Hi! I’m Emily, the artist behind Illustrated. by Emily.
I draw people.
At weddings and events, I take a quick reference photo, illustrate guests live on my iPad, then print and package each illustration so they can take it home on the day.
Alongside that, I create commissioned illustrations - personal pieces drawn with the same approach, just without the dance floor and cake.
A bit about me
I live near Stirling, right at the foot of the Ochil hills, in a house with a bright yellow front door that I’m very proud of.
I’ve got two small boys, which means life is busy and loud. Not forgetting our retired racing greyhound, which means at least one of us is always asleep (spoiler alert - it’s the dog).
I don’t take myself too seriously. I love bold colour, leopard print, early 2000s pop punk and country music (Dolly Parton especially) and things that feel confident without being overdone.
How I ended up here
I have always loved to draw, but I took a slightly roundabout route to illustration.
I studied French and religion at university, then worked in luxury beauty before becoming a teacher. Teaching religion and philosophy gave me structure, confidence, and the ability to explain things clearly - which turns out to be very useful when you’re drawing people live at weddings, or working one-to-one on commissions.
After I had my two boys, the need for a creative outlet grew and from that came Illustrated. by Emily.
How I work
I work digitally on my iPad Pro, which keeps things simple and unobtrusive when illustrating live at events.
There’s no mess for venues to worry about, no drying time, and nothing slowing the process down. It also means I can work quickly and consistently, while still keeping the illustrations thoughtful and personal.
At weddings, everything runs quietly in the background.
For commissions, the process is clear, collaborative, and easy.
The important bits
I care about people feeling comfortable.
I care about things being done well.
I care that the finished illustration is something people genuinely want to keep.
I work in a way that's welcoming and respectful of everyone - all couples, all families, all identities. My work is LGBTQ+ friendly and I'm committed to making sure every guest feels seen and celebrated exactly as they are, without any pressure to perform or participate in a way that doesn't feel right for them.
I also know that weddings - and booking suppliers - can feel overwhelming, especially if you process things differently or find certain kinds of communication harder than others. So here's how I try to make things easier:
You choose how we communicate. Prefer everything in writing so you can take your time? Great. I'll send you a detailed digital brief and you can respond whenever you're ready, no rush. More of a chat person? A quick 15 minute video call works just as well. Either way is genuinely fine with me.
On the day itself, guests never have to come to my table if they don't want to. I take a quick reference photo at a point that suits them, or not at all if they'd rather not be involved. I work quietly in the background and I'm not going to put anyone on the spot or draw attention to them if they don’t want it.
After any conversation we have, I'll always follow up in writing with a summary of what we've discussed and agreed. No relying on memory, no wondering if you missed something.
And if there's something specific that would make the process easier for you or your guests, please let me know. I'd rather know and adjust to make everyone feel comfortable.
Emily x
