Business Comics, Explainer Videos & Illustration

Create.

Define.

Distill.

LOGOS AND CHARACTER DESIGN FOR BRANDS AND PRODUCTS — FROM PACKAGING AND DRINKWARE TO DIGITAL APPLICATIONS. EACH VISUAL IS BUILT TO BE DISTINCT, LEGIBLE, AND IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISABLE IN USE.

Clarify.

CONNECT.

Resonate.

BUSINESS COMICS, EXPLAINER VISUALS AND INFOGRAPHICS — USED TO CLARIFY COMPLEX IDEAS, SUPPORT COMMUNICATION, AND MAKE INFORMATION EASIER TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY.

Design.

Engage.

Deliver.

FROM PACKAGING AND LABEL DESIGN TO UX AND DIGITAL INTERFACES — VISUAL SYSTEMS THAT WORK ACROSS PRINT AND SCREEN, DESIGNED FOR CLARITY, CONSISTENCY AND RECOGNITION.

Inform.

Inspire.

Impact.

EDITORIAL ILLUSTRATION THAT CLARIFIES IDEAS AND SUPPORTS THE TEXT — ADAPTED TO TONE, SUBJECT AND PUBLICATION CONTEXT. COMMISSIONED BY PUBLISHERS AND MEDIA CLIENTS INTERNATIONALLY.

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Animated characters including Spider-Man and Harry Potter by Ian David Marsden

Animation & Video

Advertising illustrations and campaign art for global brands by Ian David Marsden

Advertising & Business

Logos & Mascots

Books & Publications

Comic-style illustration of safety characters for advertising and communication by Ian David Marsden

Cartoons & Comics

Editorial Illustration

Art Direction & Graphics

Google Doodles

Designer packaging and product illustration for Ritzenhoff by Ian David Marsden

Ritzenhoff Design

La Toya Jackson

Sketchbook

Wacom Artist

ILLUSTRATOR AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR

IAN DAVID MARSDEN

Hi, I’m Ian — freelance illustrator and creative director specializing in
business comics, explainer visuals, character design and editorial illustration
for brands, agencies, NGOs and publishers.

From my studio in the south of France I work internationally in English, French and German, helping organisations communicate complex ideas through clear, engaging hand-drawn visuals.

With more than 30 years of professional experience, I have collaborated with companies such as Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, Dräger, RITZENHOFF, Henkel and seele, as well as publishers including The New Yorker, MAD Magazine and NZZ am Sonntag. I also created one of the earliest Google Doodles during the project’s initial development.

My work ranges from editorial illustration and business comics to character and mascot design, logo design, explainer visuals and whiteboard animation—all developed to clarify information and create memorable visual narratives.

Alongside my studio practice, I teach Illustration, Visual Arts and Image Analysis in the 3D Animation & VFX Master’s program at ESMA Montpellier,
(École Supérieure des Métiers Artistiques), a higher-education school specializing in animation, design and visual arts, where I focus on visual storytelling, composition and narrative structure.

If you need editorial illustration, custom characters, explainer graphics or visual storytelling for corporate communication, I provide end-to-end creative direction from concept to final artwork.

For selected collaborations, see the Clients page.

Case Studies

Clients of Ian David Marsden – graphic design and illustration projects for Coca-Cola, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Dräger, Wacom, and others.

Client Testimonials

The following clients kindly provided Client Recommendations on successful collaborations:

★★★★★

“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

Tailored Visual Communication for Brands, Publishers, Institutions and Organizations — from global companies to local initiatives

From editorial illustration and brand characters to business comics and explainer videos, I create visual storytelling that helps organisations explain complex ideas clearly and memorably.

Projects range from corporate communication and publishing to education and public information campaigns, delivered across print, digital and motion formats.

Scroll down to view case studies or download a quick-reference portfolio.

About Ian

LinkedIn vignette card featuring Ian David Marsden, Illustrator and Creative Director, highlighting expertise in cartoons, mascots, business comics, character design, branding, UX/UI, and animation.

LinkedIn | Let’s Connect!

Graphiste à Claret (34) – Région Montpellier
Design packaging, étiquettes de vin, identité visuelle & illustration.

Client List

From editorial illustration and branding systems to UX design and hand-drawn explainer videos, I craft visual content that informs, engages, and endures.

Illustration Portfolio

Small footer icon inviting visitors to download Ian David Marsden’s PDF portfolio featuring professional illustration, design, and graphic art.

One-Sheet Portfolio Download
Get a quick overview of my illustration and design services in your preferred language:
Download English (PDF )
Download Deutsch (PDF)
Download Françai s (PDF)

For a full overview visit the WORK Menu above and also my Services page.

Schedule a Call

I offer creative direction, illustration, and visual design solutions shaped by 25+ years of international experience.

Whether you’re a publisher, agency, institution, or entrepreneur, I approach each project with clarity, craftsmanship, and strategic insight.
View Case Studies

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

Live illustration, Live Zeichner, scribing, and graphic recording also available.