Ian David Marsden

Freelance Illustrator, Creative Director & Hand-Drawn Explainer Video Producer

I create custom illustration, hand-drawn explainer videos, whiteboard animation, visual storytelling, brand characters, campaign artwork, editorial illustration and graphic design for companies, publishers, agencies, NGOs, institutions and teaching platforms.

Based near Montpellier in the south of France and working internationally in English, French and German, I work directly with clients from concept, script interpretation and visual development through final artwork, animation, production files and delivery. The work is drawn, designed and produced by me — not assembled from stock libraries, template characters or AI-generated imagery.

With more than 35 years of professional experience, selected clients and collaborations include Google, Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, Dräger, Henkel, Wacom, RITZENHOFF, NZZ am Sonntag, The New Yorker and MAD Magazine. I was also the first Google Doodle artist.

Discuss a Project
View Case Studies
Explainer Video Production

Illustration, visual storytelling and hand-drawn communication

Selected areas of work across custom illustration, explainer video production, editorial and educational imagery, brand characters, campaign artwork, business comics, mascots and graphic design.

Hand-drawn explainer video and animation artwork by Ian David Marsden

Hand-Drawn Explainer Video Production

Freelance illustration and campaign artwork by Ian David Marsden

Freelance Illustration & Campaign Artwork

Logo, mascot and character design by Ian David Marsden

Logo, Mascot & Character Design

Creative direction and graphic design work by Ian David Marsden

Creative Direction & Graphic Design

Editorial, educational and publishing illustration by Ian David Marsden

Editorial, Educational & Publishing Illustration

Cartoons, comics and visual storytelling by Ian David Marsden

Business Comics, Cartoons & Visual Storytelling

Portfolio downloads

Download a concise overview of my illustration and design services in your preferred language.

Based near Montpellier, working internationally

I am based in southern France but I work internationally in English, French and German. For French local and regional design services, see Graphiste, illustrateur & directeur artistique à Claret, Montpellier et Pic Saint-Loup.

Email: [email protected]
Phone / WhatsApp: +33 (0)6 42 49 82 11

Selected clients & collaborations

A selection of organisations, publishers and brands I have worked with across illustration, visual communication, design, publishing and motion-led projects.

Selected clients of Ian David Marsden including Coca-Cola, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Dräger, Wacom and other illustration and visual communication clients.
Selected client and collaboration overview. View client portfolio.

A senior illustrator and creative director working across business, publishing, education and motion-led communication

My work sits between illustration, design and communication. Some projects need a single image. Others need a visual system: characters, diagrams, icons, storyboards, campaign artwork, packaging, presentation visuals, animated sequences, explainer video assets or complete hand-drawn video production.

I work directly with clients from first discussion to final delivery. Strategy, drawing, design decisions and production details stay connected throughout the project, which is especially useful when tone, accuracy, visual continuity and practical delivery all need to stay aligned.

Alongside my studio practice, I teach Illustration, Visual Arts and Image Analysis within the 3D Animation & VFX Master’s programme at ESMA Montpellier (École Supérieure des Métiers Artistiques). That teaching work connects directly to my commercial practice: composition, character, narrative structure, visual storytelling and the practical use of images to make ideas clearer.

Core services include freelance illustration, hand-drawn explainer video production, whiteboard animation, campaign illustration, editorial illustration, educational visuals, logo and mascot design, character design, creative direction, graphic design, business comics and visual communication for business, publishing and training.

Selected projects, collaborations and career highlights

A selection of projects and collaborations that reflect the range of my work across illustration, publishing, design, product imagery, entertainment, technology and brand communication.

Ian David Marsden was the first Google Doodle artist

Google Doodles

Wacom Featured Artist profile for Ian David Marsden

Wacom Featured Artist

Ritzenhoff packaging and product illustration by Ian David Marsden

RITZENHOFF Design

La Toya Jackson illustration and creative direction by Ian David Marsden

La Toya Jackson

Book and publication illustration by Ian David Marsden

Books & Publications

Sketchbook drawings and visual studies by Ian David Marsden

Sketchbook

Direct collaboration from concept to delivery

I work with publishers, agencies, institutions, organisations and independent businesses on creative direction, illustration, explainer videos and visual communication projects shaped by more than 35 years of international experience. Projects can begin with a rough idea, an approved script, a communication problem, an existing brand, a campaign brief, a teaching framework or a need for a single strong image.

Depending on the project, the final delivery may include finished illustrations, vector artwork, print-ready files, storyboards, explainer video assets, animated sequences, title graphics, characters, icons, packaging artwork, editorial images, presentation visuals and web-ready image exports.

Contact Ian
Download Portfolio PDF

Client Recommendations

Recommendations on LinkedIn
A few kind words from clients and collaborators across publishing, design, technology, hospitality and brand communication. 

★★★★★

“I’ve had the honor of following Ian David Marsden’s career for many years, a relationship that culminated in featuring him as an official Wacom Featured Artist back in 2012 (and confirming what many already know: Ian is a creative force).

Ian’s work stands out because he never lost touch with the fundamentals of drawing. His entire workflow, from the original concept sketch to the final complex vector illustration, is 100% hand-drawn. He uses modern digital tools not to replace traditional skill, but to enhance it, resulting in visuals that are expressive, dynamic, and technically flawless.

As the original Google Doodle artist and a creative whose portfolio includes The New Yorker, MAD Magazine, and Mercedes-Benz, Ian’s legacy in illustration is already cemented. If you are looking for an illustrator, cartoonist, or visual storyteller who brings decades of experience, unmatched versatility, and a truly unique, human touch to every project, look no further than Ian David Marsden.”

Pamela Park

E-mail Marketing and Influencer Outreach Programs Manager at Wacom Technology Corp.
(December 10, 2025)

★★★★★

“You want it done? You want it done right? You want it done on time? Here is somebody that knows his craft inside and out and doesn’t cut corners. He’ll think things through together with you and understand (!) what you are aiming for. He’ll point out what works (and more importantly … what doesn’t) and then execute it as agreed. Every engagement with him has worked out flawlessly.
P.S. Some extra features: Ian is smart, efficient and communicates fluently in more languages than I care to remember.”

Tom Geudens
Graph Database Expert
(March 21, 2025)

★★★★★

“Simply put, Ian is a visionary. He was tasked with creating all of the original artwork that would represent the multiple concepts in development within a boutique hotel setting, seamlessly blending the interior design, culture, and community of a significant, world-renowned, historically registered building. In doing so, Ian created multiple gallery-worthy pieces that perfectly embraced the heart and soul of the project. I could not possibly have been more pleased with his work. Ask him to show you his work based on the scope of this project and you will understand just how intuitively and capably he can fulfill your needs as well.”

Sam Spector
General Manager, The Culver Hotel, Culver City
Munchkins Restaurant • Duke’s Hideaway Bar • The Ruby Room Cocktail Lounge & Events
(March 24, 2025)

★★★★★

“In 2019 I redesigned my internet presence. Together with Ian, I developed a new logo, which puts more emphasis on my consulting personality. We have done this well and I am very grateful for Ian’s support. The icons we developed and the illustrations on the website www.breaksru.ch are very appealing and please me and my customers again and again. What I really appreciated about working with Ian was that he responded to my wishes and was very quick to implement them. Thank you very much, anytime again.”

Suzanne Ruf
Owner of breaksru gmbh
(March 11, 2020)

★★★★★

“Ian is not only a talented illustrator but also an accomplished designer and corporate identity developer. He has his own distinct style but his designs are very much customer focused and oriented. The work Ian did for iShepherd can be best described as that he understood our concept and vision from the first drawings he made. The thing that I personally admire the most about his work from an artistic perspective is the conceptual variety he comes up with, but with a constant consistency. Business with a small flair of fun or unexpected ‘Easter eggs’. I hope we are able to call upon Ian’s support for a long time coming.”

Harro Wiersma
CEO of iShepherd, Inc.
(March 6, 2020)

★★★★★

“I worked with Ian on several projects, such as our illustrated videos for Mycotrition GmbH: https://www.mycotrition.com/en/about-us/our-videos
We were always very pleased with his work. Ian is a great guy. Thank you, Ian.”

Sebastian Schmode-Laybourne
CEO at Mycotrition GmbH & Dronania Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Hawlik Gesundheitsprodukte GmbH
(March 16, 2020)

★★★★★

“Ian was my favorite Illustrator working on an animation project I directed. He supplied us with many cutting edge assets in very short deadlines. It was a pleasure working together.”

Avi Graiver
Animation Director, Animation Cowboy Studio


Visual communication across illustration,
design and motion.

From editorial illustration and brand characters to business comics, campaign visuals and hand-drawn explainer videos, I create visual work that helps organisations explain ideas clearly and memorably.

Projects range from corporate communication and publishing to education, packaging, public-facing information and motion-led storytelling, delivered across print, digital and video formats.

View case studies, download a quick-reference PDF portfolio or contact me directly to discuss a commission.

About Ian

LinkedIn | Let’s connect

Graphiste à Claret (34) — région Montpellier
Design packaging, étiquettes de vin, identité visuelle et illustration.

Client List

Based in southern France and working internationally, I combine editorial illustration, branding systems, UX-related visual thinking and hand-drawn explainer videos across publishing, business communication and selected design commissions.

Illustration Portfolio

One-sheet portfolio download
Download a concise overview of my illustration and design services in your preferred language:

Download English (PDF)
Download Deutsch (PDF)
Download Français (PDF)

For a broader overview, visit the WORK menu above or the Services page.

Discuss a Project

I work with publishers, agencies, institutions, organisations and independent businesses on creative direction, illustration, explainer videos and visual communication projects shaped by more than 35 years of international experience.

If you would like to discuss a commission, you can begin with the case studies, download the portfolio, or contact me directly.

Email: [email protected]
Phone / WhatsApp:
+33 (0)6 42 49 82 11 (CET)

Live illustration, Live Zeichner, scribing and graphic recording are also available.

German-language illustration, cartoon and explainer video work

For German-speaking clients in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, I have a dedicated overview of my work as an illustrator, cartoonist and creative director for hand-drawn explainer videos, business illustration, editorial illustration, mascots, brand characters and visual communication.

German-language illustration page

Recent projects and studio notes

Handgezeichnete Erklärvideos für LAP-Vorbereitung in der Schweiz

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Handgezeichnete Erklärvideos für LAP-Vorbereitung in der Schweiz Für LAP-Vorbereitung.ch und Blocklearning.ch entstand eine Serie kurzer, handgezeichneter Erklärvideos für Schweizer Lernende, die sich auf die Lehrabschlussprüfung (LAP) vorbereiten. Die Videos verbinden…

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Marsden Creative