Maps

The most frequent question that I am asked about my career as an illustrator is “How did I get into producing illustrated maps?”

My usual answer takes me back to when I was sixteen and trying to decide what subjects I would take for A level, not being an academic or a mathematician I choose what I thought would be easy and interesting subjects, Art, History of Art and Geography. After A levels, I then spent six years at art college, learning to draw, paint, illustrate and create prints. Then when I became a professional illustrator I found a niche for myself doing something that no one else was doing at the time, I was good at it and most of all it was something that I was really interested in since school days. So there in those three A level choices is the answer to why I paint illustrated maps in a traditional style

Up Market, Down Town or Country Retreat

Are you selling a £26 million grade 2 listed country estate in rural Royal Berkshire with a Capability Brown landscape, or maybe you are marketing a development of 9 apartments and 5 town houses ($16.9 million each) in Manhattan’s uber cool West Village or possibly you have to rent out 100’s of apartments in a $239 million development of two 47 storey tower blocks with wonderful views of New York from Fort Lee in New Jersey? My illustrations have helped to sell or rent these properties not only finding people new homes but making a few people loads a money.

Smell and taste the World

One of the great things about creating and painting maps is the research that is involved, allowing yourself to travel a neighbourhood, a city or a country, discovering the best bits without having to suffer airport security or even leaving your desk. I can imagine not just the way a place looks, but also the the weather, the foods, the tastes and smells, while also listening to the languages.