A fanatic of heavy metal music since 1986, Mark Riddick launched his career as a freelance artist in 1991 when he began illustrating demo cassette covers, 7" EP record covers, and filler artwork for cut & paste underground death metal fanzines, bands, and record labels. By the mid-90s Riddick had gained credibility as the 'go-to' artist for underground extreme metal bands in the United States and overseas. In 1998, Riddick earned his undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from Greensboro College in North Carolina. Since finishing college, Riddick has pursued his freelance career by continuing to illustrate for underground metal bands and mainstream metal bands alike. His grotesque talent has also been solicited by other media outlets such as the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim's notorious television series, "Metalocalypse," the Travel Channel's "Ghost Adventures" series, and NBC's "Law & Order" series. Some of Riddick's most visible illustrations for the metal scene have appeared on merchandise for such bands as ABORTED, ARSIS, AUTOPSY, COFFINS, DEMONICAL, DETHKLOK, DEVOURMENT, DYING FETUS, EXODUS, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, GORGASM, GRAVE, GRAVEHILL, HYPOCRISY, KATAKLYSM, LIVIDITY, MORBID ANGEL, NUNSLAUGHTER, PSYCROPTIC, ROTTING CHRIST, SLAUGHTER, SUFFOCATION, SUICIDAL ANGELS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, TORTURE KILLER, VARATHRON, WARBRINGER, and hundreds of others. In addition Riddick has participated in numerous gallery exhibits domestically and overseas, has published several books, most notably "Compendium of Death," a 600-page volume showcasing twenty years of illustration content. Riddick resides in Northern Virginia with his wife and children.
