Sketchbook

Personal sketchbook of cartoonist and illustrator Ian David Marsden

Click gallery images below to enlarge and open slideshow

Whimsical illustration of animals with cheeses labeled in playful French names.

Les fromages préférés des animaux… #fromage #animaux #illustrateur

rocket, gear, fish, wine, cheese, motel.

Satirical drawing of a head as mechanical parts labeled with personality traits and issues.

Hand drawing realistic ink sketches of a man and woman on paper.

Bearded man with hat-nose compass in mountains, speech bubble shows uncertainty.

Hand drawing cozy interior ink illustration with sleeping cat, window, and table items.

Futuristic Blues Musician - Fisherman landed a BIG catch - Live Drawing

Artist sketching quirky character photographing a big-eyed bird on a rock.

Surreal illustration of a split head with mechanical interior and small figure in a top hat, by Ian Marsden.

Statue taking selfie in a fountain with classical arches in the background.

Pencil sketch of a person with a popcorn bucket and a creature with a bottle; pencil nearby.

Witch with stars, speech bubble says "I put a spell on you!", cat nearby, green pen below.

Illustration of a woman in a dress under a moon with a bat, castle, and the text "Follow Me".

Hand drawing a dog in a suit with a teacup on its head, sitting at a table.

Pen and ink drawing of a head with abstract floral and bird designs emerging from it.

Cartoon lizard with backpack hiking uphill near smoking volcano and palm tree, "HIKE" above.

Loch Ness Monster Cuddle - Pen Sketching Video

Hand drawing cartoon of person walking a rubber duck on leash in rain, pen visible.

Frankenstein's Monster - Ballpoint Pen Doodle

A caricature of a man with swirling hair examining a device with a magnifying glass, surrounded by art tools.

Cartoon of a person painting a wall, holding paint can, radio and bottle nearby, initials "CLE".

Hand drawing a worm with cowboy hat and one boot, sketch includes handwritten notes.

Sketch of Lowly Worm in a green hat, red bowtie, blue shirt, and one boot, with black marker.

Hand draws bird-headed figure on book about Franz Kafka's works with German text and credits.

IKEA brochure "FORSÅ" with illustration of person showering under lamp, pen beside it.

IKEA manual illustration of creature driving in a drawer labeled ALEX, with pen on top.

Hand drawing on IKEA manual with cartoon character in MIKAEL cabinet.

Red polka dot cup and elephant drawing on desk with keyboard and office supplies in background.

Doodle Video: Panda Bear - two-handed fine-liner pen drawing

Hand holding cartoon sheet above desk with coffee mug, keyboard, and computer screen.

Hand drawing a surprised rabbit creature with candy cane body; orange highlighter on paper.

Sketchbook on metal table with drawing, pen, coffee cup, and pastry on tray.

Caricature of a man with a book, castle background, "Le Traître" text, hand with pencil shown.

Artist's desk with Ecoline inks, brush, white paint, palette, and snowy dog walking painting.

Cartoon dog in robe drying fur with hairdryer, exclaiming "Aaahhh!" and "Wheeee!" Nearby pen.

Illustrated storefront with "The Fuzzy Pint" sign, whimsical decor, tree, and Cornelia St. signs.

Humanoid figure with dog's head in robe holding staff, cat beside, clouds and landscape background.

Ink sketches of patterns, figure, cityscape, clouds with ink bottle and pen on paper.

Cartoon dog in hat playing guitar next to a potted sunflower with "You Are My Sunshine."

Clown with sad expression and raised arm, "What Next?" in bold, colorful letters in background.

Buddha - Two Handed Ballpoint Pen Drawing

Illustration of a sleeping bear in heart pajamas on a computer keyboard.

Two Cute Puppies - Fine-Liner Pen Drawing

Cartoon rabbit astronaut on moon by NASA spacecraft, touching ladder to open hatch.

Cartoon of soldier with ink cartridges forming rifle, ink splatters depict firing action.

Staedtler pens with drawings of animals at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 mm line widths.

Sketch of a man bust with cheese hat, credits inventor Alphonse Lamertume, 1867, Musée d'Orsay.

Breathless with Belmondo and Mustard - Live Drawing

Hand drawing a sketch of an alien creature emerging from an egg, with notes around it.

Statue of armored figure with weapon on street corner, depicted in photo and detailed drawing.

Person drawing a medieval knight in a sketchbook on a wooden table with snacks and pen cap nearby.

Ink sketches on paper with a cup, lighthouse, reading person, "The Magician" card, ink bottle, pen.

Funky Band with Beasty Drummer - Pen Fine-liner Sketch

Cartoon dog holds a birthday bone with hearts, bow, and question marks overhead.

Man in suit watering tree from ladder, dog watching; pen and eraser beside drawing.

Surprised person stares at a jack-in-the-box with a clown holding a hammer, "SHBOING!" above.

Handwriting lines about not drawing on Facebook wall with small creature holding a pencil, 2015.

Smooth Jazz Band - fine-liner pen drawing

Line drawing of a man with large mustache, signed on paper with pen in corner.

Notebook open on table with two ink sketches, a pen, and a cup on a saucer nearby.

Cartoon sketch of a person at a desk with glasses and suit next to complex machinery and coffee.

Hand drawing character with mustache, goggles, riding bird with skis on paper.

Man in jester hat with demanding cat on pedestal, candle nearby, humorously referencing "Illu-meow-ti".

Cartoon creature with pink umbrella, speech bubble "READY!!", pen, orange highlighter, coffee.

Person sculpting a large wolf's head, garden visible through open door, dog lying on pillow below

Woman with briefcase and lollipop stands by man in fedora; cityscape background with "CLICK!".

Black and white drawing with creature, human figure, ink bottle and brush.

Cartoon bird-like creature with long beak, feathers, branch, speech bubble saying "SQUAWK!"

Child gazes at starry night through window, holding paintbrush over colorful paper.

Small animal with hat and scarf touches a bear-shaped snowman in snowy scene with pine trees.

Cartoon sheriff with drink, fireworks, and text "Happy 4th of July" and "There! I heard it again!!".

Humorous stamp of a man with a mustache, glasses, and fake nose; commemorates leaving work early.

Cartoon of a person with glasses, sash reading "La Ministre," celebrating 60th anniversary.

Comic illustration of surprised person with glasses, seated, large content cat on lap, text "Scratchy".

Sketch of two figures and book titled "Guide de la Provence Mystérieuse" with an eraser nearby.

Hand illustrating two figures with a paintbrush near an open ink bottle on paper.

Hand drawing a detailed doodle with TV face, plants, swirls, and abstract shapes on paper.

Man with beard in armchair, cat on lap, decorative vase on mantle, framed picture on wall.

Cartoon dog and cat as cowboys at saloon, with sheriff badge and holster in wooden frame.

Illustration of a cowboy dog and cat with holsters, near saloon doors; ink bottle in foreground.

Cat and dog as sheriff and deputy in front of saloon, artist details with ink and watercolor.

Green lion eating a sun above a castle with symbols like snow globe and rocket around border.

Artist paints in studio while a nude figure walks away with a bottle, nightscape in background.

Hand holding brush completes illustration of person with monocle near tree and mushrooms.

Cartoon of person writing with large pen, flock of birds overhead, ink bottle on desk.

Illustration of a person facing a snarling creature with long teeth and claws, pen placed nearby.

Person pouring tea into teacup, text reads "A lovely cup of tea," pen with "uni pin" shown.

Man in suit reads newspaper with hat of flowers, glass of wine, "l'Artiste" above.

Wine bottle "l'Artiste" with an illustrated label showing a person in a suit and hat.

Cartoon girl in serpent-like chair illustration, with Staedtler pens alongside drawing tools.

Person holding an illustration of rabbits on a pink scooter, text "La vie en ROSE" above.

Drawing of a man's head split open revealing mechanical insides, with ink and brushes nearby.

Stylized figure in a suit with a bisected head, revealing a mechanical puppet inside.

Artist's workspace with watercolors, palette, and cozy interior illustration of chair by fireplace.

Cartoon of a yellow sponge character at a restaurant table with a champagne glass, 25th birthday.

Black and white drawing of two guitarists and a cat drummer with musical sound effects.

Hand adding details to a drawing of a classic movie monster with a flat head and neck bolts.

Ink drawing of a whimsical character with ornate hat, long beard, holding a large flower.

Cowboy drawing holding a pen like a gun titled "Quick on the Draw," featured on Wall of Fame.

Vintage comic cover "UFOs Contro Dracula" with Dracula, woman, aliens, and space terror.

Hand with pen above sketchbook showing detailed drawing of a person writing amid floating papers.

Pen drawing on graph paper of an adventurer with flashlight near ancient carved statue.

Smiling creature with a figure on its head, and a man with a pipe; pen beside the drawing.

Person at desk drawing, imagining a castle, crescent moon, clouds, and large floating bottle.

As an illustrator and cartoonist, doodling has always been second nature to me. From the moment I first held a pen, my hands have rarely been idle. Wherever I go—whether on a plane, a train, or just at the local coffee shop—my sketchbook (and of course, my iPad Pro and Apple Pencil) are always within reach. It’s not just a tool; it’s a place where fleeting thoughts and ideas find their first form, a space where creativity flows without deadlines or client expectations.

Within these pages, you’ll see the early stages of cartoon concepts, experiments with new techniques, character designs, and a mix of different styles. Some sketches grow into finished illustrations, while others remain as they are—raw, spontaneous doodles.

When I hit a creative roadblock, I often turn to doodling. A few minutes of sketching can be the spark that pushes me past a challenge and opens the door to new ideas.

Below, you’ll find a selection of sketches and doodles. Some are quick moments captured on the fly, while others are more detailed explorations. Through them, I hope to give you a glimpse into my creative process—and maybe even inspire you to pick up a pen yourself.

For more frequent updates on my sketches and creative work, feel free to follow me on social media. And if my style speaks to you or you’re interested in a custom illustration, don’t hesitate to reach out.

I have an instagram which frequently features current sketches and glimpses into my studio.
I invite you to join me there as well.

Download PDF Portfolio

CV Ian Marsden English | CV Ian Marsden Français | CV Ian Marsden Deutsch

For a partial client list and testimonials please visit my biography page.