A French illustrator and computer artist is picking up a big following with his incredible images of muscle-bound guys. Alex Bronnings is more commonly known under his Albron moniker.
Aged 43, he was born and raised in the west of France, but now lives in Paris.
He tells GSN that he studied at the Beaux-Art school in Nantes: ‘But it was a very traditionalist art school, nothing about digital illustration, and nothing about 3D… Well, It was at the end of the 90’s so 3D software was not so common or affordable!’
‘I started learning 3D in 2010 during the subprime crisis, as most of my clients from events agencies were stopping their activities.’
Nowadays, he takes full advantage of 21st century technology: ‘I sculpt my men in Zbrush and do my renders using Blender, a 3D software. The clothes are created in software called Marvelous designer.’
‘Being sexy is not just about having a great body’
He says he has long been a fan of musclemen, but it’s men with more than muscle that really interest him.
‘I’ve always been attracted by big guys. My characters are cartoonish; they are exaggerations of that fantasy.
‘Being sexy is not just about having a great body; it’s a whole attitude. And I like guys with personality, and especially when they are funny. That’s why my men are mostly smiling and look like nice guys! Well, I hope they do.’
In this sense, his work echoes that of another master of erotic art: Tom of Finland. Like Albron, the drawings of Touko Valio Laaksonen made an impression on many gay guys because they showed men laughing, smiling and enjoying their sexuality.
Albron’s work is reaching a wider audience at the moment because he is increasing his merchandise – primarily with the creation of his first calendar.
‘The calendar is a big step for me. I wanted to do one for a while but it’s something that takes a long time to prepare. And I had no experience in selling things by myself. But Etsy is great for that. And it’s super cool to be directly in contact with people who enjoy my work.’
Besides the Etsy calendar – which carries the full, explicit images of some of the images included here – he has a Redbubble shop offering mugs and T-shirts.
He also does the occasional private commission or creates art for fans through his Patreon page – where people can donate money in exchange for access to exclusive content. This is often more explicit.
‘It’s a cool way to exchange with people who are following me and my work. Sometimes, I can be very surprised with the demand of my commissioners!’
Virtual reality
As for the future, Albron has big ambitions.
‘Animation is a dream. Maybe one day I’ll be able to do some, but I’ll have to hire at least one person for that. For now, I’m working alone, creating my images. An image is taking me between 3-10 days to be created. And I try to do around four images per month.
‘But one thing I want to develop is Virtual Reality. I started a few weeks ago creating stereoscopic images in 360 degrees and it’s very promising. With a VR headset, you’re able to stand close to my men, as if they were really in the same room as you. The feeling of depth and volume is incredible.
‘That’s something I definitely want to develop further in 2018. It offers incredible possibilities.’
See also
Meet the man behind some of the world’s most stunning, gay erotic manga