Martin Skoro

I'm Martin Skoro; partner, graphic designer and illustrator (both conventional and digital) for a design firm MartinRoss Design (I'm the "Martin", my partner and wife Roselyn is the "Ross"). We've been in business for nearly 35 years, just the two of us. Before that we were graphic designers and art directors for large insurance companies—different ones. In addition, we both have worked at museums.

Our first 15/20 years were corporate communications, identity programs, logo and mark development. We worked the gamut from large international companies to medium and small. The latter 15/20 years we've done book design and magazine design and production. The book design has been primarily large format—coffee-table style—museum, foundation books and corporate/firm/university/individual histories. 

I was raised with a father who was a graphic designer/illustrator/calligrapher/liturgical designer and fine artist. I learned much in his shadow. Art school, studying fine art and went on to develop as a graphic designer and illustrator. I've illustrated two children's book and initiated, conceived of, designed and general edited my own book Baba Yaga: The Wild Witch of the East in Russian Fairy Tales, in 2013. The first time a hardcover collection of the folk icon has had her own collection published in English. 29 stories (newly translated), 256 pages and 74 images.

We're newly phasing into retirement. That does not mean we're quitting doing design.

Frustrated with Adobe's subscription policies, a friend suggested trying Affinity. I've been getting use to Affinity Photo and am now needing to tackle Affinity Designer.