Summary

Hi! I'm Mary Balbas, known online as Mharz, and I'm a Professional Illustrator from the Philippines. I have worked in studios in the past as an animator but I have since shifted to illustration as I am very passionate about creating stories through digital painting. I'm very interested in creating cover illustrations, pinups, box art, and promotional art for novels, comics, video games, and TTRPGs like Dungeons and Dragons respectively. My favorite genres to work with are fantasy, slice-of-life, romance, and historical fiction.

I'm very passionate, determined, and I ensure that all the illustrations I do are of the highest quality. For me, communication and transparency is important and I always do my absolute best in giving my clients an amazing experience in working with me through listening to their feedback and catering to what is requested.

You don't need to hear it from me, here are some testimonials from my past clients.

“Working with Mharz was more than just a commission, this was a collaboration. My initial concept was taken on board with some incredible mock-ups that eventually were eventually expanded on with smart, proactive suggestions from Mharz that elevated the final piece to a level beyond anything I had expected. The attention to detail was absolutely exceptional and with a constant stream of feedback I was able to maintain full, creative control over the commission from concept to the final piece. I will be working with Mharz again if I am in need of a quality artist!”
-J. Hale, author

"I'm really happy with the finished piece! It really lived up to what I was imagining. Mharz did a great job talking me through the options and keeping me updated."
-E. Rash, Game Master

"I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Mharz on multiple projects ranging from stand alone illustrations to full length sequential artwork for my various comic book related work and other ventures. Every time we have worked together, they have been super professional, timely, with great communication...and the end results have always exceeded my expectations!"
-Shaun T. Barrow, writer/graphic novelist

"Working with Mharz on I, Necromancer was an absolute joy. Her attention to genre detail, dramatic framing, and expressive characters jumped off the page. She was an excellent communicator—and fun collaborator—who not only delivered consistently but exceeded my every expectation."
-Donathin Frye, writer/Game Master

"Very pleased with my commissioned piece, Mharz did a fantastic job with each update on my piece. Worth every penny."
-E. Howard, Dungeons and Dragons player

Skills

Software proficiency

Photoshop

CLIP STUDIO PAINT

MediBang Paint

Reel