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Martin French is an illustrator, designer and educator based in Portland, Oregon. His distinctive style—an interplay of marks, signs, and symbols has been recognized internationally for its dynamic, visual exploration of life and culture.

His work spans a diverse media context including postage stamps, street murals, album covers, picture books, visual essays, & animated commercials. Martin’s work has been commissioned by clients such as Apple, The Atlantic, The Discovery Channel, DreamWorks, ESPN, The Grammy Awards, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Joffrey Ballet, The New York Times, The NFL, Sony Entertainment, and Stanford University. His images have consistently found a place in the exhibitions and juried shows of leading visual communication organizations such as American Illustration, Communication Arts, Graphis, Society of Illustrators, Spectrum, and 3x3, including gold medals from the Society of Illustrators in Los Angeles and New York. In 2019 and 2023 he received the Patrick Nagel Award for Excellence from The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. Martin’s poster designs are central to his body of work and are exhibited worldwide.

In 2006 Martin joined the faculty at the Pacific Northwest College of Art where he designed the BFA program in Illustration. PNCA Illustration is now the largest major in the college and ranks as one of the top programs in the country. Martin serves as Department Chair and Professor of Illustration. He teaches classes in professional practice, the intersection of design & illustration, advanced drawing for illustration, and visual thesis development.

Martin is a native of California, and a graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.

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