About

Ian McNee is a New Zealand artist and illustrator with a lifelong passion for visual storytelling. Working primarily in ink, watercolour, and dip pen, Ian’s drawings are intricate, intuitive, and deeply expressive—each piece inviting the viewer into a world of layered symbolism, fantasy, and unexpected discovery.

Based in Northland, Ian’s creative journey spans decades and continents. He left New Zealand in 1990 to live and work in London, where he built a successful career as a senior illustrator and designer for Usborne Publishing. His editorial illustrations appeared in The Guardian and numerous publications, while his theatre work with Scarlet Design brought stories to life through posters and promotional art. Since returning home in 2005, Ian has continued to illustrate professionally while developing a powerful body of personal work rooted in the landscapes and stories of Aotearoa.

Ian’s drawings are often described as large-scale cartoons or visual poems—playful yet profound. They reflect an artistic process that is both spontaneous and deeply considered, like doodling during a conversation where the subconscious takes the lead. Faces emerge from shadows, tattoo patterns whisper across the page, and hidden narratives reveal themselves the longer you look.

Influenced by artists such as Odilon Redon, William Blake, Ralph Steadman, and Saul Steinberg—as well as New Zealand greats like Rita Angus and Colin McCahon—Ian’s work bridges the worlds of fine art and illustration. His pieces are personal yet universally resonant, offering space for reflection, imagination, and escape.

Whether you’re discovering his work for the first time or have followed his career across books, posters, and publications, this portfolio represents a new chapter: an open invitation to explore, feel, and connect.