Five Reasons to Commission a Map

Maps do much more than show people where things are. And one map illustration can have many uses.

A well-designed map can capture the character of a place, bring a project to life, help people find their way around and give your audience a reason to stop and look. And when it’s hand-drawn, it can do all of this with a warmth and personality that a standard digital map often can’t.

Below are five reasons to consider commissioning a map.

1. Tell the story of a place

Every place has a story.

It might be the history of a building, the landscape around a new development, the character of a town or the things that make a particular destination special.

A map gives you the opportunity to bring those details together in one visual piece. Buildings, landmarks, routes, views, landscape and local details can all become part of the story.

Rather than simply showing where somewhere is, a map can show what makes it worth knowing about.

2. Give your project its own identity

A map can become a distinctive piece of your visual identity.

For a hotel, holiday cottage, visitor attraction, development, estate or destination, a bespoke map can communicate a sense of place in a way that generic mapping simply can't.

The style can be designed around your project – from detailed and traditional to simple, contemporary or playful – creating something that feels genuinely yours.

And because it is made specifically for you, it can include exactly the places, features and information that matter to your audience.

3. Help people explore

Maps are naturally engaging.

They encourage people to look closely, discover things and understand how different parts of a place relate to one another.

A visitor map might highlight walking routes, gardens, buildings and points of interest. A development map could explain connections, public spaces and the wider landscape. An event map might help people navigate between different areas of a festival or special event.

A good map doesn't just tell people where to go. It can make them want to explore.

4. Create something people want to keep

Digital information is useful, but it can be easily forgotten.

A beautifully illustrated map is different. It can become something people keep, display or return to. Think of a map of a favourite holiday destination, a wedding venue, a historic estate or a special event. It can become a physical reminder of a place and an experience.

For businesses, that gives a map a life beyond its original purpose. It could appear on a website, in printed literature, on signage, in visitor packs or as a keepsake.

5. Make your project memorable

Perhaps the biggest reason to commission a bespoke map is simply that maps make people look. And look again.

Maps combine information and illustration in a way that can be both practical and beautiful. They can turn a complex place into something understandable, while giving your audience something visually distinctive to remember.

And a hand-drawn map has something particularly human about it. It doesn't try to make a place look perfect or generic. Instead, it can capture its character, things such as the quirks, landmarks, landscape and details that make it unique.

A map made for your place

I create hand-drawn maps for places, events and organisations, creating maps that are both visually engaging and rooted in their surroundings.

Whether you need a map for a development, destination, event, business or special place, I can work with you to create something that tells its story and gives people a reason to explore.