Family Discovery Booklet for the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
I was thrilled to be invited back to The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, this time to illustrate illustrate an adventure booklet for the younger audiences visiting the venue.
The Treasure Trail
The ‘Treasure Trail’ part was designed to be a companion for children exploring the building. It’s filled with prompts and discoveries, making the architecture accessible and exciting for young minds.
Sketch of the booklet layout
I was delighted to bring back Rolli - a friendly monster character I originally designed for the hall’s ‘Music Maker’ sessions. I also spent a morning with Lou from the Bridgewater team, who kindly gave me a behind-the-scenes tour to ensure every detail on the trail was accurate.
The final Treasure Trail map - part 1 (text was added later)
The final Treasure Trail map - part 2 (text was added later)
The Orchesteral Map
My next brief was the ‘Orchestral Map’ to illustrate the primary instruments of an orchestra and their specific positions on the stage.
As someone who isn't particularly musical, I had to do my homework - I even checked in with a musician friend to ensure my oboe actually looked like an oboe. 😅
Sketches of the instruments
I gave each instrument a vibrant color palette and a cheerful personality, complete with little faces to welcome the young readers. Following the Hall’s layout guidelines, we placed Rolli center-stage as the conductor to tie the whole map together.
The final Orchestral Map (text was added later)
Working with The Bridgewater Hall is always a highlight, and I love knowing that these illustrations are helping young people engage with the magic of live music 🎵
Rolli bigging-up the hall
