Martin S. Laird

Artist | film-maker | animator

Home

Martin S. Laird

Welcome to the portfolio and store of artist, film-maker and award-winning animator Martin Scott Laird from Orkney, Scotland. For business enquiries please use the contact form to get in touch by email.

If you would like to be be kept informed of new releases, upcoming projects and special offers, you can sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visual Portfolio, Posts & Image Gallery for WordPress
Still from A Gude Cause Maks A Strong Erm, the animated story of the Orcadian Woman's Suffrage Society, showing artist Stanley Cursiter with Phyllis Hourston

The artist Stanley Cursiter with Phyllis Hourston

Collage showing seven children from different ethnic backgrounds juxtaposed against scenes of colonialism and war including Palestine in 1917 and the Battle of the Somme from World War One. The children include Princess Margaret with three dogs, Prince Albert sitting on a cushion, a naked African boy behind a wall, a Japanese girl carrying a baby and two children from an illustrated nursery rhyme.

Wednesday’s Child. Collage, 2024.

The Brochj of Gurness in Orkney at night with solarised light trails

Solarised light trails at the Broch of Gurness.

A red, yellow and black lino-cut print of a seated figure holding a hammer in silhouette infront of the white gable end of Blackhammer on Rousay. Michael Prater is seated next to a bonfire with the dog Clair, and the full moon rises over the dark Rousay hillside.

Michael Prater’s Farewell to Blackhammer. Lino-cut print from an edition of 30. Martin Laird, 2025.

The Rough Wooing. Henry VIII says "giveth me thy sylver darlyngs", to which Mary of Guise replies "I Lyke not thys wooyng." The 6 year old Edward VI offers a red rose to the infant Mary Queen of Scots, whilst Henry burns Edinburgh and eats fish stolen from Scottish waters.

Silver Darlings, or The Rough Wooing. Digital painting, 2021.

The Rough Wooing aka Silver Darlings - Henry VIII with Edward VI wooing Mary of Guise with Mary Queen of Scots. Edinburgh is in flames. product image.

The Rough Wooing, or Silver Darlings. Digital painting, 2021.

A lurid screen print of Scottish literary figure James Boswell. Bright yellow, red, pink and green. Behind him is an African woman with dark bars infront of her. Text says "I do indeed come from Scotland, but I cannot help it", with the words "Proud Scot" at the bottom.

Scottish Cringe: James Boswell. Screen print, 30x42cm, 2017.

Drawing of HMS Pheasant, an Admiralty M-class Destroyer, with a mine

HMS Pheasant, chalk & charcoal over watercolour, 2019.

The Meeting of Commissioners - collage made from early 20th century adverts and Royalist propaganda. Triangular composition with Scotsmen raising swords over a chicken. Black tentacled eye above. Surrounded by a frame of Royal heraldry and gold coins.

‘The Meeting of Commissioners.’ Collage, 2023.

A dark black and white photo of a standing stone at the ring of brodgar with a neolithic skull projected onto it.

Neolithic skull projection, 2014.

Midhowe Broch HDR photograph taken at sunrise on Rousay, Orkney, by Orcadian artist Martin Scott Laird.

Midhowe Broch at sunrise.

Text says "Sir, is your Majesty willing to take the Piss? Coronanation." Collage depicts members of the British Royal family as coronavirus molecules floating over the House of Lords with a pink-tinted backdrop showing scenes of England such as churches and spitfires.

Coronanation. Collage, Martin Laird, 2024.

A large, single, un-naturally blue tulip on a reddish-brown background created from stencilled leaves with an airbrush. Pictured against a smooth cloudy, moody sky.

Blue Tulip. Airbrushed acrylic on Bristol board. Martin S. Laird, 2026.

Njuggles aka Kelpies on a windy day near the Old Man of Hoy

Njuggles aka Kelpies on a windy day near the Old Man of Hoy. Digital painting, 2020.

Portrait of Queen Mary as Obsidian Butterfly aka the Aztec goddess Ītzpāpālōtl. She has a large central moth eye in her face, carries a still-born baby in her arms, and is surrounded by bats who are flying out of the intricate classical border surrounding the collage.

Obsidian Butterfly. Collage, 2024.

Manish Buoy - a sad man with a buoy for a head, sitting cross-legged on the shoreline with a Kelpie in the water. There is a solar eclipse in the sky and an impending storm.

‘Manish Buoy.’ Chalk, charcoal and pastel over watercolour, 2020.

Coronation collage made from 1935 jubilee and 1953 coronation souvenir memorabilia. Charles' angry face is made from ermine and velvet. He is passing through a series of gilt picture frames holding an orb and sceptre in his sausage fingers. The background is a torn mess of royalist propaganda photographs showing soldiers, parades, coaches, etc.

Outward and visible signs of Imperial Power used at the coronation of the British sovereign. Collage, 2023.

Mormaer Matad of Atholl with Earl Harald Maddadson. Charcoal portrait by Martin Laird showing the infant Earl playing board games and wielding a large knife while his father makes a mad face wearing a horned woollen hat.

Mormaer Matad of Atholl with Earl Harald Maddadson. Charcoal, 2024.

A Gude Cause Maks A Strong Erm poster - official selection for the Scottish Short Film Festival 2019

‘A Gude Cause Maks A Strong Erm’ is the story of the Orcadian Woman’s Suffrage Society. Now officially selected for the Scottish Short Film Festival 2019, XpoNorth, and other upcoming film festivals.

Three yellow daffodils against a windy-looking blue sky on a reddish-brown background consisting of stencilled leaves.

Three daffodils. Airbrushed acrylic on Bristol board. Martin S. Laird, 2026.

Headhunter (antisyzygy) - a headhunter gazes into water and points a spear threateningly at his own reflection. In the background are dafffodils and trees. Rough impasto acrylic paint texture.

Headhunter (antisyzygy). Acrylic on board, 57x85cm, 2022.