Graphic Design

In 1995 Marleen started working in the commercial art field once again. The challenge was to learn how to illustrate and design by using the computer as a tool. She has since then developed the skill to create illustrations successfully with the same feel and textures as the conventional art materials.

With her initial experience in the advertising industry as renderer and graphic designer, she found it much more productive to design on computer. Her portfolio is extensive : Logos, brochures, postcards, posters, calendars, corporate gifts and clothing, package design, t-shirt designs etc. From concept to the final product; handling the creative ideas and designing repro-ready artwork , liaising with the printers and doing quality control. Being involved in styling at a photoshoot is also no problem as Marleen(Paddy)'s husband, Jacques Bernard, is a professional photographer and they often work on projects together.

Blue Note ART Studio cc was registered in the year 2000 and offers graphic design and illustration facilities as well as live music for functions. Paddy often free-lances for advertising agencies either by working on her own Apple Mac system at her studio, or at the agency's premises. She has completed numerous published illustrations for educational, children's books and a great variety of other illustrations for advertising purposes. She has also completed a lot of work for SA National Parks Board related to Snake Awareness and Alien Plants etc.

Book Illustrations

"Experimenting with different art materials is such an exciting fun experience. It stimulates one’s creativity. I work in various mediums such as pencil, pen, pastels, watercolours, acrylics, oils and airbrush. Over the past 15 years, my computer equipped with special painting software, tablet and digitizing pen has become a practical tool to me, adding to my efficiency and creativity. Understanding graphic design and printing, has been truly beneficial in my relationship with publishers and ad agencies etc.

I started illustrating educational books for various publishers in 2002.
It was through the SCBWI Showcase CD in 2006, that Australian writer, Maria Rigoni,
contacted me to illustrate and design her fascinating children’s storybook. This was an
incredible inspiration and a wonderful journey for me. It has now been published and
is available in Australia and on the web.

I have created many bookcovers and illustrations for educational books, posters
and literature readers and poetry, since.

Children are wonderful and important and we need to embrace them with love, truth, beauty and inspiration. Children’s books play a huge role in this, and I enjoy being a part of this.”

Publications:
- Marleen’s work was featured in a book entitled ‘Contemporary Artists of Pretoria’.
- In 1998, Marleen was featured in the Digital Imaging and Publishing magazine,
after having been commissioned to produce two covers for this prestigious publication.
- Numerous illustrations for a variety of schoolbooks for SA, Botswana and Zambia:
- Artwork done for Educational Publishers since 2002 (Heinemann, MML, Nasou)
- 2 x Children’s books for Germany -published by Chart Studios (2004)
- Illustrations for Children’s Puzzles – Raptor Publishers 2006
- “Nomtombomsa and the Sacred Pool “ - Juta Publishers 2008
- “Ouch” – Cambridge University Press 2008
- “Elizabeth and Unicorn Rose” – by Maria Rigoni 2008 www.urastory.com.au

Publishing of the following books by Heinemann:
SiSwati Lahloma Ladvuma , Stars GrR, Stars Gr1, Stars Gr2, Stars Gr3
Readers: “ Far away Places” , “Inventions”, “Avonture op Suidpunt”
Spot on Life Skills Teacher’s guides

2009 - Readers, workbook, educational posters, and a bookcover
for Oxford University Press
- Life Skills books for Masterskills
- 6 x Workbooks, Science Platinum series,2x bookcovers
for Maskew Miller Longman

2010 - Educational Posters and Bookcovers MML,
- Cultural Illustrations for Logogog Publishers

(member of SCBWI - Society for Children's Books, Writers and Illustrators)