Illustrated graphic design for
heritage organisations
Kati is a freelance illustrator working primarily in the cultural and natural heritage sector. She creates illustrations for venues and organisations. This includes museum illustration, galleries, art centres, local authorities, historic venues, events, interpretation boards and family trails.
What is heritage illustration and why is it important?
Heritage illustration includes all illustration services that are carried out for heritage organisations. There is usually an emphasis on history, people and places and the general audience of these institutions are curious and inquisitive. Heritage illustration plays a crucial role in bringing history to life by visually interpreting stories, events and environments.
It helps audiences engage with the past in a more meaningful and accessible way, allowing them to connect with cultural narratives. These illustrations often serve as educational tools, helping both children and adults to better understand historical contexts, people and places, while sparking curiosity and further exploration.
Heritage illustration services
As you may be aware, illustrators work in their own unique styles. My illustration style has been described as delicate, witty and insightful, which I wilfully adapt to meet your needs. The style of an illustration plays an important role in connecting with both new and returning visitors. The following list outlines the various purposes my illustration style can fulfil, helping you envision its potential.
Website illustration
An illustration can bring a website to life in a way that text alone cannot. My illustrations aim to be both engaging and aligned with your project’s voice, helping to create a lasting impression on your visitors. This works especially well for brands that want to stand out from the typical stock photography seen on many websites. In the above example, the illustrations humanise the topic of health histories and turn these past events and characters into real people and places.
Illustrated Maps & Family Trails
Illustrated maps provide a fun and functional way for visitors of all ages to explore your grounds and discover the activities you offer. Additionally, illustrated family trails can encourage adventure and learning among younger visitors.
Using narrative imagery, the maps can also serve as educational tools, allowing children to learn more about your venue in an engaging way.
Posters
My poster designs aim to catch the attention of potential visitors and promote important events in your calendar. By understanding your needs, I work to create designs that effectively communicate your message.
Banner Advert
Illustrations are great to show off what your organisation stands for. A banner can succinctly sum up everything that a first visitor needs to know. What’s more, you can adjust the tone of voice to best suit your message
Book Design
I create exhibition catalogues, cookbooks, brochures and calendars in a style that meets your brand guidelines and the spirit of the project that it serves.
Leaflets & Printed Materials
With a lot of experience in creating print-ready materials, I produce attractive leaflet designs that appeal to your target audience while ensuring that it meets your printer’s requirements.
Advertising
Whether it’s an event, a theatre performance, or a puppet show, a thoughtfully designed advert with illustrated elements is the best way to capture the attention of a broad audience.
Educational Materials
Whether for school visits or on-site training, illustration and graphic design can bring your learning materials to life. What is more, as a former teacher, I bring creativity and understanding to the art of designing effective educational materials.
Merchandise
If you have a shop, illustrated merchandise provides visitors with the opportunity to take home a distinctive memento from a great day out.
My illustration process in a nutshell
Research
Gathering relevant information about the project. This could include reading around the subject to have a deeper understanding of the bigger picture, creating mind-maps, coming up with ideas and identifying themes. This stage is usually preceded by a meeting where I can listen to the key messages and discuss them with you.
Rough sketches
Based on the research, I create a series of rough sketches. There is usually one main application where the illustrations will be used – this could be a site map, a website or a poster. If this is the case, I tend to sketch out the illustrations with that purpose in mind. The roughs are always pencil drawings and the main aim of this phase is to agree on the ideas and if applicable, the composition.
Creating the illustrations
Once the rough sketches are approved, I begin to create the final drawings. Depending on the feedback, the line drawings are sometimes shared before applying colour and textures but usually this is not necessary.
Finishing touches
After another round of feedback, I apply the finishing touches to the illustrations and share them for approval.
Creating assets
As illustrations are often used for a number of different applications, the final stage of this process is to create the required applications or prepare the files in a suitable format for others to work with.
FAQs
What types of heritage illustrations do you offer?
I work with a wide range of clients including events, theatre productions, film posters, packaging design, venues, exhibitions, websites and academic institutions. If your project is not listed, feel free to get in touch to see if I can assist you.
How do you ensure the illustrations align with the organisation’s identity?
I begin every project with a meeting, typically held online. This gives us the chance to connect and for me to fully understand your organisation’s character, target audience and objectives. Throughout the project, I collaborate closely with you to ensure the illustrations reflect the desired tone and visual style. For more detail, please refer to my process above.
How long does the heritage illustration process take?
The timeline for each project varies based on its scope and complexity. A smaller task, such as a single character or mascot, may take around two weeks, while larger projects, like a full set of illustrations for an exhibition or website, could take several weeks. After our initial consultation, I will provide a clear timeline and keep you updated throughout the process.
Can I request revisions to the illustrations?
Yes! My process includes opportunities for feedback. From experience, it typically takes no more than three rounds of revisions for everyone to be fully satisfied with the illustrations.
What file formats will I receive the final illustrations in?
Once the illustrations are finalised, you will receive the artwork in the formats best suited to your project. Common formats include PNG, JPG and PSD. If you require a specific file format for a particular purpose, just let me know!
How much does heritage illustration cost?
The cost of heritage illustration depends on the scale of the project, including the number of illustrations, their complexity and the required timeframe. For instance, the cost of illustrations for an exhibition might be different from artwork intended for long-term use.
After our initial consultation, I will provide a tailored proposal based on your needs. I aim to accommodate a range of budgets, whether you represent a small organisation or a larger institution requiring more extensive work.
How do I get started with a heritage illustration project?
To get started, simply contact me using the form on this page or send me an email directly. We will arrange an initial consultation to discuss your project, organisation and goals. From there, I will develop a proposal that outlines the timeline, deliverables and pricing, ensuring you have a clear understanding before we begin.
What are the benefits of using heritage illustrations?
Heritage illustrations help to bring historical narratives to life, making them more engaging and accessible for a broad audience. They can visually enrich exhibitions, publications and digital platforms, offering a unique and aesthetically pleasing way to communicate the significance of people, places and events from the past.
What others have to say
“Kati has been a pleasure to work with. Her dedication to the project has been consistent from the first minute to the last. She captured perfectly what the Old Fire Station stands for through her extensive research, unique way of seeing, beautiful colour palette and dreamy characters. We are overjoyed with the result!”
Justine Malone
Arts at the Old Fire Station, Oxford
"It was not an easy brief but Kati interpreted the complex theme to present it in a way that was accessible and identifiable to a broad audience, which demonstrated a deep understanding of both design principles and the subject matter. Kati’s creative vision and attention to detail brought the theme to life in a way that was both engaging and informative. The design elements were not only visually impressive but also served to enhance the overall narrative. The use of colour and typography has really helped us to create an identity throughout the site and adapt the theme to different seasons, moreover the design combined artistic creativity with practical functionality. We wouldn’t hesitate to work with Kati again. Thank you."
Emma Emerson
Hughenden Manor, National Trust
“The illustrations and site-map that Kati has created for Kelmscott Manor are really very successful and everyone associated with the National Lottery Heritage Fund project was equally impressed with their clarity and the way in which the drawings of the Morris family members, birds and other characters work so well with the typography. She has made a delightful contribution to the Interpretation of the Manor and its outbuildings.”
Peter Cormack
MBE FSA Hon. Curatorial Adviser, Kelmscott Manor
“Kati has been an utter delight to work with and her illustrations have already become a treasured part of our College community. Now, with the map, we have a lovely (and very useful!) souvenir to give our visitors!“
Maryanne Saunders
Lincoln College
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