Large World Map at top - 120cm x 90cm

Giant World Map below - 160cm x 100cm

Standard World Map on right - 90cm x 75cm

Large World Map (narrow version) on left - 120cm x 75cm

Two different world map views shown together for comparison. This image also gives a good idea of the 3D nature of the work and how the maps are designed to work well either hung on a wall or laid out on a flat or sloping surface. 

This shows the finished map base before the details are added. The base relief, including the mountain ranges, compass and sea creatures are carved from foam and then covered in a fine layer of tissue papier mache, before  being undercoated and painted with acrylics. Once the base is painted, I then add the beads, sand broken glass etc. to add texture before attaching the finished details.

The pictures below show some of the different ways the map can be hung. They show the map panels hung together as one large map, but each panel is also designed to be seen on its own, as a completely independent piece of art work.

This image shows the initial map design, which consisted of thirteen separate map panels. I eventually removed the smaller panels and simplified it down to nine maps in two rows of the same height panel. This made it easier to hang the map and gave it better visual balance.

This is the final nine panel map design I settled on, although in theory, the other smaller panels could still be added back in, to create an even more complex version! I used long narrow 'sea panels' to break up the run between continents and give the eyes a bit of a rest from all the details.

Close up detail of Southern Africa including the Blue Train, Maputo Railway Station, safari camp and animals, Skeleton Coast Namibia, Ndebele and Zulu architecture and Cape Town.

Close up detail of the river Nile from the African panel of the world map, including Pyramids and mummies, Abu Simbel in Egypt and Meroe Pyramids in Sudan.

Close up detail of Spain and Portugal from the European panel of the world map. Features include the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona, Alhambra Palace in Grenada and Torre Belem in Lisbon.

Detail of France, Benelux, Switzerland, Germany and the UK from Europe panel of world map.

Germany, Poland, Czech Republic and Denmark.

This panel and the one of Antarctica below, didn't quite make it into the final nine panel map design. The shape and colour didn't quite work and the different size made them difficult to hang.

Close up detail of the Antarctica map panel with numerous different types of penguin, hopefully in the right kind of areas!

Close up detail of Brazil from the map of South America, featuring the Carnival in Rio, Oscar Niemayer's Cathedral in Brasilia, Iguazu Falls and the Amazon Rainforest.

Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, Chiloe, Torres del Paine, Valparaiso, Cordoba and the Falkland Islands

More details from the South America map panel, including Machu Picchu,in Peru, woven reed boat on Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and Cuenca Cathedral in Ecuador.

Detail of top half of North America map, including Canada, Alaska, Greenland and the Arctic Circle.

Detail of the Eastern Seaboard, including Wasshington D.C., New York and Montreal.

Close up detail of the Caribbean and Central America from the North America map panel. Bits of the Southern USA, including Florida and New Orleans can also be seen.

Close up detail of the East Coast of Australia, including Sydney, Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. Pacific Islands visible include Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands

Detail of New Zealand from Australasia and Pacific map panel. Showing Auckland, wine regions and tourists enjoying (?) adventure sports,including bungy jumping and white water rafting!

Detail of papua New Guinea and West Papua from Australia and Pacific Map. Bird of paradise, cassowary and tree house.

Arabian Peninsula and Middle East detail from the Asia map panel. Features include Petra in Jordan, Dubai, painted houses in Sana'a Yemen and the fantastic spiraled Samarra Minaret in Iraq.

The Taj Mahal, Mumbai, Bollywood dancers atop a train, peacocks, tigers, elephants, the Himalayas and cricket can all be seen in this colourful close-up of India.

Nothing beats the 'Stans of Central Asia for stunningly beautiful architecture... Sher-Dor Madrasah, Registan Square in Samarkand. Uzbekistan

Close up detail of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, China and Hong Kong can all be seen in the background.

Close up of some of the Indonesian Islands, including Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Java and Borobudur, Bali, Lombok and Komodo.

Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan

Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Riep, Cambodia and Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue, Vietnam.

Crossing Russia,  Mongolia and China by rail.

This image gives a better idea of the scale of the globes - the large one is suspended whilst the standard globe is on a stand

Globes can come in a range of different designs and colours. Here are several different versions of the 30cm Diameter Globe hung together. The dark blue globe at the back is the newest design. The aqua globe on the left is a wildlife globe and the blue one on the right is the old style design.

View of North and South America  from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

View of Africa and Europe  from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

View of Asia from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

View of Asia and Australia from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

View of the Pacific Ocean from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

Close-up of North America from the standard 30cm globe.This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

Close-up of South America from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

Close-up of India from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

Close-up of Europe from the standard 30cm globe.This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

Close-up of Africa from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

Close-up of Antarctica from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

Close-up of Australia and Pacific from the standard 30cm globe. This shows the features that come on all standard globes and maps -  but any piece can be customised to include the clients's own favourite places and interests.

This globe was commissioned by a client to depict the consequences of climate change and on the planet - as well as showing some of the technologies and techniques we can invest in to help combat the damage we are doing.

This globe was commissioned by a client to depict the consequences of climate change and on the planet - as well as showing some of the technologies and techniques we can invest in to help combat the damage we are doing.

View of the Pacific on the 30cm Climate Change Globe. This depicts some of the damage we are doing to the oceans and seas - including coral bleaching and the great floating islands of plastics and rubbish that we continue to dump in the sea.

This view of the globe shows the pollution creeping across the planet and melting the polar icecaps

Trying to combat a tiny fraction of the damage we have done to the planet with some alternative technology - a floating Seavax hoovers up plastic from the ocean.

The newest design of the popular Australia Map is built on a square canvas and can be commissioned in various different sizes and levels of detail.

This map was made for a home in Margaret River that sits near the river mouth in Prevelly. It covers the whole of the Margaret River Region between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin and includes Busselton and Dunsborough in the North, Margaret River, Cowaramup and Prevelly in the Centre and Augusta in the South.

It depicts many of the best beaches, vineyards and tourist sites in the region, as well as a host of locals and holidaymakers enjoying all that this abundant region has to offer.

It was designed on a slightly unusual East/West axis rather than the traditional North/South view, so as to concentrate the focus on the coastal region and have the owners’ house at the centre of the image.

This piece was commissioned by a Mexican couple living in Baja California. It was designed to highlight the diverse landscape, history, flora and fauna, art, food and culture that make up this incredible country.

Mexican icons carved for an illustrated 3D map

Artist holding the large scale 3D map of Mexico made from Papier-Mache with Carved balsa wood details

This is the largest and busiest version of the Italy map I have made so far. It is one of a series of three different sized maps I made of the country, all at the same time. Each map has a differing level of detail and features, corresponding to the relative size of the map.

This 90cm x 75cm version of the Italy Map was designed for a client in Milan and depicts many of his favourite places in Italy. I created two other sizes of this map at the same time, each one more detailedthan the next.

This is the smallest of a trio of Italy maps I made together in 2020. It is slightly less crowded than the other two maps, which makes it work well graphically

Here are two more versions of my original Italy map - crammed full of even more details than the first. The map on the left is 90cm x 120cm. The map on the right is 60cm x 75cm. These are both for sale.

This is the very first map I made of Italy - the inspiration for several more versions - each nee map increasing in size and complexity as I discover more places I want to include.

Panoramic Map of the Cinque Terre villages in Liguria

Illustrated Map of France with Insets of Paris and Corsica

Sara Drake - Illustrated 3D Map of Spain and Portugal - Painted and sculpted from Papier Mache and Mixed Media

Two different sized illustrated 3D maps of Spain and Portugal - Painted and sculpted from Papier Mache and Mixed Media

Detail of Northern Spain

Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza

Although the map was designed to be hung with the land mass at the bottom, it also works well when viewed from the sea.

Parte Vieja/ Old town - Donostia San-Sebastian

San Sebastián is famous for its incredible array of Pintxos Bars - this one in the Party Vieja was the client favourite.

Akelarre is one of the many Michelin starred restaurants in San Sebastian - and the map owner’s favourite.

As the map recipient is a keen surfer and foodie, the map compass was designed to reflect these passions, as well as marking significant locations in their life.

A few of the icons that were made for the map, photographed before they were stuck down.

This photo shows the full map with the added smaller inset map of Basel in the top left corner. The Basel map is designed to be detachable so it can be displayed separately by the owner.

This is the full map of Switzerland - with small inset scenes of local Swiss pursuits and activities dotted around the border.

The full map was designed for a client from Basel and the brief included many specific requests for landmarks as well as depicting some more personal memories from the city.

One request was to depict a Fasnacht 'waggis' or float, crossing the Mittelbrucke in the city centre. Fasnacht is a 3 day carnival celebrated in Basel in late winter -  the participants dress up in specially designed, clown-like masks and colourful costumes. They parade through the city on floats and with lanterns, playing musical instruments and having much fun.

This miniature map of Basel was designed to be removable from the main map of Switzerland. This gives the client the option to hang it separately or keep it as part of the bigger piece.

Close-up of the  area around Zurich, including the towns of Steinam Rhein, Schaffhausen the Rhein Falls, Baden, Zug, Rapperswil and the monastery at Einsiedeln

This features Zurich and the surrounding towns of Rapperswil and Zug.  My clients love the clubs and night life in Zurich, so they had to be featured! 

Here is the beautiful Chapel Bridge in Lucerne and one of the many grand hotels that sit on the foreshore of the lake.

This image covers the area around Lake Geneva or Lac Leman -  from Geneva and the Hadron Collider at CERN in the far west, to Montreux and Chateau de Chillon at the eastern end of the Lake. In the background are the Chateaux of Vufflens and Yverdon and Romainmotier Abbey. Lausanne, home to the Olympic Headquarters, sits at the centre of the Swiss side of the lake.

This shows the area that borders with France and the Swiss capital, Bern. Le Locle, the town with the watches on the lefthand side, is home to many of Switzerland's specialist watch and clock makers.

This area shows the area around the Emmental Valley and the towns to the north. Of course -  it wouldn't be a real Swiss map without a reference to cheese and fondue!

This is the Southern, Italian-speaking area of Switzerland. Depicted are the towns of Lugano, Locarno, Ascona and Bellinzona. The stripey modern chapel at the back is in the tiny village of Mogno, at the top of Val Lavizzara -a lovely little gem!

The chap at the back doesn't look too happy -but the guy at the front is having fun!

One of five separate inset scenes around the edge of my Swiss map depicting, traditional Swiss activities and pass time throughout the year.

Oh dear - looks like the end of this guys skiing trip! The St Bernards stand by as the rescue helicoptor prepares to land...

One of five separate inset scenes around the edge of my Swiss map depicting, traditional Swiss activities and pass time throughout the year.

Some traditional Swiss pass times going on here in this winter scene.  The guys on the ice are playing curling, whilst they are entertained by a man playing the Alp horn!

One of five separate inset scenes around the edge of my Swiss map depicting, traditional Swiss activities and pass time throughout the year.

Skiing, skating, sleding,...

One of five separate inset scenes around the edge of my Swiss map, depicting traditional Swiss activities and pass time throughout the year.

Here are some of the little carved models of chalets -  before they were stuck to the map!

Some examples of the lovely hand carved,  decorated and painted Swiss houses made for the map.

Here are some examples of the Swiss food and drinks I made to illustrate the map. Cheese and chocolate features strongly!

This sculptural map of Hong Kong Island Harbour-front at night was designed to be freestanding  and can be seen with or without the painted backdrop.  

The buildings are carved from balsa wood and painted with acrylics, the map base is paper mache and the fireworks are made from beads and wire.

This shows the traditional central business, tourist and shopping areas of Singapore, alongside the more recently developed Marina Bay and Sentosa Island.

This map was made as a 70th Birthday gift for a client who grew up in Singapore in the Fifties and Sixties but moved away in the 1970's. The brief was to include places from his childhood (some no longer in existence), alongside some of the more recent architecture that has proliferated in Singapore over the past few years. 

This is the full front-on view of the map. I used a contemporary map of the Island rather than the Singapore outline of 1970. Reclamation of land from the sea is so fast and furious however, I am sure this version is already out of date!

I painted the outline of Malaysia in in the background but left it fairly plain. The dark colour and bright beads help to make it look like night time. The map is already so bright and so busy, this also helps to focus in attention on the centre.

This shows some of the less touristy north and western areas of Singapore. In the centre is the zoo and to the west is the Jurong Bird Park. Much of this area is residential or industrial, although there is still some green space left in the centre and west.

This clip of central Singapore features the Botanical Gardens, famous for their orchids and a  traditional  black and white mansions  - a style of architecture favoured by wealthy planters and expats in colonial times. Tiger Balm Gardens (or Haw Par Villa) is in the foreground, alongside the hexagonal hawkers market of Lau Pa Sat.

Full map of Bali.  75cm x 50cm

This angled view of the map shows the central areas of Bali and many of the main tourist sites and major temples. 

Bali Map - Mixed media 75cm x 50cm

Here you can see the busy and crowded areas around Denpasar and the popular coastal resorts of Sanur, Kuta, Legian and Seminyak. In the background are the some of the more traditional Balinese scenes you might experience as you gradually get away from the crazy built up areas!

This bit of the map features the popular southern resorts to the south of the airport and Denpasar. Here you see the temple atUluwatu and resorts around Nusa Dua on the Bukit Peninsula. In the background at the major tourist centres to Sanur and Kuta.

The area around Ubud is surrounded by beautiful rice fields which have traditionally attracted artists and creative types. Ubud has grown from a series of small villages specialising in traditional arts and crafts into a major tourist mecca and is now full of spas, yoga retreats and organic juice bars...

This part of the map shows some of the instruments that make up the gamelan orchestra and one of the many traditional Balinese dances being performed.

Pura Besakih, set high on the slopes of Bali's highest volcano, Mount Agung, is the island's biggest and holiest temple complex. Also known as the Mother Temple, it is a place of special pilgrimage for Balinese people and tourists alike. Here you see some Balinese ladies dressed in kebaya and sarongs, heading for the temple and balancing traditional 'gebogans',  on their heads. These beautiful towering arrangements of fruit and flowers are created as offerings to the gods.

Off the southeast coast of the Bali mainland lie the lesser known and visited islands of Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida. The small island of Nusa Penida is a well-known surfing and diving destination. The area is also renowned for the strong currents that lie between the islands and the mainland and the 'mola mola' or giant sunfish which frequent the waters. Despite its much greater size, Nusa Penida is relatively untouched by tourism and has a more traditional feeling, mostly relying on farming and seaweed cultivation for its income.

The western end of Bali is less touristy than the centre, but it is definitely worth a visit to get away from the crowds, visit the National Park and dive around Menjangan Island, a protected Marine Park with great coral. You can also cacth the ferry to Java from the westernmost tip...

The town of Negara in western Bali is famous for its Buffalo races.

Highlighted here are the north coast towns of Lovina and Singaraja and some of the beautiful Balinese countryside. Boys are bathing and playing in the hot springs of Air Panas Banjar. Nearby is the Bhuddist temple of Brhama Vhara Arama, which looks bit  like a miniature Borobudur. In the centre of the island, high up in the mountains, is the beautiful lakeside temple of Ulun Danu Beratan near Bedugul.

This map was commissioned to celebrate a visit to this resort in the Maldives for the recipient's 40th birthday celebrations. The couple are featured at numerous locations and participating in various activities all around the island.

This is the same map of the Dhigufaru Resort, with added marker flags, to show various locations around the island

Each of the handcarved  letters from the island's name, sits on its own coral atoll.

Map of New York - Mixed Media 50cm x 40cm x 15cm

Here are some of the handmade details from the map of Manhattan, before they were glued to the map base. Most of the buildings are carved from balsa wood or foam and painted with acrylics.

Close up detail of Cottesloe Beach.

Close up map detail of Mosman Park, Peppermint Grove, Cottesloe and North Fremantle

Home to Perth's 'Clothing Optional Beach"... 

Detail of the Beaches and Swan River in North Fremantle as well as the iconic, Dingo Flour Mill

Detail of Fremantle Harbour and the historic city, known to locals as Freo.

Detail of South Beach and the Sunset market and food satlls

Looking west, from shores of the Swan River at Freshwater Bay in Mosman Park, towards Cottesloe and Rottnest Island in the distance. In the centre foreground is the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht club and the popular protected riverside beaches that lie either side of the promontory.

The back and base of the Mosman Park Diorama have been painted with scenes, so the map can be displayed in any location and provide interest at any angle. The back of the map show a scene of the Swan River, as it might have looked before the Europeans arrived.

Painted with Sea and River creatures

This is one of a series of maps I have made of local beaches and landmarks in Western Australia. Cottesloe Beach is one of Perth’s best-known and most popular beaches. At the centre of the maps is the beautiful old building of the Surf Life Club, whilst behind it are some of the many pubs, cafes and restaurants that locals and tourists flock to on sunny days.

The perils of trying to get changed at the beach…

Map Base prior to details being added

A circular map of the neighbourhood of South Fremantle in Western Australia. The background of the map features some of the many bars, cafes and restaurants stretching along South Terrace, whilst in the foreground the locals are enjoying the beach and water.

The main beach can be seen to the right, where bathers can swim out to the pontoon and enjoy all kinds of water-based activities. The very popular dog beach is to the left, where local pooches are allowed to frolic in the waves with their owners.

Both beaches are very popular with locals, tourists and travellers alike and in the summer months, the park area behind the beaches plays host to a popular Sunset Food Market.

The South Fremantle map base - before all the details are added on.

A few of the recipients favourite things...

This map was commissioned by a bride for her new husband’s birthday and designed to depict their travels, interests and relationship history. It shows their meeting and college days in Swansea, holidays in their camper van, hobbies (including art, classic cars, fossil hunting and marathon running and surfing), proposal on the Gower Peninsula, marriage in the Cotswolds and current home and work in Wiltshire.

My most recent map of London 50cm x 40cm x 15cm

This was designed to be part of an ongoing series of small, but very detailed, city maps I intend to build up. See also the map of New York.

The map was designed with a flat lettering at the top, so a separate, detachable section - depicting the South Downs - can be slipped  over the top.

These two pieces were designed to be seen separately or together. The top piece, depicting the South Downs, is removable and can be hung separtely or slotted over the top of the main map.

This image shows the two separate map sections slotted together, with the hills sitting over the top of the 'Brighton' lettering.

This is the top section of my Brighton map, designed to sit on top of the main City map and expand it out into the rolling Sussex countryside and South Downs.

The two sections of the map can be displayed together or separtely. the top section depicting the South Downs, can be hung or displayed on a shelf.

Volks Electric Railway trundles east from the pier,  along the seafront towards the Marina - passing the nudist beach on the way.

Close up of the Pier and Seafront

Detail of the rides and funfair at the end of the Pier.

Here are some Brighton's major tourist attractions, including the Pavilion, The Lanes, North Laines, Dome and Corn Exchange, Theater Royal, Clock Tower and Station in the background.

Close up of Brighton's Regency masterpiece

Here is Brighton's newest attraction, the i360. A mobile viewing pod that glides vertically up and down a 152 meter pole and offers panoramic views of the city, coast and Sussex countryside. Behind it is the more traditional Georgian Architecture of Regency Square and the Grand Hotel.

The Duke of York's Cinema lies to the north of the city centre.

The North Laines are a series of narrow, pedestrian friendly streets,  full of independent cafes, boutiques and galleries. They run north to the the station and are home to an eclectic and eccentric range of shops and businesses.

Hanover is a hilly part of Brighton, famous for its  tightly packed and brightly painted terraced houses. Just bayond it lies Queens Park and Kemp Town

The main commercial shopping street in Brighton runs west, parallel to the seafront along Western Road - towards Hove. 

To the north of Brighton city centre lies Preston Park and Manor.  Beyond that are the beautiful South Downs, Ditchling Beacon and Devil's Dyke. The map owner can be seen walking in the hills with her dog!

Here is the map owner, walking on the South Downs with her dog.

A truly miniature map of India, crammed with detail and bursting with colour.

This small map of Flores, Komodo and Rinca, in Indonesia, was commissioned for a keen diver, who wanted to commemorate a fantastic underwater adventure in the Komodo National Park. As well as all the marine creatures, the Komodo Dragons also had to feature prominently.

Mixed Media Moon Illustration - 40 cm x 40 cm

3D Illustrated Moonscape - Papier mâché, beads, wire and balsa wood, mounted on an acrylic-painted canvas background. This piece features the Apollo 11 Moon landing and several references to cult 60's and 70's TV series, including Space: 1999, UFO and the German TV series, Raumpatrouille Orion

Miniature illustrated map of the Isle of Man 23cm x 30cm

Close up of Northern half of Isle of Man, including Douglas and the Tynwald Parliament building and horsedrawn trams, steam and electric trains, the Laxey wheel and the TT races 

Mixed media illustrated map of Ogunquit, a small seaside town in Southern Maine, famous for its lobsters.

This close up,of the beach at Ogunquit in Southern Maine shows the sandy spit of beach with plovers and loons

This close up of the Ogunquit map, shows the picturesque harbour at Perkins Cove, spanned by a pedestrian footbridge, which can be raised to allow the lobster boats to take shelter in the mouth of the river.

Illustrated 3D map of the South West coast of Western Australia, featuring, Albany, Denmark, Walpole, Mount Barker and the Stirling Ranges

A close up of the area around Albany, showing several of the local landmarks and attractions, including Torrindup National Park, the coastal wind farm, the Lighthouse on Breaksea Island and plus some of the amazing vineyards and beaches that surround the town.

Denmark is a lovely town about 50 kms to the west of Albany on the South Coast of Western Australia. Sitting on the banks of the Denmark river and surrounded by beautiful forests and amazing beaches and coastline, it's also home to some of the finest wineries in Western Australia.

Inland from Albany, lie the farming and wine making areas of Mount Barker and the Porongurups. Its also home to the Stirling Ranges National Park and challenging but rewarding climb to the top Bluff Knoll.

The Valley of the Giants is an amazing tree top walk that takes you high up through the canopy of tingle trees, deep in the eucalyptus forests of South Western Australia. Here you can also see some of the local fauna, including numbats, quolls, possums and marron.

This inset focuses on Albany's historic buildings in the town centre as well as the seaside suburb of Middleton Beach, where the map owner has a holiday home. The client also requested the map acknowledge Albany's historic links to the first World War One and the first convoy of ANZAC troops who set sail from here in 1914 - for many, it would be the last sight of Australia they would ever see.

Close up detail of the Albany Town Centre and Middleton Beach

A close up of York Street, the Town Hall and some of the lovely heritage buildings that surround the area near Albany's Princess Royal Harbour.

A close up detail from the Albany map of Middleton Beach. 

Illustrating some of the best places to Surf in Perth and Margaret River

Surf Spots around Perth and Mandurah

Map base -  before the handmade details are added.

Illustrated 3D model of the Apollo 11 moon landing