New Commission: ‘Memory Map’ in Indian Ink & Watercolour
I'm excited to share a recent commission I’ve just completed: a 52cm x 52cm Indian ink and watercolour piece titled Memory Map. This artwork came about as a result of exhibiting with the Pure Arts Group in Rye back in April 2025.
The client approached me with an incredibly detailed brief—several pages of notes listing places, events, and significant dates to include. One particularly fun idea they suggested was using a Monopoly board layout as the basis for the design. I loved this concept immediately, as it added a strong visual structure to the composition while allowing room for creative interpretation.
To bring the map to life, I knew it needed more than just words—images were essential to visually engage the viewer and to help tell the story behind each location and memory. This meant a fair amount of research on my end. I trawled through online references, often comparing multiple images to accurately piece together places where source material was too small or incomplete. It was a slow process but absolutely crucial for getting the composition right.
Once I had a good grasp on the content, I created an initial sketch for the client’s approval. A few tweaks were requested, including some alternative central panels, which I developed and resubmitted. With a layout finally agreed upon, I moved on to mapping everything out in pencil and sent it back for final comments before moving into ink.
For the inking process, I used traditional dip nibs and Indian ink rather than modern pigment liner pens. The result is a much richer, deeper black with its own character—a quality that really adds to the storytelling through mark-making. That said, it’s a slow, careful process. With ink, there’s no room for smudges, splashes, or second chances. Every mark has to be intentional.
Once the drawing was complete, I added watercolour washes to bring warmth and depth to the piece. The result is a highly personal, visually layered artwork that captures the client’s memories in a unique and meaningful way.
Commissioning a Piece Like This
If you’re interested in commissioning your own version of a Memory Map, here's how the process works:
An initial non-refundable payment of £250 covers the sketch design stage (this includes one round of revisions).
Once the concept is approved, I’ll provide a full quote for the finished piece.
While the Monopoly board structure worked well for this project, I’m happy to explore other formats—Cluedo, a chessboard, or a completely bespoke layout could all work, depending on the story you want to tell.
Ideally, clients provide visual references to accompany their notes, which helps speed up the research and design stages and manages costs.
For plein air house sketch commissions, pricing will be handled individually based on location and complexity.
If you’d like to discuss a commission or have an idea brewing, feel free to get in touch!