Illustrated maps are one of my favourite types of illustration projects. Not only does it allow me to tap into my inner explorer, it’s also a fun challenge to showcase what makes a place unique in a way that is visually consistent and appealing.
I recently created this map of the Bordeaux region in France to promote some of the highlights it offers for wine lovers, and thought it would be useful to break down the steps I followed to create it.
Illustrated map of Bordeaux wine region
Step 1: Research - what makes this place special?
Any great illustrated map should start with thorough research - even if it’s a place you already know well. Depending on the emphasis of the project, I’ll look at a mix of resources, including local blogs and destination guides, social media posts about the location, and local history books. As this example was a wine-themed map, I also looked at specialist wine websites.
As I review this information, I start to take notes, create a visual moodboard and start sketching my answers to these questions:
What are the notable landmarks in this location?
Are there any architectural features that are especially common?
Which colours am I repeatedly seeing in the reference material? Are these commonly associated with the location?
What activities and cultural experiences is it known for? Any famous food or drinks?
What wildlife and plants are common here?
Step 2: Composition - how does it all fit together?
With some research under my belt, I can start planning the map's layout and visual elements to create a first draft sketch. This process involves several key stages:
Plot the key landmarks using Google Maps as a reference.
Trace the basic map outline (I use Procreate on the iPad for this).
Add in rough line drawings of significant landmarks.
Review how it’s looking: where are the gaps? Are any landmarks too close together?
How can I use people and nature to create a balanced composition and help tell a rounded story about the destination?
Initial sketch: first draft
Step 3: developing the colour palette
Getting the colour palette right can help capture a location's atmosphere and general vibe.
Which colours stood out in the research phase? In the case of my Bordeaux map, the burgundy red of the wine and the blue of the Atlantic sea were essential to include.
I wanted to use the burgundy as an accent, so I went for a complementary pink shade for the land (i.e. the largest chunk of the map) and used the burgundy for the lettering.
I used these colours as a starting point to build out a limited palette that’s tonally consistent, but with enough flexibility and contrast to draw the details.
Colour palette for the Bordeaux map
Step 4: Incorporating lettering
I’m a lettering nerd, so I’ll take any opportunity to incorporate hand-lettering into my maps - it’s a great way to add some extra personality. When designing the lettering I will consider:
Is hand-lettering appropriate for this project? Depending on the context the map will sit within, or the type of information that needs to be conveyed, it might make sense to go with a font. This infographic map I created for a client is a good example of using a font.
How can lettering be used to reflect the character of the destination? For the Bordeaux map, I wanted my letters to be elegant… like a fine glass of French wine.
Which combination of styles, colours and sizes will work best to provide a clear hierarchy of information?
What styles will complement the overall design aesthetic?
These questions helped me land on the following lettering decisions:
Main heading: two-tone combining the burgundy red with a softer shade to represent the depth of the local wines.
Sub-heading: traditional French-style handwriting inspired by wine bottle labels.
Labels: distinctive flag-style labels to denote the different wine regions.
Lettering styles for Bordeaux map
STEP 5: ADDING PERSONALITY WITH SPOT ILLUSTRATIONS
Once I’m comfortable with the composition and colour palette, it’s time to create the detailed spot illustrations - these do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to storytelling.
I will typically create these as separate files and then add them into to the final map in photoshop. This is the most time consuming part of the project and it can be all too easy to get caught up in the detail, so I try and bear these things in mind:
The trick with spots is to capture individual characteristics without getting lost in the detail.
Try to get a balance between landmarks, people and nature. If it’s just a map of similar looking buildings, it will lack visual interest.
Similarly, try to achieve a balanced use of the colour palette so that the colours are working together rather than fighting against each other.
My maps typically include up to 10 individual spot illustrations, so I’m constantly checking and refining to make sure they will all work together to form a cohesive piece.
Want to know more about map illustrations?
how illustrated maps can help tell your brand story
Maps can help make complex information more engaging and fun, and show off your brand’s personality while getting your message across.
illustrated map portfolio
See more examples of illustrated maps in my portfolio.