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mark portraitMark Stutzman

All of the work pictured in my galleries is commissioned work.
I like to show illustration that was developed with realistic guidelines and parameters.

Working with art directors under time constraints and with third party input is the blood & guts of the art form. It's like what they say in sports. "It's not how well you play, it's how well you play hurt". Using sports metaphors for art seem ridiculous, but it actually applies in the commercial world. As art directors know, many of the best ideas end up in the trash or terribly compromised. That's when I feel my job is most important. By making those irritating compromises have purpose within the art, you are able to heal the "soar thumb" and embrace the end result.



Illustrating for "Kings"

elvisMark Stutzman is best known for his illustration that adorned the 1993 Elvis Presley Stamp that ushered in a wave of excitement for the U.S. Postal Service. Breaking all records for commemorative stamp sales was just the beginning of how it would impact the USPC and Stutzman's career. "Looking back, I was such a pup. It was so exciting but completely foreign to the illustration life I was accustom to." Since the famed stamp's release, Stutzman has gone on to work for countless clients across the country and around the globe. This year he logged Eloqui's 1800th assignment documenting his many hours of experience.

He has illustrated not just the King of Rock 'n' Roll but also the King of Pop and book covers for the King of Horror. Legends of pop-culture seem to be a recurring subject of Stutzman's body of work. Just out cellof art school, his first job had him illustrating portraits in pen and ink for TV Guide ads. This experience lead him to a Washington, D.C. ad agency as a staff illustrator. He produced several season posters for PBS while there. His yearning for more illustration assignments eventually lead to him pursuing a full-time freelance career, joining his wife, Laura and forming Eloqui. Seeking a more tranquil studio life, He and fellow illustrator, Laura, moved their studio to scenic Western Maryland, where they have remained since.

Stutzman's working philosophy is to focus on reaching visual solutions for clients with an interactive approach. Some projects come in just needing an illustrator's hand to flesh out an idea. Others come in as a glimmer of an idea while others as simply a problem needing to be solved. However the project is presented, he is happy to work towards a solution with the goal of leaving a meaningful and lasting image.

"buried aliveWhy still working in traditional mediums?", he's often asked. Stutzman's response is simple. "Working in traditional mediums make me feel like an artist. Besides, stained fingernails and dirty elbows look good on me." He's always been consumed by the love of classical art. "I was a very odd child, seeking out classical religious paintings and nudes from the Renaissance. I went to my first art museum as a teenager and was literally high from it. This is what I have to do!", he thought ...and so he did.

Stutzman has received numerous awards for his illustrations, including the Stephen Dehanos Award from the Society of Illustrators in New York. He also has received a gold medal from the Society of Illustrators in Los Angeles and appeared in the Print Regional Design Annual, Communication Arts, Society of Illustrators Annuals in New York, The Addys and Society of Publication Designers.