I am a freelance illustrator, writer and designer with a strong scientific
background. In September 1993, having successfully completed a Ph.D. in
astrophysics at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory (UK), I secured a research
post in theoretical astronomy at the University of Sussex, in Brighton (also
UK). Three years later, however, tiring of research, and having realised that a
scientific career was not my cup of tea, I put down the telescope to seek a
career changeand I have never looked back. Since late 1996 I have established
myself as a successful science writer, illustrator and fine artist, specialising
in the accurate depiction of astronomical phenomenon, balancing my scientific
knowledge with an artistic sense. I am a Fellow of the International Association
of Astronomical Artists (IAAA).
Since starting my freelance career, my illustrations have appeared in
their hundreds in magazines and books, often on the covers, in other
publications and on television. These days I work mainly digitally, often
producing my illustrations entirely from scratch in Photoshop, but at the
beginning I was more at home with acrylic. For three years running, from 1998 to
2001, my artwork won international acclaim and top prizes in an international
digital art contest partially sponsored by Scientific American, Boeing
and others. I occasionally exhibit my art at small galleries, and I am currently
participating in an international travelling art show, featuring the work of
several of my fellow space artists from the IAAA.
I have written for several outlets, including The Guardian,
New Scientist, Scientific Computing World, Astronomy Now,
Scientific American, Astronomy and Sky & Telescopethe
latter three being US publications. However, these days my writing is mostly
restricted to books. So far I have written three popular astronomy books, two of
them also illustrated by me. They are The Story of the Solar System
(Cambridge University Press, 2002), The Expanding Universe (Dorling
Kindersley, 2002) and Astronomy: A Visual Guide (various publishers,
2004). At present I am completing a fourth book, called The Illustrated Atlas
of the Universe, due for publication in 2006. I am also working on an idea
for a fifth book, plus I have written a novel, although I have yet to seek its
publication.
MARK A. GARLICK, FIAAA
Astronomical artwork / illustration
and scientific writing ...
