Map illustration for editorial

In a recent commission, I had the privilege of creating a series of map illustrations for Scottish Field magazine’s autumn breaks series. Each year, they inspire readers to discover new destinations for an autumn escape, often based around a theme. This year’s focus was film locations scattered across Scotland – an exciting concept to bring to life! The project included a cover illustration plus nine maps, so there was plenty to plan and explore.

As someone whose most work is inspired by ‘people and places’ this project was ideal! I discovered so many places that had not known about while carrying out research and I became very aware of the Scotland’s rich cultural and natural heritage – there is so much to see and explore! The film stories that are linked with all these places were another source of inspiration to follow even if that wasn’t to do with getting out and about.

My process

I began with the first map, sketching out ideas and establishing a consistent structure with recurring elements like place names, bodies of water, county edges, and county names.

As I worked through each map, new ideas emerged. I wanted the maps to feel cinematic, so I experimented with elements that referenced the filming process – moments of “making” that give a sense of being behind the scenes rather than just marking the locations. I worked closely with all involved to make this happen.

To complete the maps, we added characters (both human and animal) to make the destinations more dynamic.