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Emily Summers-Mileman

Picture Book Illustration - Landscape & Heritage Interpretation -

Nature Illustration

Contact

I'd love to discuss your project! Please email:

emily.wildlifeillustrator@gmail.com

Keep up to date with my latest projects here.

A muddy walk in the woods led me to stumble across a glorious display of jelly ear fungus!

They were a fun sketch subject because I could let loose and go a little crazy with the shapes 👂

#showyoursketchbook #natureillustrator #winterwoodland #fungiseason

A muddy walk in the woods led me to stumble across a glorious display of jelly ear fungus!

They were a fun sketch subject because I could let loose and go a little crazy with the shapes 👂

#showyoursketchbook #natureillustrator #winterwoodland #fungiseason

A new direction ✏️

If you've followed me for a while, you will know that my two greatest passions are nature and art. Any opportunity to bring them together fills me with joy 🥰

I also love to inspire people, particularly children, about nature, not only to safeguard the future of our planet, but to share the magic of our natural world.

I'm currently working to develop my illustration portfolio for children's picture books. I've always found great comfort in reading and I now get to share this with my son who absolutely loves his stories. Since having Arthur, I have developed a number of different ideas for nature-inspired children's stories and have started planning illustrations for them too. I'd love to bring them to life one day but I'm also keen to use my art skills to bring other authors' stories into the world 📖

All this is to say that I'm going to be sharing snippets of my illustrative work here, alongside the nature pics, so I hope you enjoy!

#picturebookillustrator #picturebookillustration #childrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #natureillustrator

A new direction ✏️

If you've followed me for a while, you will know that my two greatest passions are nature and art. Any opportunity to bring them together fills me with joy 🥰

I also love to inspire people, particularly children, about nature, not only to safeguard the future of our planet, but to share the magic of our natural world.

I'm currently working to develop my illustration portfolio for children's picture books. I've always found great comfort in reading and I now get to share this with my son who absolutely loves his stories. Since having Arthur, I have developed a number of different ideas for nature-inspired children's stories and have started planning illustrations for them too. I'd love to bring them to life one day but I'm also keen to use my art skills to bring other authors' stories into the world 📖

All this is to say that I'm going to be sharing snippets of my illustrative work here, alongside the nature pics, so I hope you enjoy!

#picturebookillustrator #picturebookillustration #childrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #natureillustrator

Box of treasures 🐚

I was gifted this lovely little cabinet for Christmas. It came unpainted, so I used watered down acrylic ink to stain it then selected a handful from my collection of beach treasures.

It's so lovely to see them up on display instead of stacked up in a bowl!

#beachcomber #beachtreasures #naturalcuriosities

Box of treasures 🐚

I was gifted this lovely little cabinet for Christmas. It came unpainted, so I used watered down acrylic ink to stain it then selected a handful from my collection of beach treasures.

It's so lovely to see them up on display instead of stacked up in a bowl!

#beachcomber #beachtreasures #naturalcuriosities

Looking at my top 9 for 2025, I definitely need to make more time for art next year!

Happy new year, Insta-friends 🥂 Thanks for sharing this space with me ✨️

#top9 #topnine2025 #wildlifeartist

Looking at my top 9 for 2025, I definitely need to make more time for art next year!

Happy new year, Insta-friends 🥂 Thanks for sharing this space with me ✨️

#top9 #topnine2025 #wildlifeartist

The thing I find most fascinating about seaweed pressing is the surprise of the shapes that are slowly revealed as each piece settles into position on the paper. From a tangled, sludgy mess, to swirling pink tendrils and delicate green fronds - proper magic stuff!

#seaweedforaging #seaweedpressing #coastalart

The thing I find most fascinating about seaweed pressing is the surprise of the shapes that are slowly revealed as each piece settles into position on the paper. From a tangled, sludgy mess, to swirling pink tendrils and delicate green fronds - proper magic stuff!

#seaweedforaging #seaweedpressing #coastalart

Happy place 🌅

#eastwittering #witterings #beachsunset

Happy place 🌅

#eastwittering #witterings #beachsunset

Don't mind me, I'm just over here loving life by the sea 🌊

#eastwittering #westwittering #brackleshambay #lifebythesea #seaweedforaging

Don't mind me, I'm just over here loving life by the sea 🌊

#eastwittering #westwittering #brackleshambay #lifebythesea #seaweedforaging

Find me a more beautiful sight than autumn sun shining through leaves of technicolour against a blue sky. I'll wait.

#autumnmagic #autumncolours🍂🍁

Find me a more beautiful sight than autumn sun shining through leaves of technicolour against a blue sky. I'll wait.

#autumnmagic #autumncolours🍂🍁

The fungi was showing off its magic tricks today 🍄

#fungiseason #slowmotionvideo #fungigram #autumnmagic

The fungi was showing off its magic tricks today 🍄

#fungiseason #slowmotionvideo #fungigram #autumnmagic

While the boys went swimming this morning, I sketched rocks (of course)

I only packed a very small selection of drawing materials, so I had to be more creative with colours, which was a fun challenge!

#showyoursketchbook #sketchingnature #carmarthenbay

While the boys went swimming this morning, I sketched rocks (of course)

I only packed a very small selection of drawing materials, so I had to be more creative with colours, which was a fun challenge!

#showyoursketchbook #sketchingnature #carmarthenbay

We're holidaying in Carmarthen Bay this weekend and I'm a little bit obsessed with the amazing pebbles!

We're holidaying in Carmarthen Bay this weekend and I'm a little bit obsessed with the amazing pebbles!

Art from nature ✨️

I've been playing around with using natural objects to create art (what my husband calls 'witchy stuff' 😅🧙‍♀️)

Shown here are fungi spore prints and pressed seaweed prints. Can you believe that big white print came from a huge fly agaric cap?? 🍄 Unfortunately the paper got damp so the spores have merged a bit but I definitely want to try again!

Nature is so magical and it still surprises me everyday 🌎

#sporeprints #seaweedart #artfromnature #naturalart #naturalmarkmaking #artexperiments

Art from nature ✨️

I've been playing around with using natural objects to create art (what my husband calls 'witchy stuff' 😅🧙‍♀️)

Shown here are fungi spore prints and pressed seaweed prints. Can you believe that big white print came from a huge fly agaric cap?? 🍄 Unfortunately the paper got damp so the spores have merged a bit but I definitely want to try again!

Nature is so magical and it still surprises me everyday 🌎

#sporeprints #seaweedart #artfromnature #naturalart #naturalmarkmaking #artexperiments

More fungi fangirling today when I found a patch of waxcaps in my garden! Like colourful jewels in the grass, such a treat to discover them 💚

#waxcapwatch #fungiseason #fungifanatic

More fungi fangirling today when I found a patch of waxcaps in my garden! Like colourful jewels in the grass, such a treat to discover them 💚

#waxcapwatch #fungiseason #fungifanatic

A quick autumn leaf sketch inspired by these beautiful leaves that looked like they'd been dipped in red paint! 🍂

#showyoursketchbook #autumncolours #autumnsketch #neocolor2 #natureillustrator

A quick autumn leaf sketch inspired by these beautiful leaves that looked like they'd been dipped in red paint! 🍂

#showyoursketchbook #autumncolours #autumnsketch #neocolor2 #natureillustrator

Ashdown Forest - One Hundred Acre Wood.

It turns out Winnie the Pooh's home is an absolute fungi dreamland! Our walk took twice as long as Arthur and I kept stopping to look at mushrooms and take photos!

#ashdownforest #ancientwoodland #fungiseason #fungilove

Ashdown Forest - One Hundred Acre Wood.

It turns out Winnie the Pooh's home is an absolute fungi dreamland! Our walk took twice as long as Arthur and I kept stopping to look at mushrooms and take photos!

#ashdownforest #ancientwoodland #fungiseason #fungilove

I went searching for fungi at lunch today and the results did not disappoint! 🍄

#fungiseason #autumnfungi

I went searching for fungi at lunch today and the results did not disappoint! 🍄

#fungiseason #autumnfungi

Green sketching 🍂

I was lucky enough to be part of a green sketching workshop today, led by the wonderful Claire of @wildcrayonsketching. We focused on stopping, looking closely, connecting with nature through drawing but with no expectations or pressure to produce 'good' art.

It was a great exercise for me as I'm still developing my ability to sketch for fun and with no particular goal in mind. Plus, we had a beautiful day for being out in nature!

#greensketching #natureforwellbeing #natureconnection

Green sketching 🍂

I was lucky enough to be part of a green sketching workshop today, led by the wonderful Claire of @wildcrayonsketching. We focused on stopping, looking closely, connecting with nature through drawing but with no expectations or pressure to produce 'good' art.

It was a great exercise for me as I'm still developing my ability to sketch for fun and with no particular goal in mind. Plus, we had a beautiful day for being out in nature!

#greensketching #natureforwellbeing #natureconnection

This was a fun project to work on for the South Downs National Park, Pasture for Life, and National Trust Changing Chalk project.

I was tasked with creating an illustrated guide to managing chalk grassland habitat, complete with indicator species to look out for and seasonal landscape illustrations. I created a total of 20 hand-drawn illustrations for this and did the graphic layout as well.

#natureillustration #chalkgrassland #southdownsnationalpark #landscapeinterpretation #landscapeillustration #heritageinterpretation #botanicalillustration

This was a fun project to work on for the South Downs National Park, Pasture for Life, and National Trust Changing Chalk project.

I was tasked with creating an illustrated guide to managing chalk grassland habitat, complete with indicator species to look out for and seasonal landscape illustrations. I created a total of 20 hand-drawn illustrations for this and did the graphic layout as well.

#natureillustration #chalkgrassland #southdownsnationalpark #landscapeinterpretation #landscapeillustration #heritageinterpretation #botanicalillustration

The results of my Saturday evening/Sunday morning art sessions 🍄

All drawn from my own reference photos. I never, ever tire of the joyful magic feeling when I spot little fungi friends popping up in the woods!

#fungifanatic #fungiseason #showyoursketchbook #sketchingforfun #natureillustrator

The results of my Saturday evening/Sunday morning art sessions 🍄

All drawn from my own reference photos. I never, ever tire of the joyful magic feeling when I spot little fungi friends popping up in the woods!

#fungifanatic #fungiseason #showyoursketchbook #sketchingforfun #natureillustrator

⭐️Trigger warning if you suffer with trypophobia!⭐️ Yesterday I went on a search for fungi but ended up spending most of the walk fangirling over an oak tree.

The light through the leaves, the little details, the thousands of wasp galls. I spent a long time under the canopy of this tree, in awe and wonder 🌳

⭐️Trigger warning if you suffer with trypophobia!⭐️ Yesterday I went on a search for fungi but ended up spending most of the walk fangirling over an oak tree.

The light through the leaves, the little details, the thousands of wasp galls. I spent a long time under the canopy of this tree, in awe and wonder 🌳

Another team day, another curlew!

During an away day with my team at work back in January, we were serenaded by singing curlews. This week, we had another away day at a different location, and we were serenaded yet again! It's almost becoming a tradition...

I sketched this from my photo of RSPB Pagham Harbour, and added the curlews referencing my previous sketches. Gouache base with coloured pencil details.

#showyoursketchbook #curlews #paghamharbournaturereserve #rspbpaghamharbour #sketchingnature

Another team day, another curlew!

During an away day with my team at work back in January, we were serenaded by singing curlews. This week, we had another away day at a different location, and we were serenaded yet again! It's almost becoming a tradition...

I sketched this from my photo of RSPB Pagham Harbour, and added the curlews referencing my previous sketches. Gouache base with coloured pencil details.

#showyoursketchbook #curlews #paghamharbournaturereserve #rspbpaghamharbour #sketchingnature

A feather with a feather 🪶

I played around with natural paintbrushes made from materials I collected walking on the heath today. Just a bit of loose mark-making, no particular goal, no worries about being neat or correct 👌

#sketchbookexperiments #naturalpaintbrushes #sketchingnature #featherpainting #indianink

A feather with a feather 🪶

I played around with natural paintbrushes made from materials I collected walking on the heath today. Just a bit of loose mark-making, no particular goal, no worries about being neat or correct 👌

#sketchbookexperiments #naturalpaintbrushes #sketchingnature #featherpainting #indianink

Celebrating the autumnal colours and textures of Farnham Heath 🧡💛🤎

#showyoursketchbook #autumncolours #sketchingnature

Celebrating the autumnal colours and textures of Farnham Heath 🧡💛🤎

#showyoursketchbook #autumncolours #sketchingnature

A mini adventure with my boy to see the Heathland Sculpture Trail at @rspb Farnham Heath. @surrey_hills_arts
@unicreativearts

#heathlandsculpturetrail #sculpturetrail #rspbfarnhamheath

A mini adventure with my boy to see the Heathland Sculpture Trail at @rspb Farnham Heath. @surrey_hills_arts
@unicreativearts

#heathlandsculpturetrail #sculpturetrail #rspbfarnhamheath

Still obsessing over seaweed while I wait for my pressings to dry!

It was fun pushing paint about in a free, organic way to create these studies. I'm fascinated by the variation of shapes and colours!

#showyoursketchbook #natureillustration #sketchingnature #sketchbookexperiments #seaweedart

Still obsessing over seaweed while I wait for my pressings to dry!

It was fun pushing paint about in a free, organic way to create these studies. I'm fascinated by the variation of shapes and colours!

#showyoursketchbook #natureillustration #sketchingnature #sketchbookexperiments #seaweedart

Tiny, flying waders! I couldn't resist these after having fun with the postcard sanderling.

#showyoursketchbook #birdnerd #birdillustration #natureillustrator

Tiny, flying waders! I couldn't resist these after having fun with the postcard sanderling.

#showyoursketchbook #birdnerd #birdillustration #natureillustrator

Plum Pudding Lane - a quick sketch from the weekend inspired by a footpath close to my in-laws where we were staying. I used a necolor 2 base and coloured pencils on top.

#showyoursketchbook #sketchingnature #neocolor2 #fabercastell #carandache

Plum Pudding Lane - a quick sketch from the weekend inspired by a footpath close to my in-laws where we were staying. I used a necolor 2 base and coloured pencils on top.

#showyoursketchbook #sketchingnature #neocolor2 #fabercastell #carandache

Sanderling Sunset 🌅

This was my entry for a postcard design competition my MIL has been running this summer in Birchington, Kent.

I used one of my own photos from last summer and added a sanderling which is a species I often see in little huddles along the shoreline down at Minnis Bay.

#thanetlife #margateartist #beachart #postcardart

Sanderling Sunset 🌅

This was my entry for a postcard design competition my MIL has been running this summer in Birchington, Kent.

I used one of my own photos from last summer and added a sanderling which is a species I often see in little huddles along the shoreline down at Minnis Bay.

#thanetlife #margateartist #beachart #postcardart

It turns out seaweed pressing is an excellent way to kick creative block!

I loved my first experience of this very relaxing and fascinating art form, led by @thedriftweedartist - now I just have to be patient for 3 weeks to see the final prints!

#seaweedpressing #seaweedart

It turns out seaweed pressing is an excellent way to kick creative block!

I loved my first experience of this very relaxing and fascinating art form, led by @thedriftweedartist - now I just have to be patient for 3 weeks to see the final prints!

#seaweedpressing #seaweedart

Does anyone else balance precariously to take photos of amazing moths?!

This beautiful Light Emerald was in our lounge this morning. I'm always happy when a minibeast wants to use our house to rest and refuel 🥰

#mothsarecool #naturenerd

Does anyone else balance precariously to take photos of amazing moths?!

This beautiful Light Emerald was in our lounge this morning. I'm always happy when a minibeast wants to use our house to rest and refuel 🥰

#mothsarecool #naturenerd

These wildflowers are bringing me so much joy that I've decided they deserve a place on my grid 🌼 🌸 🌻

These wildflowers are bringing me so much joy that I've decided they deserve a place on my grid 🌼 🌸 🌻

They're earlier than usual and they are EVERYWHERE I look at the moment! These beautiful, gleaming hedgerow gems were just screaming to be sketched 💜❤️

#showyoursketchbook #drawingfromnature #natureillustrator #blackberryseason

They're earlier than usual and they are EVERYWHERE I look at the moment! These beautiful, gleaming hedgerow gems were just screaming to be sketched 💜❤️

#showyoursketchbook #drawingfromnature #natureillustrator #blackberryseason

I don't typically do 'still life' but I'm trying to keep up the habit of working in my sketchbook and my husband brought these beautiful gladioli home for me, so I thought I'd give it a go!

The long shape of my sketchbook when opened to a double spread really helped with this composition. I used watercolour, coloured pencil and pastel for this. 🎨

#showyoursketchbook #sketchingforfun #stilllifesketch #neocolor2 #fabercastell

I don't typically do 'still life' but I'm trying to keep up the habit of working in my sketchbook and my husband brought these beautiful gladioli home for me, so I thought I'd give it a go!

The long shape of my sketchbook when opened to a double spread really helped with this composition. I used watercolour, coloured pencil and pastel for this. 🎨

#showyoursketchbook #sketchingforfun #stilllifesketch #neocolor2 #fabercastell

A little peek at an illustration inspired by our wonderful nighttime wildlife!

This piece is part of a picture book idea I've been putting together for some months now. Fingers crossed I might be able to bring it all to life 🌙

#childrenspicturebook #picturebookillustration #natureillustrator #wildlifeillustration

A little peek at an illustration inspired by our wonderful nighttime wildlife!

This piece is part of a picture book idea I've been putting together for some months now. Fingers crossed I might be able to bring it all to life 🌙

#childrenspicturebook #picturebookillustration #natureillustrator #wildlifeillustration

I swapped the pencils for needles today!

My birthday gift from my lovely Mum was a needle-felted butterflies and moths workshop at RSPB Pulborough Brooks (my old work place).

What a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours! I made a Jersey tiger moth which I'm thinking I could hang in one of our windows.

#needlefelting #mothsarecool #naturecraft

I swapped the pencils for needles today!

My birthday gift from my lovely Mum was a needle-felted butterflies and moths workshop at RSPB Pulborough Brooks (my old work place).

What a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours! I made a Jersey tiger moth which I'm thinking I could hang in one of our windows.

#needlefelting #mothsarecool #naturecraft

Lunchtime sketches ✏️

1. Gatekeeper butterfly using a photo I took over the weekend.

2. Runner bean studies after visiting @durleighmarshfarm on Monday.

#showyoursketchbook #enpleinairsketching #wildlifeillustration #illustratingnature

Lunchtime sketches ✏️

1. Gatekeeper butterfly using a photo I took over the weekend.

2. Runner bean studies after visiting @durleighmarshfarm on Monday.

#showyoursketchbook #enpleinairsketching #wildlifeillustration #illustratingnature

I revisited the lonely curlew in my sketchbook and gave him some friends!

#curlew #showyoursketchbook #sketchingnature

I revisited the lonely curlew in my sketchbook and gave him some friends!

#curlew #showyoursketchbook #sketchingnature

Last night, I joined an @orangebeakstudio online talk by @emmacarlisle_ and found it SO inspiring and motivating!

I've followed Emma's beautiful work for a long time and really enjoyed getting such an honest insight into her experiences as an illustrator. I particularly enjoyed hearing how her sketchbook experiments have led her to where she is today and it really inspired me to pick up my sketchbook today and reference my photo from an amazing natural swimming spot we visited during our recent holiday to Valencia ☀️

I deliberately limited my colour palette, partly because I wanted a challenge, but mainly because I was drawing while we were in the car traveling to Kent! It turns out it's not that easy to draw on the move!

#showyoursketchbook #paynesgreyclub #sketchbookexperiments

Last night, I joined an @orangebeakstudio online talk by @emmacarlisle_ and found it SO inspiring and motivating!

I've followed Emma's beautiful work for a long time and really enjoyed getting such an honest insight into her experiences as an illustrator. I particularly enjoyed hearing how her sketchbook experiments have led her to where she is today and it really inspired me to pick up my sketchbook today and reference my photo from an amazing natural swimming spot we visited during our recent holiday to Valencia ☀️

I deliberately limited my colour palette, partly because I wanted a challenge, but mainly because I was drawing while we were in the car traveling to Kent! It turns out it's not that easy to draw on the move!

#showyoursketchbook #paynesgreyclub #sketchbookexperiments

A quick sketch from my last evening in Valencia, dedicated to the many swifts I enjoyed watching and listening to from our balcony 💙

#showyoursketchbook #sketchingnature #wildlifeillustration

A quick sketch from my last evening in Valencia, dedicated to the many swifts I enjoyed watching and listening to from our balcony 💙

#showyoursketchbook #sketchingnature #wildlifeillustration

Put me on a beach, I can't resist a spell of beachcombing 🐚 Give me an hour to myself, obviously I've got to sketch my finds!

#beachcombing #showyoursketchbook #natureillustrator #neocolor2

Put me on a beach, I can't resist a spell of beachcombing 🐚 Give me an hour to myself, obviously I've got to sketch my finds!

#beachcombing #showyoursketchbook #natureillustrator #neocolor2

I've recently found time to pick back up with my personal project. Some of you know that I've written a number of nature-inspired stories for children, and I've now finished planning out illustrations for one of them!

I'm hoping to submit to some agents/publishers very soon - watch this space to see if anything comes of it! 🦊

#childrenspicturebook #naturestoriesforkids #picturebookillustration

I've recently found time to pick back up with my personal project. Some of you know that I've written a number of nature-inspired stories for children, and I've now finished planning out illustrations for one of them!

I'm hoping to submit to some agents/publishers very soon - watch this space to see if anything comes of it! 🦊

#childrenspicturebook #naturestoriesforkids #picturebookillustration

Painting with my son in the garden, I used his scratchy, lumpy paintbrushes and children's paints to do this tree sketch. It was his idea to add the purple and I quite like it 💜

#sketchingforfun #enpleinairsketching #joyofsketchingoutside

Painting with my son in the garden, I used his scratchy, lumpy paintbrushes and children's paints to do this tree sketch. It was his idea to add the purple and I quite like it 💜

#sketchingforfun #enpleinairsketching #joyofsketchingoutside

My obsession with leafy canopies lives on. I'd quite like to have done more with the light in this, but toddler life did not allow! I quite enjoyed the limited colour palette though 🍃

#showyoursketchbook #forestcanopy #sketchingnature

My obsession with leafy canopies lives on. I'd quite like to have done more with the light in this, but toddler life did not allow! I quite enjoyed the limited colour palette though 🍃

#showyoursketchbook #forestcanopy #sketchingnature

Serious concentration face! 👩‍🎨

This afternoon, I worked on some small landscape illustrations that will form part of my current commission. Quite a challenge - I'm trying to portray the same view during all four seasons!

#landscapeillustration #natureillustrator

Serious concentration face! 👩‍🎨

This afternoon, I worked on some small landscape illustrations that will form part of my current commission. Quite a challenge - I'm trying to portray the same view during all four seasons!

#landscapeillustration #natureillustrator

A beautiful display of common spotted orchids at NT Nymans this week 🌸

#nymans #orchidseason @nymansnt

A beautiful display of common spotted orchids at NT Nymans this week 🌸

#nymans #orchidseason @nymansnt

My lovely friend took me to a secret wildflower field today and it was filled with lupins, knapweed, daisies and beautiful meadow grasses 🌼🌸🌻

#wildflowerfield #coloursofnature

My lovely friend took me to a secret wildflower field today and it was filled with lupins, knapweed, daisies and beautiful meadow grasses 🌼🌸🌻

#wildflowerfield #coloursofnature

This beautiful brimstone moth deserves a spot on my grid! 💛

#mothsarecool

This beautiful brimstone moth deserves a spot on my grid! 💛

#mothsarecool

Fungis to draw! 🍄

#natureartist #natureillustration #botanicalillustration #fungilove

Fungis to draw! 🍄

#natureartist #natureillustration #botanicalillustration #fungilove

Dreamy nature moments from the Isle of Wight 🐝 How amazing is that little pebble with the seaweed pressed against it?!

#artinnature #naturemoments #isleofwightnature

Dreamy nature moments from the Isle of Wight 🐝 How amazing is that little pebble with the seaweed pressed against it?!

#artinnature #naturemoments #isleofwightnature

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