New Website and Blog

I have finally put together my new website. I have included a blog and will be posting my news at martamackova.com

Client Testimonials

I am putting together a new website and I thought of adding some client testimonials.  I wish I had done this already.  I got some most beautiful responses:

'I have worked with Marta Mackova on several occasions. I initially commissioned her to create  a short animation for my theatre production 'RoadKill' which featured the incredibly difficult subject matter of  a young girl being raped from her own perspective. This was a seminal moment in the production, and audiences all over the world  (London, Paris, Chicago, NY) never failed to be shocked, moved and unbelievably affected by it. Marta created work which was sensitive, inventive, deeply empathetic to the demands I placed on her. She has since created my company logo and a cover for a cd of music I produced. Each time her work has had an authentic originality, charm, and sensitivity to the subject it depicts. I love working with Marta.'

Cora Bissett, Theatre Director; Pachamama Productions;  Associate Director, National Theatre of Scotland

‘Marta is such a sensitive artist and I love her unique images and use of colour. Her innovation and creativity in adding beauty and energy to The Leadership Game© (A pragmatic Board Game for educating people on Leadership skills and behaviours) was thrilling for us as the creators of the Game to witness and we consider ourselves really fortunate to have ‘discovered’ Marta. She is also a super person who listens intently to the brief and pours all of her passion and talent  into getting it right.’

Tom Brown, Training Concepts Ltd. 

I feel so proud. Thank you, Cora and Tom!

More from Illustration Lab

 And that's the Illustration Lab over.  I will really miss it!  It has been such a great experience. We were all given some lovely feedback on our illustration homework from Vivan French, Jonathan Gibbs, Ross Collins and Natalie Russell and learned loads about picture book publishing from literary agent Kathryn Ross and about creating stationary and gift products from Studio One and Paper Tiger directors Michael Apter and Daniel Johnson. Thanks a lot to Scottish Booktrust, Vivian French and Jonathan Gibbs for organising such a wonderful course.

Homework

I've been working on my project for Illustration lab.  I'm testing the design of the sea and perfecting the animation.  Here is some work in progress:

Running/Flying Cycle

"...And Ailsa was walking on the water. She was walking, she was running, she was skimming the surface like a seagull...."

I am taking part in Illustration Lab this year, the course is organised by Scottish Booktrust and lead by Vivian French.  It has been a delightful and valuable experience.  I've learned loads about the publishing industry and got to meet Val Brathwaite from Bloomsbury Publishing, Catherine Rayner and even Nick Sharratt!

We were given a task to illustrate an extract from a book. I got really inspired and decided to create a tiny animation on top of my illustration piece. I have created some beautiful textures of the sea and a magical run/fly cycle to add some life to my illustration task.

Designing logos

I had a few logo design commissions last year.  I really liked creating designs for a Glasgow based theatre production company Pachamama.  Pachamama is a goddess of fertility and creativity revered by the indigenous people of the Andes.  I thought I would share some of the sketches and ideas for the designs.