the rest of your creative path ♡

In conclusion, whether you choose to draw Arthur in a simple and cute collar (cw sfw cute collar) or to paint a well negotiated BDSM orgy of the Knights roleplaying as Merlin's slaves, remember to have fun!

You're ready to create, but you've never heard half the words on the prompt list??

Here are some resources to get you started with research!

Remember that BDSM culture is HUGE! (no pun intended) The community has been alive for years and it's culture varies between places and generations, this is but a little starter.

I hope these pages will help you learn something about our prompts and get inspired

❤️🖤💙🖤💙

• Dictionary of common terms

• BDSM terms everyon should know (video on youtube)

• Safewords and Safesigns

• Negotiation

• SSC (safe sane consensual) and RACK (risk aware consensual kink)

• Dom Space | Dom Drop

• Sub Space | Sub Drop link 1, link 2

• Aftercare (video on youtube)

Related Youtube Channels:

■ Evie Lupine

■ Watts the Safeword

Browse different articles by tags: https://the-iron-gate.com/essays/

A good BDSM session starts from good etiquette: negotiating! Setting a safeword! Discussing risks and consent!

Are your characters just getting started or are they well beyond?

We can't wait to see what you created for our start!