Matthew Lin

Entertainment, Illustrator, Manga

Matthew Lin is a graphic designer and illustrator who has over 25 years experience — with the majority of that time in publishing, as well as advertising and promotional design.

Matthew began his career as a MAC operator in a small ad agency in Parramatta. After a year he moved on to be a designer and illustrator for Scholastic, then a senior designer/illustrator at Creata Promotion. He was an Art Director at Horwitz Publications and then Creative Director at Online Media Group. In 2004, Matthew decided it was time to go freelance and since then, hasn’t looked back!

Where were you born?

I was born in a place, somewhere in Sydernee in Australee!! But I like to think I’m like Wolverine from the X-Men, born with mutant healing powers!

What other jobs have you had?

My first paid job was a waiter, yes, I’ve got silver serving skills! I’ve spent about half a year working at a cemetery and have enjoyed 10 weeks as a background extra on Shang-Chi – which was an amazing experience!!!

What themes are recurring in your work?

In my personal work my style tends to be manga /animé esque and sketchy. I like to incorporate a fun or cute feeling element — something to stir the emotions. Currently my main topics or themes are giant robots, cyborgs, weird monsters and characters with crazy armour and dangerous weapons!!!

What have been the highlights of your career?

Flown to Los Angeles to see a 15 minute preview of Disney’s animated movie Tarzan (Happy Meal toy design for McDonald’s), commissioned to paint a mural for Taree Library’s Graphic Novel section (which is across from one of my favourite Australian author’s Stephen Michael King) and winning 2 mural submissions — one for Concord Library’s graphic novel section and one near the children’s playground at The Entrance. Being a finalist in the 2008 Gosford Regional Gallery Art Prize.

Where have your works been published?

My first job in publishing began at Scholastic – were I designed and illustrated various books and magazines. Since then I’ve either illustrated and designed over 60 books for various Australian publishers, Blake, Hachette, HarperCollins, Horwitz, Laguna Bay and Macmillian. I’ve had work published in America through McGraw Hill and Trillium. I’ve also designed various toys for McDonald’s, Nestlé and Disney.

What are you passionate about?

I love to share and inspire anyone that has an itch to draw! I’m inspired when I see great art (animation, comics, paintings, computer games) and I love to share that inspiration.

Haven’t I seen you before?

For those of you in NSW, you may have meet me at a Pop Culture event or you may have attended one of my many workshops at a library or I’ve visited your school… or, now this is a big if, you may have seen me in the background in the Marvel movie Shang-Chi…. just don’t blink, or you’ll miss me!

Anything else you’d like to share with us?

I love sketching in ball point pen, preferably blue and I think I could eat ice cream until I die! Some of my favourite animés are Cowboy Bebop, Gurren Lagann and FLCL… I also love reading manga, comics, and fantasy novels!!! Seeing movies on the big screen, swimming in the ocean, hip hop (though I’m not that good), bushwalking, European medieval martial arts, occasionally playing my PlayStation 3 and telling really lame jokes!!!

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