Elevate Your Signage, Grants, and Campaigns with Illustrated Maps

Communicate your vision with a tailored illustrated map, perfect for information signage, grant applications, reports, fundraising materials, or educational displays.

Illustrated Maps That Strengthen Grants, Signage, and Educational Resources

Enhance reports, applications, and presentations with professional, bespoke illustrated maps that make your materials more engaging and memorable. Perfect for grants, campaigns, or fundraising, these maps provide a clear and visually appealing way to communicate complex habitats, landscapes, and wildlife to your audience.

Illustrated Maps and Site Plans I have Illustrated

  • River Wessex Rivers Trust, Salisbury

    This illustrated map of the River Anton traces its headwaters and full river route while highlighting key landmarks in the surrounding area. Commissioned to raise awareness and educate the public, this map provides a visually engaging way to support conservation efforts and protect this unique landscape.

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  • Proposal for Site Plan - Willsbridge Mill, Bristol

    A bespoke illustrated site plan commissioned to support a grant application for a nature reserve. This illustrated map highlights planting areas, hedges, trees, and seating, with clear annotations to communicate the layout, vision, and ecological intent of the project. It provided a visually engaging tool to help funders understand the proposal and the site’s potential.

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  • RHS Malvern Show Garden Planting Site Plan

    I designed and planted a show garden for the RHS at Malvern, creating a detailed garden planting plan as part of the application process. The site plan illustrated the layout to scale, showing where every plant, structure, and feature would go. Plants were carefully grouped by family and size to ensure a balanced and visually appealing design that also reflected where the plants would be in the wild, providing a clear, professional guide for planting.

“Ferne was a pleasure to work with – responsive, creative and totally got the brief. The final illustration is beautiful and will be a hugely valuable tool in our engagement work. We’d absolutely recommend her to others looking for thoughtful, high-quality design.”

Alexandra McKay - Communications Officer for Wessex Valley Trust

  • What are Illustrated Maps?

    Illustrated maps combine accuracy with artistic style that can. show geographic features, routes, landmarks, habitats, or other points of interest in a visually engaging way.

    Your map can include annotations, symbols, and decorative elements like wildlife found in the area or illustrated landmarks.

  • Who Are Illustrated Maps For?

    Conservation and Wildlife Charities – to showcase habitats, projects, or protected areas.


    Environmental Organisations – for reports, campaigns, and educational resources.


    Eco-Tourism and Outdoor Businesses – to create visitor guides, trail maps, or interpretive signage.

    Botanical Garden Map - with routes, plants and information

    Local Authorities and Councils – for parks, public spaces, and community projects.


    Educational Institutions – schools, colleges, and universities using maps for teaching or outreach.


    Event Organisers and Festivals – nature-themed events or workshops requiring visual maps.


    Grant Applicants – any organisation needing a visual tool to strengthen funding applications.


    Fundraising Campaigns – to illustrate projects, engage donors, or create promotional materials.


    Farm or Zoo Map     - with routes and highlighted species

  • Inspiration for your Illustrated Map

    Highlight a specific habitat location with highlighted species and protected areas.


    Show hiking routes, nature trails, or urban walks with illustrated landmarks.

    Planting schemes and garden plans

    Grant and Funding Visuals with maps designed to clearly explain project scope and impact.

    Visitor guides & signage containing maps for parks, reserves, or ecotourism sites.

    Event Maps for festivals or community events.

    Educational Maps showing ecosystems, food chains, or habitats for schools and outreach.

    Illustrated depictions of heritage sites, old landscapes, or traditional land use.

    Storytelling Maps with a narrative, featuring wildlife characters or local folklore.

    Botanical Maps private gardens, estates, or community projects.

Turning My Nature-Obsessed Brain Into Maps That Work

Give me a habitat, a footpath, a historic site, or an old map, and I’m instantly sketching ideas in my head. Years of illustrating wildlife, designing planting plans, and working with nature-focused charities mean I know how to simplify complex spaces without losing accuracy. I combine real-world knowledge with a friendly, accessible drawing style that's perfect for signage, guides, educational resources, or grant applications. If you need a map that’s clear, beautiful, and genuinely useful, I’m your person.

Let's Bring Your Project to Life

FAQ's: Everything You Need to Know About Commissioning an Illustrated Map

Why commission an illustrated map instead of using a standard map?

An illustrated map is a bespoke design tailored to your project, combining accuracy with artistic style. It can simplify complex information, merge multiple map sources, or be created entirely from scratch. By using visual storytelling, illustrated maps engage audiences more effectively, making information easier to understand and remember.

How does the commission process work?

Every relationship and commission is different, but typically, we have initial chats via email until a brief is supplie,d and I can provide a quote. I prefer to speak via email so I can look back on everything we have discussed for the drawings. After the quote, I like a deposit, partial or full payment, before I get started to cover my artwork time, and I often send out a document to sign about usage and permissions. Once all that boring stuff is out of the way, I can get drawing, where I like to start with a very ugly scribbly sketch to work out the drawing and text layout. From this point, you can make changes or give the go-ahead to go into detail. I have a detailed style of drawing, so timescales are great, so I can make the most of my time. Once I have finished, I will send over more proofs to be approved, and once you are happy and payment has been paid, all the print-ready artwork can be sent over.

What information do you need to create a map?

First things first – drop me an email! A short brief is ideal, including the topic, size or layout, publication type (print or digital) and any reference materials or examples of styles you would like. If the artwork is alongside text, it would be great to have a copy.

I am always happy to discuss initial ideas, even if you are not 100% decided on your direction yet.

Any maps that you want me to work from would be great at this early stage.

How long does an illustration take?

How long is a piece of string?

Drawing time really varies depending on complexity and the current other projects I am working on. Having a deadline and flexibility is always helpful.

Do you create custom illustrations for each project?

Each board is unique to you! Some artists might be faster, but I go into detail, drawing each species individually as well as the individual backgrounds. This means everything has been drawn specifically for you. Lots of clients are happy for me to use these individual wildlife drawings on my own products as well as their boards, but never for another client's work.

Can the map be updated or revised?

Yes, I am happy to update or revise designs as time goes on, but this will be an additional cost.

What are your illustration/design rates?

Prices vary depending on size, detail and usage rights, but I am happy to provide a quote once I know more about your project.

Do you illustrate other topics beside nature?

While my main focus is nature and wildlife storytelling, I also take on editorial commissions in related areas, such as sustainability, travel, and the environment. I am always open to hearing your ideas and seeing if it is a project I would love to be a part of.