IllustrationX - Max Marin portfolio

Fine line work, intricate detail and bright, saturated colours are the hallmarks of illustrations by the Florida-based artist Max Marin. His exquisite imagery always catches the eye, and the imagination, which is why some of the world’s leading publishers come to Max to create cover art – particularly in, but not restricted to, the field of young adult fiction.

Max is an expert in capturing the feeling and the essence of a story in a single image, drawing the reader’s eye to key details – little clues as to what will intrigue them when they start to read the book or comic they’ve grabbed. His visual storytelling skills are informed by a wealth of life experience – he’s taught English in South Korea, art in the United States and he’s set up art studios and run them as successful businesses. Today, to our delight, Max is devoted to the world of illustration, utilising his BFA from the Ringling College of Art and Design, where he majored in Illustration and minored in Children’s Literature. Clients love his fast, direct and detailed approach to any brief they send him. Max’s influences include 90s and ambient music, pumpkin-scented candles, Rembrandt, Ashley Wood and French comic artists.

Approach

Max admires artists capable of using desaturated colours, but they’re just not his style and he loves diving into high-contrast, rich and bright palettes – which are perfect for his market. He’s an afficionado when it comes to balanced compositions, but never shy of delivering something a little unexpected.

Key software

Adobe Photoshop

Style

High levels of detail inject Max’s work with a level of intricacy and finery that elevates it above a typical comic book look, which is why he’s so often chosen for cover artworks. He’s an expert when it comes to using colour, shading and composition to guide the viewer’s eye around an image.