French cartoonist Benoît Girier, known by his pseudonyms Lematou for regular comics and Artoupan for erotic works, was born on April 9, 1976, in the Lyon region. Originally a biology student, he quickly shifted his focus to the fine arts, studying in Montpellier.
Scoundrel
"Artoupan" meaning "rogue, scoundrel or good-for-nothing" in the Lyon dialect, reflects his bold, sensuous approach, especially in works like Mahârâja, where he explores sensuality through vibrant, atmospheric compositions.
Fig.1. Fantaisie Forestière (Forest Fantasy)
Fig.1a
Vaporous Atmosphere
Artoupan’s style is marked by his exclusive use of pencil, which lends his line a unique patina and creates a soft, vaporous atmosphere. Warm, luminous colors enhance the delicate and sensual feel of each scene, immersing the reader in a richly textured visual experience that perfectly complements his storytelling.
Drawing Techniques
In a 2015 interview Artoupan explained the following about his drawing techniques: "In drawing, I do everything in pencil. I like having shades of gray, grain and texture in the stroke. Also, I've never been able to get a result with ink that I like. I go over the light table to get a usable result. When it comes to colors, I create color areas to keep the line as present as possible necessary to me. And to break the cold side of the digital colors, I add textures."
Fig.2. Amour Fauve
Fig.2a
Kama Sutra
Artoupan applied these techniques, and his interest in Indian culture and the Kama Sutra, in the three erotic comics that he has created so far in collaboration with the writer Frédéric Brémaud (working on the 'erotic' pseudonym Labrémure). The story of the first album Mahârâja (Maharadja) issued in 2012, is set in the year 1917, where a scandal arises on Lake Como when a maharaja's secret visit causes chaos. Their next album from 2015, Nuit Indienne (Indian Nights), features the male protagonist Léon Latourette who schemes with a notorious thief to steal a priceless diamond. And in their latest album from 2019 entitled Le Cinéaste (The Filmmaker), we follow Adélie pursuing her stolen diamond (again), risking scandal, love, and freedom along the way. Artoupan's preference for red-haired beauties is clearly visible as the female leads all have this hair color.
Fig.3. Adélie d'Arcueil
Fig.3a
Fig.4 Indian Nights, cover drawing of the B&W version for the eponymous album
Fig.5. "The Thieving Magpie", illustration for the B&W version of Indian Nights
Fig.6. "Exquisite Greyhound", illustration from the project Illustrated Carnal Education written by Géraldine Bindi
Fig.6a
Fig.7. "Seductive Bigot ", illustration from the project Illustrated Carnal Education written by Géraldine Bindi
Fig.8. "Reverie", commissioned illustration, published in the B&W version of Nuits Indiennes (Indian Nights)
Fig.8a
Fig.9. "The Bride Was on the Run", cover drawing for the first adventure of Diane d'Aventin by Nelly Chadour, published by Le Carnoplaste.
Fig.10. Baignade (The Bath)
Fig.10a
Fig.11. The Maharani of Pondicherry
Fig.11a
Fig.12. The Unfinished Masterpiece
Fig.12a
In the extended Premium edition you can check out a wonderful gallery including 36 additional examples of Artoupan's most arousing erotica from the comics The Filmmaker, Indian Nights, Mahârâja, his framed "Indecent Miniatures" series and commissioned work. Premium members can click here for instant access.
More artwork on Artoupan's site
Click HERE for the orgiastic aesthetics of the adult comic legend Roberto "Magnus" Raviola
Sources: x.com, camillemm.com, artoupan.fr, planetebd.com, lemaharaja.blogspot.com
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