🎨 Behind the scenes at Nus au soleil — how a poster comes to life

I regularly share new illustrations on social media and specialized forums, but I realized I've never taken the time to explain how they come to life. How do we go from a naturist beach to a framed poster on a wall? That's what I'm sharing with you today.

It all starts with a place — and an emotion

Every art print in the Nus au Soleil collection starts with a real location. Sometimes it's a place I've visited myself that left a strong impression: a unique light, an atmosphere, a sense of freedom that is hard to describe but instantly recognizable to anyone who has laid down a towel on a naturist beach. Sometimes a campsite or village contacts me for a collaboration, as was the case with La Chiappa in Porto-Vecchio. And sometimes, it's simply your suggestions in the comments that guide my pen.

In any case, before touching the graphic tablet, I spend time soaking in the atmosphere of the place. I look through photos and search for what makes it unique — that subtle detail that makes the spot recognizable at first glance: the pink flamingos of Sérignan, the Corsican pine trees of La Chiappa, the ocean light of CHM Montalivet, or the raw rocks of Calanque des Pierres Tombées…

Hand-drawn on a digital tablet — without AI

Then comes the actual drawing phase. All Nus au Soleil illustrations are drawn by hand on a graphic tablet. No artificial intelligence, no automatically generated imagery. In a world saturated with visual content produced in seconds by algorithms, I chose the opposite path: taking time, treating each location individually, with care.

This isn't a judgment on AI — it's simply the way I work, and I believe it aligns with the philosophy of the collection.

Naturism is also about slowing down and reconnecting with what matters. It felt only natural that the art prints celebrating it should themselves be the result of patient craftsmanship.

My artistic choice is to showcase landscapes rather than bodies. The goal: to allow any naturist, even a discreet one, to display their love for these destinations on their wall without raising questions from neighbors or in-laws 😄. The real creative challenge is precisely that: evoking the atmosphere and spirit of freedom of these places without showing nudity. It's an exercise I find fascinating.

Printing: Made in France in small batches

Once the illustration is complete, it goes to my printer. I choose to work with French printing partners, using high-quality paper, in small production runs. It's a choice that costs more than overseas mass production, but it reflects my values. In "naturism", there is "nature" — and manufacturing art prints on the other side of the world under opaque conditions felt hypocritical.

Each poster is printed locally with care. It’s not luxury for the sake of luxury; it’s simply about offering a product where quality and traceability are guaranteed from start to finish.

And delivery… by bike 🚴

One last detail I love to share: when you place an order, your package is prepared right at home, and I take it to the post office by bike. No large warehouse, no third-party logistics. It’s artisanal, sometimes a bit slower, but that's how I enjoy doing things.

That's also why the collection grows gradually over time and encounters, rather than suddenly exploding with fifty designs at once. Every poster represents genuine research, artwork, and printing care. And I hope you can feel it.

What about you?

Does the fact that a poster is hand-drawn, made in France, and delivered by bike matter to you when making a purchase? I have a feeling it does, but I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments 🌞

Best,

Gabriel