Martin Handford (born 27 September 1956) is an English children's author and illustrator who gained worldwide fame in the mid-1980s with his Where's Wally? creation (known as Where's Waldo? in North America).

Early life

Born in Hampstead, London, Handford was a solitary child, born to divorced parents. He began drawing crowds when he was 4 or 5 years old, and later as a child, making stick figures on paper. After school, when most other children he knew would go out and play games, he would draw pictures instead. His inspiration to draw such figures came from classic films and the toy soldiers he played with during that era.

As an adult, Handford worked for three years in an insurance office (Crusader Insurance Company) to pay for his studies at UCA (University for the Creative Arts) formerly KIAD (Kent Institute of Art and Design) in Maidstone, Kent. After graduating, Martin …Read more on Wikipedia