Some artists draw nature because it's beautiful. Adrien Gaudin draws it because he needs to. The French illustrator behind two of Lake's most loved coloring books - Journey into Nature and Nature Lovers - makes work that feels like a quiet exhale. Playful shapes, careful colors, scenes pulled straight from forest walks and sun-drenched gardens. His coloring pages have become a quiet ritual for thousands of people looking for a mindful pause in their day. This April, we sat down with Adrien to talk about where his illustrations come from, what he hopes people find in them, and the moment in nature he keeps coming back to, long after it passed.
For anyone who doesn't know your work yet, how would you describe what you create?
"My illustrations are a playful, gentle, and caring safe place. I may not be able to change the world, so I've chosen to create my own. I draw the boundaries of this world from the positive experiences of my expeditions in the forests and mountains, as well as the rewarding work my fiancée and I put into our garden to grow our own vegetables."
Your work has a very distinct feel. It's playful and colorful, but also grounded. How did you arrive at that style?
"Over time, I have built a creative bubble where nothing can go wrong. Witnessing the current state of the world - the political, economic, and ecological crises - creating an artistic safe haven felt like a necessity. It is a sanctuary not only for myself but for everyone who encounters my work."
You're based in Angoulême, you have a cat named Georges, and you spend a lot of time in your garden. How much of your real life ends up in your work?
"Many of my illustrations are born from memories: the warmth of a sun-drenched garden, the awe of a mountain landscape, or the quiet peace of a sunset. In many ways, my coloring books are like an illustrated personal diary."
"I can't change the world, so I might as well ensure that my work serves to raise awareness about these issues."
There's something very deliberate about choosing to draw the natural world over and over. Is it love, is it activism, is it something else?
"I think it's a bit of both. I have a deep love for nature: learning how it functions, admiring different species, and understanding their impact on the environment. On my own scale, it's also a form of activism. I can't change the world, so I might as well ensure that my work serves to raise awareness about these issues."
Journey into Nature and Nature Lovers - two books, both rooted in the outdoors. What were you trying to give people with each one?
"Nature is everything. Without it, we are nothing. Yet, in the rush of our 100-mile-an-hour lives, we often forget how to stop and wonder. I use my illustrations as an invitation to slow down and reconnect with the natural world, reminding us of its importance and our responsibility to protect it."
"We often forget how to stop and wonder. I use my illustrations as an invitation to slow down and reconnect with the natural world."
There's something interesting about creating an illustration that's intentionally unfinished - left for someone else to complete with color. How do you think about that?
"It is incredibly rewarding to see people project their own stories onto my work. They essentially merge their personal memories with my own. Where I might have depicted a forest in its springtime green, they might remember those same trees dressed in autumn orange."
Coloring pages from Adrien's books colored by Lake team members.
What do you think digital coloring gives people that they might not be able to put into words?
"As the saying goes, an image speaks a thousand words. Certain moods defy description. There is often that je ne sais quoi that captures your heart unexpectedly - a cozy vibe that puts you at ease in ways you can't quite explain."
Last question: what's the last thing in nature that stopped you in your tracks?
"I was out hiking with my partner in the fields near our home. As the sun began to dip, bringing on the golden hour, an immense and majestic hare suddenly emerged from the grass and stood right before us. We both froze, captivated. It was one of those fleeting, magical moments where time seems to stand still."
Speaking of golden hour - if Adrien's answer made you want to pick up a color, watch a quick tip on how to bring a sunset to life and then try it yourself in Lake.
Maybe that's what Earth Month is really about - not the grand gestures, but the moments that stop you mid-hike and remind you what's worth protecting.
