What I help clients with
- Creative Direction & Brand Strategy
- Visual Identity Design & Branding
- Commercial, Business & Advertising Illustration
- Editorial & Educational Illustration
- Hand-Drawn Explainer Videos & Motion Graphics
- UX/UI Graphics, Icon Systems & Information Design
- Comics, Storyboarding & Visual Narrative
- Live Illustration & Graphic Recording
My role often sits at the intersection of strategy, design and image-making: helping clients define what needs to be communicated, then building the right visual form for it — whether that means a brand system, an illustrated campaign, a mascot, an explainer sequence or a coherent set of communication assets.
Software & production pipeline
I work across a professional production pipeline that combines illustration, vector design, editorial formatting, branding, motion graphics, comics production and print preparation. My core tools include Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Clip Studio Paint EX and Procreate, supported by a daily studio workflow built around Wacom Cintiq and iPad Pro.
Depending on the brief, I deliver production-ready assets for print, editorial, packaging, motion, web and presentation use — including layered source files, vector artwork, press-ready PDFs, subtitled video exports and clean handoff files that fit agency, publisher or in-house workflows.
This is especially important for clients who need more than a concept sketch: structured files, scalable formats, reliable artwork and deliverables that integrate smoothly into an existing communication, publishing or production pipeline.
Background & perspective
My career has moved across editorial illustration, branding, visual communication, character design, comics and motion-based explanation. That breadth is useful because many real client projects do not fit neatly into one category. They require both conceptual thinking and strong execution across formats. This range allows me to move comfortably between editorial commissions, brand-led communication, educational visuals and campaign-based illustration.
I have collaborated with major international brands and institutions, but I also value working with smaller businesses, mission-driven organisations and regional clients who need thoughtful, highly specific visual work rather than generic solutions. My practice is shaped by a combination of editorial discipline, narrative clarity and production realism.
As a multilingual practitioner working across English, German and French, I am used to adapting projects for different audiences, markets and cultural contexts. That includes not only translation, but tone, symbolism, readability and the overall logic of visual communication.
How I work
- Direct collaboration from concept through delivery — no outsourcing layers
- Creative direction and execution handled within the same studio
- Illustration-led problem solving, not decoration for its own sake
- Production-ready outputs for print, web, motion, presentations and campaigns
- Structured process with clear milestones, review stages and final deliverables
Clients usually come to me when they need custom work that has to be visually distinctive, conceptually clear and professionally finished. That may be a one-off commission or part of a broader communication system. In both cases, I focus on clarity, consistency and long-term usefulness.
Teaching & mentorship
Alongside my studio practice, I teach at ESMA Montpellier within the 3D Animation & VFX programme (Master’s level / RNCP 7). My courses include Illustration, Visual Arts and Image Analysis, with a focus on visual culture, narrative systems, composition, cinema, semiotics and critical image reading.
Teaching keeps my practice intellectually active and closely connected to questions of perception, storytelling and visual structure. It also reinforces something central to my client work: images are not just there to look good — they need to communicate, persuade and endure scrutiny.
Languages
- English — native
- German — native
- French — professional fluency
Contact & next step
If you are looking for an illustrator, creative director or designer who can think conceptually and deliver professionally finished work, feel free to get in touch. For a practical sense of how projects are scoped and delivered, you can also visit Working Together or browse recent Case Studies.
[email protected] | +33 (0)6 42 49 82 11
For a concise, shareable overview, you can also you can also download my illustration portfolio PDF.
Client Portfolio & Project Partners
I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with a wide range of partners — from global brands to local innovators, cultural institutions, NGOs, startups and creative agencies. You can explore a broader overview here: Clients, Illustration & Branding.
Let’s Connect
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Further background: Wikipedia: Ian D. Marsden