Ian David Marsden - Internationally Experienced Illustrator, Cartoonist, and Animator


Bio Ian Marsden Français | Bio Ian Marsden Deutsch

Ian David Marsden
Phone / Facetime and Whatsapp:
 +33 (0)6 42 49 82 11
ian@marsdenillustration.com

Welcome, I’m Ian David Marsden, an independent illustrator, designer, cartoonist, and animator. I’m also a producer of whiteboard and explainer videos.

Drawing has been my passion since I was a young child growing up in Greenwich Village, New York. At a very early age I used to give drawings to friends, acquaintances, neighbors and people in the local shops. The butcher on McDougal street was particularly impressed with my childhood cartoons and to my joy would give me pencils, which encouraged me to keep drawing.

When I was seven my family moved to Switzerland, and I continued to pursue my passion for drawing. My parents were very supportive and provided me with ample materials like paper, crayons, pens, and also inspirational sources in comic books, such as Floyd Gottfredson’s Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck collections. I invested my pocket money in pens, ink, and paper, and more comic books and discovered MAD paperbacks. I proceeded to write, illustrate and publish several school newspapers.

At the age of 14, I started submitting my cartoons to newspapers and magazines in Switzerland, but received numerous rejection slips. However, I persevered and made a sale of several drawings at the age of 16, becoming the youngest cartoonist in the over 100-year history of the renowned Swiss Satire magazine, “Nebelspalter”. By the time I was 18, I had established myself as an illustrator and cartoonist in a little studio in the old town of Zürich (the Niederdorf), with a regular strip in Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich and short sequence on Swiss television’s PlaySchool written and illustrated by me, as well as work for advertising agencies, such as an advertising campaign for VISA.

in 1999 while living in Santa Monica, Ca and studying Traditional and Computer Animation at AET, The Academy of Entertainment Technology, Santa Monica College I fulfilled my wildest childhood dreams. I sold cartoons to MAD Magazine and The New Yorker! I then also became also the first artist to create “Google Doodles” for Google.

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Today, I am the father of 3 wonderful young women and live in a charming village surrounded by vineyards in the Pic St Loup region of the Languedoc in the south of France. My studio is in my house and thanks to the marvel of the internet I work with clients all over the map.

I created the official mascot for the 2003 FIS Ski World Championship in St. Moritz and designed objects for renowned German glass manufacturer RITZENHOFF. I have also illustrated numerous advertising campaigns, magazine and newspaper illustrations, and over 120 illustrations for Daimler Mercedes-Benz’s “Knigge” employee handbook, translated into various languages.

In 2020, I wrote and illustrated my first graphic novel, “Marvin: Based on the Way I Was by Marvin Hamlisch,” published by Schiffer Publishing and I’m currently working on several other graphic novels and children’s books featuring my own characters.

Gaphic Novel MARVIN by Ian David Marsden

I have an ability to quickly understand my clients’ needs and propose a first draft that we can build upon. Please feel free to explore the various categories of my portfolio for more information on my work.

More about me:

I have the skills to understand the client’s needs quickly and to propose a first draft on which one can build on.

  • Quick grasp of clients’ wishes and requirements
  • Day-to-day response to customers’ needs
  • Professional creative consulting and guidance
  • Co-creative development of the project
  • Eureka moment

A few brief bullet points:

  • I have drawn cartoons, caricatures and comics for a wide variety of international magazines and newspapers including The New Yorker, MAD Magazine, Nebelspalter, NZZ am Sonntag, to name a few.
  • I have also created and written content for children’s television and children’s books, advertising, corporate clients and major events I even drew a series of recycling comics which were printed on Coca Cola cans.
  • My first graphic novel, an adaptation of the official biography of musician and composer (and PEGOT winner) Marvin Hamlisch was released to critical acclaim by Schiffer Publishing, February 2020.
  • I was the first and exclusive Google Doodle artist from 1999 to 2000.

I’ve been working with computers and graphics- and illustration software practically from their inception. As a traditionally trained artist, I pride myself in staying up-to-date with the latest trends and release versions and their new features. My main digital tools are the Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe XD, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Animate, Adobe Character Animator, Premiere and AfterEffects, and proficient in others as well) as well as Celsys, Inc Clip Studio Paint EX and Procreate on my iPad Pro.

Business comic strips and character design by illustrator Ian David Marsden

I work as a consulting illustrator, cartoonist, designer, and animator from my fully equipped studio in southern France, with clients in France, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, and the United States.

I am known for my unique style(s) and abilities as an artist, with over 25 years of international experience. I have created art and designs for various top-tier companies, clients, and individuals. My illustrations are noticeable for their recognisable style, vivid colours and intricate details, which bring life to any project.

My versatility as an artist allows me to work across mediums, creating illustrations and cartoons for magazines, newspapers, children’s books, advertising campaigns, and even animation. I use various tools such as digital painting, vector graphics, and also traditional media to bring my artwork to life.

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One of my strengths is my ability to pay close attention to detail and accuracy, making me an excellent choice for businesses and publishers seeking precise and intricate illustrations for their projects.

My creativity extends beyond illustration, as I also use my skills in animation and motion graphics, creating time-lapse videos of evolving drawings in a very artistic and recognisable style. I also produce whiteboard and explainer videos for products and internal business training and presentations or external advertising, public relations or social media campaigns.

I am an experienced character- and mascot designer for corporations and events. With my excellent communication skills, I can take a client’s brief and turn it into the visual they had in mind, even if a few revision-phases and modifications need to be made along the way to the Eureka moment.

I am passionate about telling stories through art and strive to create works that connect with the viewer, whether it be on a humorous, emotional, or intellectual level, or all of the above. If you’re looking for a skilled and reliable illustrator for your next project, please keep me in consideration.

Milestones:

  • Zürich, Switzerland: First published cartoons at age 16 in Nebelspalter (Switzerland) and Penthouse (Germany) followed by publications in many Swiss and European magazines and newspapers, and advertising campaigns such as for VISA Card and recycling comics printed on Coca Cola cans.
  • Santa Monica & Los Angeles, California:Creating web graphics and web animation from the pioneering days. Original co-founder of Sham Records Multimedia, Santa Monica, produced wide variety of cutting-edge Shockwave and Flash interactive websites and animations.
  • 1999 First Google Doodle Artist for Google.com. Drew Google Doodles for over one year. Also worked as freelance designer and animator on web graphics, flash animation, movie posters, album covers. Web graphics for Google, infospace, birthdayalarm, Fox Television: Best Damn Sports Show Period including the design and animation of their offical website, La Toya Jackson and many others. Creative Director for Ja-Tail Enterprises, LLC Beverly Hills overseeing all products and communications.
  • 2001 winner Klasky Csupo Global Tantrum animated joke contest. 2002 nominated for National Cartoonist Society’s Reuben Award in the New Media category. Publications include MAD Magazine, The New Yorker and many others.
  • 2002 graduated from Academy of Entertainment Technology (AET), Santa Monica College, computer animation major. Recipient of the Mary Pickford scholarship.
  • Designed characters and mascots for major events such as the Official Mascot FIS Ski World Championship 2003 St.Moritz and original designer for main mascot and characters for Expo.02, Swiss national exposition.
  • 2006 opening of my atelier in France, work has included illustrations for advertising agencies, non-profit organisations, whiteboard and explainer video production for French and international clients and even several wine label designs.
  • 2007 Created cover design and all illustrations for Mercedes-Benz Employee handbook (« Mitarbeiter Knigge ») with over 120 instructional illustrations for employee training for customer service and client interaction, distributed world-wide in various languages.
  • Since 2012 featured artist on Wacom website and Wacom ambassador for Intuos drawing tablets and cintiq pen displays. Videos showing how I work in various software suites such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and AutoDesk Sketchbook Pro are featured on the Wacom Homepage.
  • Since 2013 Designer for RITZENHOFF creating various design objects such as cups, glasses, cat bowls and more, available world wide.
  • 2020 My first full length graphic novel based on the biography of the renowned American composer and musician Marvin Hamlisch published by Schiffer Publishing. Talks are underway for a possible animated film version (available on Amazon and many other reliable sources of fine books). Marvin was the 1st place winner in the category “Graphic Novel” of the 2020 Purple Dragonfly Awards.

(Marvin! : Paperback‎ 64 pages / ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0764359045 / ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0764359040)

Education:

  • Literargymnasium Rämibühl Zürich (Lycée), Modern Languages
  • F+F Schule für Kunst und Design Zürich (Vorkurs)
  • Graphic Design Apprenticeship in Advertising Agency M,H, Leo Burnett Zürich
  • Pratt Institute Manhattan (Various illustration related courses)
  • AET Academy of Entertainment & Technology , Santa Monica College. Traditional and Computer Animation 2D and 3D (Graduated 2002)
Two friars opening curtain animated gift for friars club New York City

Affiliations (active and previous)∴

  • Full Member / National Cartoonist Society
  • Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
  • Member of Mensa since 1989
  • (Mensa New York, Mensa Greater Los Angeles Area, Mensa Switzerland, Mensa France)

Languages:

  • Bilingual: English / German / Swiss German
  • French: Very proficient
  • Italian: Some Basics

 

Partial Client List:

AN2V, All Stars Project, Auto Bild, Autour du Pic, Blick Online, Blocklearning.ch, BOLD Werbung GmbH, Breaksru GmbH, Bref, Carlos Dias, Chemmedia, Club de la Presse Occitanie, Coca Cola, Coley & Associates, Comité des Fêtes Vacquières, Curtius Lütten Werbeagentur GmBH, Deutsche Telecom, Dfreeeze App, die Kleinert Bildarchiv, Diesel Jeans UK, Digades, Domaine Les Tuileries, Dräger Global, Drägerwerk AG, Droemer Knaur Verlag, Ecoforest, Evonik Industries, Executive Learning Systems, Federal Acquisitions Institute, Fernsehen DRS, Fox Television, Fraunhofer, Friars Club New York, GMX Glückwunschkarten, Google, Hairloss.com, HauntedHollywood, Hawlik Naturpilze, Henkel, Hermes Pakete, Infospace.com, Inspired Arts & Media, Jay Abraham Strategy Institute, John Morrison / Johnny Mundo, Johner Institut, Justhappiness Montpellier, KHW, La Gravette de Corconne, La Toya Jackson, LandLiebe Schweiz, LAP Vorbereitung, Le Mas du Sire, Les Héritieres de Bacchus, Lindt Chocolate, Mac Directory, MAD Magazine, MADant LtD, MAN, Mairie de Vacquières, Marktrezept.de, Mas de Figuier, Max Curious, New York, METRO, Mövenpick, Mycotrition GmbH, Nebelspalter, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Novartis, O Mas Troquet Restaurant, Parc Le Duc, PartyPOW!, Plushland, Publicis, PwC, Ransom Publishing, Richmond, Ringier Verlag, RITZENHOFF, Rock Brasiliano, Roland Berger, Samsung, Sanafort AG, Santillana, Schiffer Publishing, Seele, Sens Digital, Showtime Television, Sieber & Wolf, Ski WM 2003, Stadtwerke Wedel, Strobe Solutions, Sustain D, Take the 55, Telekom, The New Yorker, TIR, Top Source Wines, Universal Music Group, Universität Bern, Universität Zürich, Volkswagen Sedric, VISA, Wacom, Web.de, Yantramatte, YJOO, Zum Goldenen Hirschen, Zürich Gym

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Testimonials from some of Ian’s clients:

“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.”
March 11 2020 – Suzanne Ruf, owner of breaksru gmbh
“Ian is not only a very 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.”
March 6 2020 – Harro is the CEO of iShepherd, Inc.
“I worked with Ian on several projects, such as our illustratedvideos 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”
March 16 2020 – Sebastian Schmode, COO at Hawlik Group, Dronania Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Mycotrition GmbH

Some older recommendations from LinkedIn:

TWeber-LI-Quote
Garcia-LI-Quote
Kacey-LI-Quote
Graiver-LI-Quote

Contact Ian

Mobile +33 (0)6 42 49 82 11
ian@marsdenillustration.com
On-Line Portfolio:
marsdenillustration.com

34270, Vacquières, France