Marcus Pfister

Marcus Pfister (born 30 July 1960 in Bern, Switzerland) is a Swiss author and illustrator of children's picture books.

His Rainbow Fish series of children's picture books, published since 1992, has been a worldwide success. The books have been translated into over 60 languages and have sold over 30 million copies. Decode Entertainment turned the picture books into a 26-episode animated television series of the same name, which has aired on the HBO Family television channel in the United States since 2000.

Pfister uses watercolors to illustrate his children's books, beginning by stretching the watercolor paper over a wooden board. Next, Pfister copies his rough sketches onto the paper in pencil. He is then ready to begin painting. For his backgrounds and blended contours, Pfister uses wet paint on wet paper; this achieves a softer effect. For the finer details, he first lets the painting dry, and then he paints the final picture layer by layer. When the illustration is complete, Pfister cuts the paper from the wooden board.

In February 2017, Pfister was the featured speaker, author, and illustrator at Nepal’s first children's literature festival, Bal Sahitya Mahotsav, in Kathmandu.

Pfister lives with his wife, Debora, in Bern, Switzerland.