a dream project - Australia map!

We all have dream projects, do we not? And sometimes they are curious things. For me, it's been a Christmas book, a map, an ABC book, a book about balloons, among others. Don't know why it's been these particular things; it just has.

This year, the magical dream project pixies fluttered in from a nearby wood, and granted two creative wishes--and one of them was a map.

A map! Hyperventilating.

This one is called Australia and it was some delightful journey, traversing--yet again--our big, beautiful land, exploring and learning even more about this incredibly diverse continent. I worked closely with the amazing Emily from Hardie Grant Travel to create this enormous--nearly 1.5 metres wide!--wall map. And I loved each and every minute. Very soon I'll be working on the packaging design, for a December 2017 publication.

Created with ink, watercolour and digital artwork, the map features flora, fauna, icons, sights and sites, along with Indigenous rock art sites and shipwrecks. There's also a key with over 250 labels, and fun facts dotted around in yellow spots.

I'm delighted to share the map with you, starting with our beautiful Sunshine State, Queensland. I'll take you through a peek at a few states, with a final glimpse at the entire map.

Huge thanks to commissioning editor Melissa Kayser for approaching me with this truly divine project. A major tick on the Dream Project list.

See...

Northern Territory and South Australia
The entire map!