Training & Learning Illustration

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Case Studies

Hand-Drawn Explainer Videos

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Comics & Sequential Illustration

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Character Design & Mascots

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Editorial & Educational Illustration

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Cartoons, Humour & Visual Storytelling

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Ian David Marsden

Illustrator, Creative Director & Visual Storyteller

I create original illustration and visual communication for business, publishing and motion — from commissioned artwork and editorial illustration to hand-drawn explainer videos, characters, mascots, comics, campaigns and graphic design.

Based in Claret, near Montpellier in the south of France, I work internationally in English, French and German, directly with clients from concept and visual development through drawing, design and production. The work is created by me — not assembled from stock libraries, template characters or AI-generated imagery.

With more than 35 years of professional experience, I have worked with clients including Google, Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, Dräger, Henkel, Wacom and RITZENHOFF, as well as publications including NZZ am Sonntag, The New Yorker and MAD Magazine.

In 2000, I became the first official Google Doodle artist.

Discuss a Project

View Case Studies

Explainer Video Production

Areas of Work

Hand-drawn explainer video and animation artwork by Ian David Marsden

Hand-Drawn Explainer Video Production

Business illustration and campaign artwork by Ian David Marsden

Business Illustration & Campaign Artwork

Mascot, Character & Logo Design

Creative direction and graphic design work by Ian David Marsden

Creative Direction & Graphic Design

Editorial, educational and publishing illustration by Ian David Marsden

Editorial, Educational & Publishing Illustration

Cartoons, comics and visual storytelling by Ian David Marsden

Business Comics, Cartoons & Visual Storytelling

Selected Clients & Collaborations

Selected clients of Ian David Marsden including Coca-Cola, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Dräger, Wacom and other illustration, design and visual communication clients. — Selected clients and collaborations. View client portfolio.

Experience, Practice & Teaching

My work has always crossed the boundaries between illustration, design and communication. Some assignments call for a single image; others develop into a larger visual language involving characters, sequences, diagrams, typography, animation or print and digital applications. I work directly with clients from the first discussion to final delivery, keeping the conceptual, visual and practical decisions connected throughout the project.

Alongside my studio practice, I teach Illustration, Visual Arts and Image Analysis / Semiotics at ESMA Montpellier (École Supérieure des Métiers Artistiques), within the 3D Animation & VFX Master’s program (RNCP 7). My teaching extends from drawing, composition and illustration to visual culture, narrative, photography, cinema and the analysis of how images construct and communicate meaning.

Ian David Marsden illustration portfolio PDF 2026 shown in English, German and French editions with sample portfolio pages. — Ian David Marsden Illustration Portfolio 2026 — available in English, German and French.

Portfolio Downloads

A concise selection of work and services is available in English, German and French.

Based in Claret, Working Internationally

My studio is in Claret, in the Pic Saint-Loup region north of Montpellier. I work internationally in English, French and German, as well as with clients in Montpellier, Hérault and the wider Occitanie region. For local and regional projects, see Graphiste, illustrateur & directeur artistique à Claret, Montpellier et Pic Saint-Loup.

Email: [email protected]
Phone / WhatsApp: +33 (0)6 42 49 82 11

Selected Work & Career Highlights

Ian David Marsden was the first Google Doodle artist

Google Doodles

Wacom Featured Artist

Ritzenhoff packaging and product illustration by Ian David Marsden

RITZENHOFF Design

La Toya Jackson

Book and publication illustration by Ian David Marsden

Books & Publications

Sketchbook

Direct Collaboration from Concept to Delivery

I run a one-person studio and work directly with the people commissioning the work. There are no account layers between the initial conversation, the creative work and final production. That continuity is particularly useful on projects that move between illustration, design, narrative and motion.

A project can begin with a developed brief or something much less resolved — a script, a communication problem, an existing visual language, a rough idea or simply the need to find the right approach.

Contact Ian

Download Portfolio PDF

Client Recommendations

Recommendations on LinkedIn
A few kind words from clients and collaborators across publishing, design, technology, hospitality and brand communication.

★★★★★

“I’ve had the honor of following Ian David Marsden’s career for many years, a relationship that culminated in featuring him as an official Wacom Featured Artist back in 2012 (and confirming what many already know: Ian is a creative force).

Ian’s work stands out because he never lost touch with the fundamentals of drawing. His entire workflow, from the original concept sketch to the final complex vector illustration, is 100% hand-drawn. He uses modern digital tools not to replace traditional skill, but to enhance it, resulting in visuals that are expressive, dynamic, and technically flawless.

As the original Google Doodle artist and a creative whose portfolio includes The New Yorker, MAD Magazine, and Mercedes-Benz, Ian’s legacy in illustration is already cemented. If you are looking for an illustrator, cartoonist, or visual storyteller who brings decades of experience, unmatched versatility, and a truly unique, human touch to every project, look no further than Ian David Marsden.”

Pamela Park

E-mail Marketing and Influencer Outreach Programs Manager at Wacom Technology Corp.
(December 10, 2025)

★★★★★

“You want it done? You want it done right? You want it done on time? Here is somebody that knows his craft inside and out and doesn’t cut corners. He’ll think things through together with you and understand (!) what you are aiming for. He’ll point out what works (and more importantly … what doesn’t) and then execute it as agreed. Every engagement with him has worked out flawlessly.
P.S. Some extra features: Ian is smart, efficient and communicates fluently in more languages than I care to remember.”

Tom Geudens
Graph Database Expert
(March 21, 2025)

★★★★★

“Simply put, Ian is a visionary. He was tasked with creating all of the original artwork that would represent the multiple concepts in development within a boutique hotel setting, seamlessly blending the interior design, culture, and community of a significant, world-renowned, historically registered building. In doing so, Ian created multiple gallery-worthy pieces that perfectly embraced the heart and soul of the project. I could not possibly have been more pleased with his work. Ask him to show you his work based on the scope of this project and you will understand just how intuitively and capably he can fulfill your needs as well.”

Sam Spector
General Manager, The Culver Hotel, Culver City
Munchkins Restaurant • Duke’s Hideaway Bar • The Ruby Room Cocktail Lounge & Events
(March 24, 2025)

★★★★★

“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.”

Suzanne Ruf
Owner of breaksru gmbh
(March 11, 2020)

★★★★★

“Ian is not only a 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.”

Harro Wiersma
CEO of iShepherd, Inc.
(March 6, 2020)

★★★★★

“I worked with Ian on several projects, such as our illustrated videos 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.”

Sebastian Schmode-Laybourne
CEO at Mycotrition GmbH & Dronania Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Hawlik Gesundheitsprodukte GmbH
(March 16, 2020)

★★★★★

“Ian was my favorite Illustrator working on an animation project I directed. He supplied us with many cutting edge assets in very short deadlines. It was a pleasure working together.”

Avi Graiver
Animation Director, Animation Cowboy Studio

About Ian

LinkedIn | Let’s connect

Ian David Marsden is an illustrator, creative director and visual storyteller based in Claret, near Montpellier in southern France. With more than 35 years of professional experience, he works directly with clients in France and internationally in English, French and German.

About Ian · Selected Clients

Local work in Montpellier & Pic Saint-Loup

Illustration Portfolio

Download a concise selection of illustration, design and visual communication work in English, German or French.

Download English (PDF)
Download Deutsch (PDF)
Download Français (PDF)

For more extensive examples, explore Work, Services and Case Studies.

Discuss a Project

If you have a project in mind, an existing brief or an idea that still needs defining, feel free to get in touch. I work directly with clients from the initial conversation through creative development and final delivery.

Email: [email protected]
Phone / WhatsApp:
+33 (0)6 42 49 82 11 (CET)

Live illustration, scribing & graphic recording:
English · Français · Deutsch

For Clients in Germany, Switzerland & Austria

I work in German as well as English and French, with longstanding professional experience in Germany and Switzerland. Dedicated German-language information is available for illustration, cartoons, visual communication and hand-drawn explainer video production.

Deutschsprachige Übersicht

Handgezeichnete Erklärvideos