Marc Martin 

A peep at a day in the life of Melbourne based illustrator, artist and book maker Marc Martin.

Part I:

I usually wake up around 7:30 and jump straight into the shower. I’m not really a morning person, so I need a really hot shower to wake me up – without it I’m useless! I’ll usually have something simple for breakfast, maybe some muesli with a bit of yogurt and fruit. I’ll listen to Radio National and read the paper online while I’m eating breakfast to catch up on current affairs.

Part II:

I like to leave for the studio after 9:00 to avoid the crazy rush of traffic, and not feel like I’m part of the rat race.

One of the greatest things about freelancing is being able to make my own rules – I don’t like the idea of having to be at the same place at exactly the same time every day just because somebody said so!

Being flexible with times and routines helps me feel in control of my life – if I want to work from home in the morning, or come into the studio later, I’ll do that too. 

Part III:

While it’s great to have the option to work from home every now and then, having a place to go to work is really important in my creative process (and it makes me feel like I’ve got a ‘real’ job!). Even just the routine of getting dressed ‘for work’ helps me achieve a mental state where I’m ready to get things done.

Part IV:

Once I’m in the studio, I’ll set up my laptop and check a few emails. If I’m feeling particularly sluggish or need a treat, I’ll pop across the road and grab a takeaway coffee, but most of the time I’ll just make a coffee in the studio – we have plenty of good roasters near the studio, so there’s no shortage of tasty bean options. 

Part V:

At the moment I’m working on a bunch of different projects, as well as developing an idea for a new book. Days are spent juggling admin, illustration and anything else that gets thrown my way – everyday is something different. A lot of people think my days are just spent drawing, undisturbed in my studio, but unfortunately there’s more time spent managing various facets of work than actually doing the fun stuff!

Part VI:

I get home around 6:00 in the evening and will cook a meal with my partner. We try to learn a new recipe once a week, so if it’s not something special then it’s usually just a quick meal with whatever is in the fridge. After dinner I’ll potter around the house or do a bit of drawing, and then it’s time for bed around 11:00 or 12:00. I’ll usually try and read for a while, although I’m frequently so exhausted that after ten or fifteen minutes my eyes get the better of me and it’s lights out.