New plans for RAC Club.

One of London's finest private members clubs, The Royal Automobile Club is celebrating it centenary this year and as part of the celebrations they commissioned Michael Hill to produce this lovely delicate watercolor plan of the Club House in Pall Mall, London, for there exclusive magazine 'Pell-Mell and Woodcote'. The plan allows members to see what is really behind those panelled doors and sumptuous drapes without stepping foot outside the cocktail bar.

Lucky Magazine does Chicago

For all you un-Lucky girls out there, here is a chance to catch up on some of the best shops in Chicago as exclusively mapped out by Michael A Hill. The two Chicago maps are from a recent issue of Lucky Magazine and form part of a whole series of Shopping Guides to Great Americian Cities which have been appearing in issues throughout the year. There are some great places to visit including some fab vintage stores, gift shops and bespoke boutiques. Just follow the maps and see where they take you ( and don't forget your purse)

Green Wiccan Herbal now on Issuu

You can get a preview of the book at

http://issuu.com/cicobooks/docs/green_wiccan
The book is available from all good bookshops or direct from cicobooks.co.uk

Classic, with an equine twist.

The party organisers Kasimira commissioned a map for the wedding of a member of the Waley-Cohen family. Simple and classic, this map directs guests to the rural location close to the family home. My map for the Royal Wedding had added pelicans and this one has added horses because of the family connection with racing.

www.kasimira.com

Five Funerals and a Wedding (Map)

Not strictly a map for a funeral, but for a group of family funeral directors, Thomas Greatorex & Sons . The company has five branches across the beautiful Derbyshire landscape, from Buxton in the north to Belper in the south. The main watercolour map on the home page of their website allows visitors to click on each company and be taken to their pages. On the individual pages there is another simple map to show their location. I was cheating about the Wedding map - it's in the next blog entry.

http://greatorexfunerals.co.uk/ ( not yet been redesigned)

Michael A Hill becomes new CSI

Maybe not as well-known as Grissom, Haratio or Stokes, Michael A Hill is the new CSI(Crime Scene Illustrator) on the block, with a colour map for the new book by Wife and Husband crime writers Nicci French. Blue Monday soon to be published by Penguin/Michael Joseph is the first in a new series with crimes stories based around the lost rivers of London. The first story follows the River Fleet from its source on Hampstead Heath until it meets the River Thames at Blackfriars Bridge. With the hand-drawn map on the front and end papers you will find yourself flicking back and forth to try and identify the Crime Scene illustrated by London's latest CSI ( Crime Scene Illustrator) Michael A Hill.

Bespoke Handmade maps for Bespoke handmade Kitchens

Martin Moore & Co - bespoke handmade kitchen company wanted to extend the bespoke feel to their website so chose Michael A Hill to produce bespoke handmade maps for the information part of their website and brochure. The maps crafted in black and white line produced with traditional pen and ink technique added just the right tone to this upmarket company with locations across the country. The maps also included little sketches of the shop fronts to give them a very personal and bespoke look. Take a look here and click on the place names.

Lagom Design gets up close with Michael A Hill

Lagom Designs, home of the map wrap has just published an up close profile of me on their website.
For those who want to read it the link is here

Official Royal Wedding Programme Map

Michael A. Hill is proud and honoured to have been commissioned to produce an illustrated map by The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry for the Official Royal Wedding Programme and Order of Service. It is a wonderful feeing to have been involved in the Royal wedding if only in a small way and my wishes go out to the happy couple.

The complete official booklet can be downloaded from http://cde.cerosmedia.com/1G4db6de7f30814652.cde or itunes.

Lucky Is As Lucky Does

Leading US magazine publisher Conde Nast's title Lucky Magazine commissioned shopping maps of Dallas, Las Vegas, Seattle,Chicago and most recently Las Vegas . I can only manage virtual visits for my research, but even these are interesting. Discovering new places I can imagine visiting and I sometimes wonder if one day I’ll find myself in downtown Seattle/Kuala Lumpur/Milan and spookily be able to find my way around without using a map….
Thanks to Jennifer Grant for taking time to send me the photos.

Museum of Modern Art get wrap

If you find yourself in New York, drop into MOMA and see some of my work, displayed alongside Jasper Johns and Chris Ofili. OK, my Map Wraps are in the museum store, not on the walls, but look at this way – you could own a Michael Hill design for a few dollars. More cities are available now including Sydney and Berlin

Waddler New Wrapping paper now available

Check out what The Folks at Waddler have to say about their new Wrapping paper. Read the comments and get hold of your own.

http://blog.waddler.co.uk/?p=71

Young Minds Awards

It’s a bitter pill to swallow but I didn’t win Gift Wrap of the Year, though my Map Wraps were highly commended. I can’t pretend it isn’t gratifying to hear appreciation for work that starts life in my studio then leaves home, only to reappear in all kinds of places. I drew the cover illustration for Dear Dylan by Siobhan Curham (http://www.siobhancurham.co.uk/library/dear-dylan/) and shared her excitement when it won the 2010 Young Minds Book of the Year "http://www.youngminds.org.uk/

Photo - From Siobhan's Website with Siobhan and the book jacket. Is that the bearded illustrator in the background?

IT’S A WRAP

I’m delighted to say I’m in the final for Gift Wrap of the Year Award (part of the Gift Show of the Year at the NEC). I’ve been shortlisted for my “Map Wraps” (featuring three of my favourite cities, London, Paris and New York) which I designed last year for Lagom Design www.lagomdesign.co.uk. The winner will be announced on the 6^th of February.

Illustrations for Diplomat Magazine

In the later months of 2010 I had been producing a series of informational illustrations for Diplomat Magazine based in London. The articles have been very interesting but still very dry and needed to be some informational graphics to help explain or highlight some of the fact-based copy. Piracy off the coast of Somalia, The funding of British Overseas territories, the financial crisis in the Developing Nations and the Danube Basin Economic Region. Maybe not your first choice of reading matter but the pictures look good.

Waddler Children's Clothes links up with Michael A Hill illustration

New Children's clothes company 'Waddler' have approached Michael A Hill to produce wrapping paper for there online business. Having seen the map wraps produced by Lagom Designs they asked for something similar. The map wrap shows South America with a retro children's feel. Hopeful this will be the beginning of an exciting partnership between the two companies.

"Waddler is an exciting new childrens clothing boutique and its first collection is now available online. The clothes combine European styling in subtle tones with South American textiles and traditional skills The collection includes a full body wolf suit, bombacho trousers and delicate cardigans all knitted in 100% baby alpaca wool. The designs were inspired by the three years the owners spent living in South America with their little boy"

http://www.waddler.co.uk