Illustrator Spotlight: Mark Holly
 |
| © Mark Holly |
Feb. 1, 2026
We are pleased to spotlight illustrator Mark Holly and his banner design for Kidlit411 and his picture book, Pepper the Parrotfish, written by Stephanie Enter (IPJ Book Publishing). Enter to win a copy via the widget below.
 |
Tell us about yourself and how you came to illustrate for children.
From an early age, I always wanted to work as a professional artist. My family moved a lot when I was growing up, and I was able to experience different countries, regions, and ways of life. Always interested in art, I went on to study fine art and then transferred to Colorado State University, where I got a degree in art and graphic design. I worked for many years at The Denver Post as a graphic designer and illustrator.
 |
| © Mark Holly |
One of my assignments was to create illustrations for a weekly publication called Colorado Kids. This gave me the chance to create a style suitable for young students in a learning environment. Later, I worked at the Denver Public Library, creating art for Read Aloud programs and other graphics for the Children’s Library. I also had the opportunity to work with an author to create a children’s book called Pepper the Parrotfish.
 |
| © Mark Holly |
How did you approach this banner design?
I wanted to create something bright and colorful that would appeal to a broad range of kids. Because the mice and the birds are similar in size, it creates a feeling of family and comfort. I wanted all the characters to experience the joy of reading. Mostly, it was just fun to draw!
 |
| © Mark Holly |
What is your preferred medium and style?
I have worked in most of the traditional mediums such as pencil, charcoal, watercolor, oil painting, and airbrush. Over time, I gravitated to electronic illustration using Photoshop and Illustrator. I prefer these methods for their ability to explore color options and their relative ease of editing. I like using flat colors and, on occasion, rendering them more thoroughly to give the art more texture and dimension.
 |
| © Mark Holly |
What projects are you working on now?
I am currently working on a series of found objects in nature that I isolate and interpret using various colors. Nature has always fascinated me, and learning about plants and the wildlife around me is very satisfying. In addition to the nature series, other projects include a trio of theater posters and a book cover for a mystery novel.
 |
| © Mark Holly |
What is one thing most people don’t know about you?
I grew up in a military family, and my father was a pilot and a Colonel in the Air Force. We moved quite a bit growing up, and I spent most of my high school years in Germany and Belgium. We eventually settled in Colorado, where I live to this day. For many years, I was an avid backpacker and camper, mostly solo. During that time I would camp every New Year’s. Eve. Every year, I would pick a different location to camp and, naturally, got much better at winter camping over time. I still enjoy hiking and learning from nature to this day.
 |
| © Mark Holly |
Where can people find you online?
Mark Holly is a designer and illustrator living in the foothills of Golden, Colorado. He is a professional designer specializing in illustration and has worked in book publishing, newspapers, and libraries. Throughout his career, Mark has maintained a portfolio of outside projects, including editorial illustration, theater poster design, and magazine cover art.
Comments
Post a Comment