James Martin - MUSE: An exploration of the female form

About the Book

MUSE is a feast for the eyes and the mind, for artists and art aficionados alike.  His nudes are exquisite in their perfection, light, shade, angle, perspective, movement; every page is a study in itself, each illustration captures emotion, mood and expression.  James Martin has outdone himself and every page speaks eloquently of his love for capturing and revealing the perfect line, the perfect nuance.

Major influences on his work in MUSE are Dean Cornwell and Alphonse Mucha, both of whom Martin studied extensively. Aside from Martin's splendid artwork, MUSE includes explanations that describe his approach to creating art, freely sharing his knowledge and experience!

About the Artist

James Martin earned his B.F.A. in illustration at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Upon graduation, he worked for the comic legend Neal Adams as a storyboard and movie poster sketch artist. This culminated in a collaboration on a series of covers and illustrations with the artist. A freelance career in L.A.'s film and advertising industry followed. Some of his clients included: Lorne Michaels, Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, the Grammy Awards, Mattel, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Disney Magazine, Lightstorm Entertainment, Marvel Comics and directors James Cameron and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, for which he did commissions. For over 20 years he has worked as a background painter, visual development artist, texture and matte painter for Walt Disney Feature Animation and DreamWorks Animation, on films such as: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Tarzan, Treasure Planet, Over the Hedge, Shrek Forever After, Puss in Boots and How to Train Your Dragon I and II.

MUSE is a feast for the eyes and the mind, for artists and art aficionados alike.  His nudes are exquisite in their perfection, light, shade, angle, perspective, movement; every page is a study in itself, each illustration captures emotion, mood and expression.  James Martin has outdone himself and every page speaks eloquently of his love for capturing and revealing the perfect line, the perfect nuance.

Throughout his career, James Martin has maintained his commitment to teaching and working on his own art. He is an Artist member of the California Art Club, has exhibited at the Springville Art Museum, the Salmagundi Club, the Santa Paula Art Museum, and has also participated in a three-man show at the Morris Graves Art Museum.

He has taught at the Art Center College of Design, California State University Long Beach, Concept Design Academy, Laguna College of Art and Design, and Associates in Art, and has also written a graduate-level course on the history of visual development for the Academy of Art University. Additionally, he has conducted painting and drawing workshops for the artists at DreamWorks Animation.

He is currently a faculty member in the illustration department at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida.

For more information: KICKSTARTER: James's Martin's MUSE