Case File: Sketchbook Exploration & Concept Development
This page is part of the curated Marsden Creative Case Files — a portfolio series documenting the thought process, craft, and versatility behind my professional illustration and visual storytelling projects. This section offers a behind-the-scenes look at how spontaneous sketching and daily drawing practice continue to inform and enrich my commissioned work.
As a seasoned illustrator, cartoonist, and visual designer, sketching remains an essential part of my workflow. Whether I’m on a plane, in a meeting, or simply in a quiet moment with coffee, the sketchbook is never far from reach. It serves as a space for reflection, problem-solving, and creative exploration — a testing ground for new characters, layouts, narrative angles, or visual humor.
In these pages, you’ll find a mix of traditional pencil and ink studies alongside digital sketches created using my iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. Some of these concepts evolve into polished illustrations for print, animation, or packaging. Others remain as they are — loose, gestural ideas that capture a moment or spark a future direction.
Doodling also plays a critical role in overcoming creative roadblocks. Many of my most successful client solutions began as casual sketchbook riffs, developed with no agenda other than curiosity. This open-ended process is often where the strongest visual narratives emerge.
If you’re interested in how a spontaneous line becomes a branded character, or how observational drawing evolves into editorial commentary or product artwork, I invite you to explore more of my work in the full case study archive.
For inquiries about commissions, collaborations, or licensing, you are welcome to get in touch at any time.
You can also follow current sketches and studio insights via my Instagram channel.
Ian David Marsden
www.marsdenillustration.com
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Sketchbook | Advertising & Business | Video & Animation | Editorial Illustration | Logo & Character Design | Cartoons & Comics | Packaging Design | Google Doodles | Children’s Book Illustration | Ritzenhoff | Wacom Artist | Latoya Jackson
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For a partial client list and testimonials, please visit my biography page.
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