Last year, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Merthyr Tydfil Council on a project promoting green practices. This involved illustrating a book that encouraged sustainable practices, aiming to guide local councils to adopt habits that would leave some areas wild for wildlife whilst keeping practical and safe cutting options(`Read more about it here). It was a rewarding experience, and I was thrilled to receive a new commission this year with an even more creative and educational focus—introducing local wildlife to the next generation through my art!
This year, the council wanted to create a fun and informative booklet for children, designed to spark their curiosity about local habitats and the wildlife they can discover in the Welsh landscape and an identification guide for volunteers to take out into the field to identify plants and fungi for population monitoring. My task was to bring their vision to life through my vibrant illustrations and hopefully you will agree that I did just that.
The main project was the booklet that would be passed around welsh schools for kids, so everything needed to be captivating and simple for children but also appeal to an older age group with more facts and details which were in both welsh and english. The content highlighted different habitats they might encounter, from woodlands to grassland, rivers and their own garden which I packed with colourful illustrations of wildlife you could find there, from birds and insects to mammals and reptiles. The goal was to make each creature come alive on the page, so children could feel excited to spot them in real life and see how much variety we have on our doorstep and how we can protect them.
With so many areas to cover I combined the habitats, blending scenes into each other and really filling every space with a keystone specie and fun facts.
Alongside the informative sections, I created a fold out colouring page and seperate sticker sheet of the species in the booklet, giving children the chance to engage more directly with what they learn and match up the species to their habitat or if they want to decorate their belongings with their new found favourite wildlife.
Plant and Fungi ID Guide: A Tool for Volunteers
In addition to the children's booklet, I was also asked to design an ID guide for plants and fungi. This guide is aimed at local volunteers who venture into the local parks, woods, and other green spaces to count species as part of conservation efforts. The guide had to be both practical and beautifully illustrated, ensuring it was accessible to those who might not have a scientific background.
I illustrated a wide variety of plants and fungi, from the meadow buttercup to the small but vibrant fly birds foot trefoil. Each drawing had to be detailed enough to help with accurate identification in the field and I tried to make it fun, patterning the illustrations across the page with added in wildlife. This part of the project was a bit more technical which I really enjoyed creating artwork that was both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
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Bringing It All Together: A Holistic Approach to Nature Education
This commission for the Merthyr Tydfil Council was a fantastic opportunity to combine creativity with conservation. The booklet, stickers, colouring pages, and ID guide all serve different purposes but come together as a cohesive educational tool, aimed at both children and adults. It’s a joy to think that the illustrations I’ve created will help kids learn about their local environment, while also supporting volunteers in their efforts to preserve it.
I believe that projects like this are vital in encouraging younger generations to connect with nature, fostering a sense of responsibility and enjoyment of the outdoors from a young age. Working with the Merthyr Tydfil Council has been a wonderful experience once again, and I can’t wait to see how the children (and the volunteers) respond to this year's creations!
If you happen to be in Merthyr Tydfil, keep an eye out for these resources, and why not grab a booklet and explore the wildlife right outside your door? Who knows what fascinating creatures you might spot! Follow along with their biodiversity project here.
If you have a project like this and need an illustrator/designer, drop me an email and lets see what we can come up with.
