Back to all results

Click here to see Rosemary Whittle's shop.

Map of London

Artist Commission
Production Cost + Paper
Grand Total

Artwork Description:

Title: Map of London

Map of London – Rosemary Whittle – Watercolour and ink on paper (original art work 29.7 x 42 cm)

This is my most ambitious map painting to date—a detailed, hand-painted watercolour map of central London, stretching from Hyde Park in the west to Greenwich in the east. A true labour of love, this piece captures the intricate streets, winding pathways, and layered history of a city that has meant so much to me.

Having lived near London all my life, I’ve spent countless hours exploring its streets, soaking in its energy, and uncovering its hidden corners. This painting is a reflection of London’s complexity—the maze of roads and alleys that shape our capital city.

My map paintings explore how humans have left their mark on the world through the design of cities and landscapes. I take these marks and transform them into expressive, fluid watercolour compositions, where the movement of paint mirrors the organic, evolving nature of the city itself. The interplay of pigments, blending and flowing together, creates a unique visual language—a landscape of colour shaped by London’s streets.

Colour is at the heart of my work. Throughout this collection, I experiment with colour combinations, layering different pigments to see how they interact and react. The result is a vibrant, atmospheric map that is both familiar and abstract—a celebration of London’s past, present, and ever-changing future.

Originally painted on 100% cotton paper, this artwork is perfect for London lovers, map enthusiasts, and collectors of unique cityscapes.



Artist Bio:
Rosemary Whittle is a watercolour artist who explores medium, colour, and line through maps. She studied at Falmouth University before earning a degree in Critical Fine Art Practice from the University of Brighton in 2012. She worked in the arts before transitioning to Library Services, where she spent a decade.

In 2023, after being made redundant from Hillingdon Libraries, Rosemary returned to painting, adapting watercolour to the realities of life with small children. In 2024, she joined a local artist group, began exhibiting her work, and took on commissions.

Rosemary experiments with mark-making techniques to embrace the unpredictability of wet-on-wet watercolour, including salt, sponges, acrylic inks, and super-granulating colours. Maps provide an ideal framework for her exploration, with their distinctive lines acting as a foundation for expressive mark-making. She isolates these lines, using masking fluid to control and manipulate the flow of pigment.

Beyond aesthetics, Rosemary’s maps hold deep personal meaning. They depict places that have shaped her life, from her lifelong home to London, which she is rediscovering. Through maps, she explores both human impact on the world and her own artistic mark-making