Martin French is an illustrator, designer and educator. His distinctive style—an interplay of marks, signs, and symbols spanning a diverse media context—has been recognized internationally for its dynamic visual exploration of life and culture.
His unique, graphic expressionist approach has garnered commissions from clients such as Apple, The Atlantic Monthly, Columbia Pictures, The Discovery Channel, DreamWorks, ESPN, The Grammy Awards, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The NFL, The New York Times, The Olympics, Sony Entertainment, and the Smithsonian. French's images have consistently found a place in the exhibitions and juried shows of the leading visual communication organizations in the country, including American Illustration, Communication Arts, Graphis, Society of Illustrators, Spectrum, Art Directors Club of New York, Print, and 3x3. In 1999, Martin was awarded an Institutional Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators in New York for his depiction of a Brazilian street musician created for a non-profit group working with street kids. The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles recognized his poster for the JVC Jazz Festival with an Advertising Gold Medal in 2009.
A native of California, Martin earned a degree in Illustration from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. He spent 10 years as a designer and director in digital media before opening his independent studio in 1996.
A move to Portland, Oregon in 2005 began Martin’s association with the Pacific Northwest College of Art, where he began development of a BFA program in illustration. PNCA Illustration is currently one of the fastest growing programs in the country. Martin serves as department chair and teaches classes in professional practice, and the intersection of design & illustration. He also serves as a thesis mentor to BFA and MFA students.
In 2011, Martin established the Exile Poster Project. An annual poster exhibition, the project aims to confront complex social issues of oppression and isolation. Each years exhibit is designed to incite local communities into critical, creative action.
Martin currently lives and works in Portland.
Clients include:
American Airlines,
American Express
Apple
Atlantic Monthly
Bank of America
Barneys New York
Bostonia Magazine
Candlewick Press
Coca-Cola
Columbia Pictures
Consumer Reports
Diadora
Discovery Channel
DreamWorks
Dutton Children's Books
Fila
Foreign Policy Magazine
ESPN
The Gap
Grammy Awards
Honda Motorcycles
House of Blues
Island Records
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Joffrey Ballet
JVC Jazz Festival
Major League Baseball
Macy’s
McDonald’s
Microsoft
National Geographic
NBA
New York Times
NFL
Nickelodeon
Nike
Nintendo
Nokia
Penguin Putnam
Pepsi
PGA
Scholastic
Simon & Schuster
Sony Entertainment
Smithsonian
Sports Illustrated
St. Martin’s Press
Time/Warner
United States Olympic Committee
Utne Magazine
Warner Brothers
The Village Voice
Awards + Publications
American Illustration
Communication Arts Design Annual
Communication Arts Illustration Annual
Communication Arts Magazine / March/April 2003 / Feature Article
Creative Quarterly
Graphis Design
Graphis Poster
Drawing Inspiration: Visual Artists at Work
Icons & Images: 50 Years of Illustration, Society of Illustrators
Idea-Design Magazine (China) February 2008 / Feature Article
Illustrator Illuminated, Adobe Press 2003 / Feature Article
Revista Ilustrar (Brazil) December 2007 / Feature Article
Society of Illustrators New York Annual Exhibition (Gold Medal 1999)
Society of Illustrators Los Angeles Annual Exhibition (Gold Medal 2009)
Society of Illustrators Los Angeles Annual Exhibition (Bronze Medal 1999)
Spectrum
Step by Step Magazine / Illustration Annual
Step by Step Magazine / May/June 2000 / Feature Article
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