We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mark Monlux a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Mark, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
My client, the Northwest & Intermountain Power Producer Coalition NIPPC, reached out to me create a series of monthly sketchnotes. For several months, I attended public hearings focused on Oregon State Bill 978, which concentrated on wind power concerns and private hydro energy concerns on outdated regulations that didn’t readily adapt to innovations in wind & solar power concerns. I would create sketchnotes during these sessions that captured my view of the proceedings as an observer, not a participant. These were then posted on the NIPPC website, where the interested public and concerned businesses could freely access them. The project was meaningful to me as my work until then usually covered one to two-day sessions. This was my first chance to work on an event that covered several months. It was also an opportunity to show how I could capture the proceedings objectively and creatively. The client and I were extremely pleased with how well the sketchenote were received and how useful they were during the hearings.
Mark, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I entered the world of graphic art as a freelancer scavenging for work from advertising agencies. It wasn’t long before I learned illustration was more lucrative for me than design, for one thing I was faster at it. I also learned a great deal from my peers, the nuts and bolts of running a business, methods for communicating with clients, and techniques in asking the right questions to get past preconcieved directions and form a campaign with a true strategy. My desire to explore what I learn took me from advertising, to publishing, to marketing, to graphic facilitation. I think the reason I’m sought out is because my imagery has multiple facets of appeal. There’s a safe humor where mild jesting occurs, but there is also a bit of a poke that targets the message as well. My work appears whimsical, but there’s a direction to it as well. And while the former is easy to see the latter is almost instinctually perceived. People find that intriguing, their eye lingers, they absorb the message. And that is my goal as a communicator, to have people absorb the message.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
While I learnt a great deal and am active in professional organizations like the Society of Professional Graphic Artists, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Graphic Artists Guild, I wished I had continue to investigated further as I might discovered the International Society of Visual Practitioners at an earlier date.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
The publication I recommend to all aspiring creative professionals first and above all others is “The Graphic Artists Guild Handbook, Pricing and Ethical Guidelines.” This is the go-to how-to tome of for the industry. I also strongly suggest “The Advertising Law Guide” by Lee Wilson. It could help keep you out of trouble.
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/markmonlux
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markmonlux/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonluxIllustration
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmonlux/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/markmonlux
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MarkMonlux
Image Credits
All images and photos Mark Monlux