CREATIVE DIRECTOR | ILLUSTRATOR | DESIGNER

Meet Ian David Marsden

I’m an illustrator and art director based in the south of France, working with clients across France, the UK, Germany, Switzerland and beyond. I provide full-service creative solutions — from concept to delivery — helping brands, publishers, institutions and startups communicate clearly through intelligent design and visual storytelling.

With over 30 years of international experience, I have collaborated with global companies such as Daimler-Benz, Henkel and Google, as well as local businesses, NGOs and creative agencies. My work ranges from editorial illustration, satirical cartoons and business comics to character and mascot design, branding and hand-drawn explainer videos.

Whether you need custom spot illustrations, wordless explainer graphics, business comics, animated explainer videos, brand identity systems, editorial illustration series or a full creative campaign, I provide end-to-end creative direction that integrates concept development, visual storytelling and high-quality production. I work in English, French and German from my studio in the Pic Saint-Loup region, north of Montpellier.

Alongside my studio practice, I teach Illustration, Visual Arts and Image Analysis (semiotics and scénario) within the 3D Animation & VFX programme (RNCP 7 / Bac+5, Master’s level) at ESMA Montpellier – École Supérieure des Métiers Artistiques, an internationally recognized higher-education network for applied arts, design, filmmaking and 3D animation.

Download Illustrator Portfolio PDF one sheet

Tools & Workflow

  • Adobe Photoshop – expert-level retouching, complex compositing, color correction, RAW development, texture overlays
  • Adobe Illustrator – scalable vector graphics, logo creation, icon systems, character and mascot design
  • Procreate – hand-drawn digital illustration, painterly work, stylized sketches, animated timelapse exports
  • Clip Studio Paint EX – comic page layout, detailed inking, professional lettering, print formatting (CMYK, bleed, crop marks)
  • Adobe After Effects / Premiere Pro – motion graphics, animated explainers, 2.5D effects, voiceover sync, title design
  • Adobe Animate / Character Animator – character rigging, lip-sync animation, real-time puppet animation
  • Wacom Cintiq & iPad Pro – integrated into daily production workflow
  • Sound editing – voiceover cutting, EQing, mastering for web and broadcast
  • Traditional media – pencil sketching, ink, watercolor, gouache, whiteboard illustration (marker)
  • Creative Cloud Suite – full proficiency across Adobe’s ecosystem for cross-functional production
  • Hardware environment – macOS Sequoia, calibrated screens, studio-grade audio setup

Languages

  • English – native
  • German – native
  • French – professional fluency

Teaching & Mentorship

Since 2025, I have been a part-time faculty member at ESMA (École Supérieure des Métiers Artistiques) on the Montpellier campus, teaching three distinct courses within the 3D Animation & VFX program (Master’s level, RNCP 7): IllustrationVisual Arts, and Image Analysis (Semiotics and Scénario).

My teaching covers visual culture, art history, photography, cinema, animation, visual semiotics, and narrative systems, with an emphasis on critical image reading, composition, light, and visual storytelling.

Contact

For real-world deliverables and timelines, explore the Working Together page and the Case Studies section.

[email protected] | +33 (0)6 42 49 82 11

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. A curated cross-section of clients I’ve partnered with on strategic visual work — from editorial campaigns to product launches and brand storytelling.

Client logos including Google, Wacom, Daimler-Benz, Coca-Cola, Dräger, Henkel, and more – illustration and design clients of Ian David Marsden

Let’s Connect

Wikipedia: Ian D. Marsden

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