The Wild Lines Story: From Zoologist to Wildlife Illustrator

Wild Lines began with three things: a lifelong love of wildlife, a set of artist’s pens and a terrifying decision to put my drawings out into the world.

Today, Wild Lines creates hand-drawn wildlife cards, gifts, books and activities for people who love the natural world. But the route to starting the business wasn't direct.

Growing up surrounded by nature

I grew up in the UK, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Isle of Wight.

That early connection with wildlife eventually led me to study zoology at university. After a brief diversion into palaeoanthropology, I completed a postgraduate diploma in endangered species recovery with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

During my conservation studies, I began to understand just how much wildlife conservation is really about people.

Conservationists do vital work protecting threatened species, restoring habitats and supporting communities. But almost all of the pressures facing wildlife ultimately come back to human choices and behaviour.

If we want to protect the natural world, we need to help people value it and feel connected to it.

That realisation led me towards communications.

From conservation to publishing

I decided I wanted to work in human behaviour change and conservation communications.

First, however, I needed a job.

When I returned to the UK, I accepted a role as editor of a veterinary magazine. It was not quite the conservation career I had imagined, but it was closely connected to the animal world - and I loved it.

I learned an enormous amount about writing, publishing, design and communications. I also became involved in important conversations about sustainability and conservation within the veterinary profession.

By the end of 2019, I had progressed to senior editor and decided to leave my permanent role to work on a freelance basis.

That change gave me something I had been missing: time to explore the idea that had been sitting quietly at the back of my mind.

Starting a wildlife art business

For several years, I had thought about creating an eco-friendly art and card business centred around wildlife, particularly unusual and endangered species.

I had no formal art qualifications, very little business experience and no clear idea how to begin.

I decided to try anyway.

The most frightening part was not learning how to create products or build a website. It was telling people that I believed my artwork was worth paying for.

At the time, I did not really identify as an artist. Sharing my drawings publicly felt enormously vulnerable.

Starting Wild Lines was exciting and fun. Part of the challenge was taking that first uncomfortable step and accepting that I didn't need permission - or a particular qualification - to create something meaningful.

Learning how to build a business

Since then, I have taken courses, read countless business books and learned through a long series of experiments, mistakes and small successes.

I have genuinely loved the process.

Running Wild Lines gives me a combination of creativity, flexibility and problem-solving that suits me perfectly. No two days are quite the same.

One day I might be drawing a new animal. The next, I could be designing packaging, preparing a wholesale order, planning a Christmas product or speaking to a zoo gift-shop buyer.

There is always another idea waiting to be explored. I have a never-ending list of new projects I am excited (genuinely excited, like kid on Christmas Eve level of excited) about getting stuck into.

What Wild Lines stands for

Wild Lines exists to create distinctive, eco-conscious cards, gifts, books and activities for people who love wildlife.

The business is guided by three core values.

Eco-conscious

I work to minimise the environmental impact of every product wherever possible.

That includes using recycled or responsibly sourced materials, avoiding unnecessary plastic and working with UK manufacturers whenever practical.

Friendly

Wild Lines is a small independent business, and I want it to feel like one.

I aim to communicate openly, helpfully and personally, whether I am speaking to an individual customer or a large retailer.

Passionate about wildlife

Every product begins with a genuine fascination with animals and the natural world.

Wild Lines celebrates familiar favourites such as giraffes, gorillas and penguins alongside wonderfully unusual species including aye-ayes, bush dogs and golden lion tamarins.

Through the artwork, I hope to spark curiosity, optimism and conversations about wildlife.

What Wild Lines creates today

Wild Lines began primarily as a wildlife art and greeting card business.

Greeting cards remain an important part of the collection because I believe a carefully chosen card can bring an extraordinary amount of joy. A small piece of illustrated paper, finished with a handwritten message, can become something people remember or even keep for years.

The range has since grown to include:

• wildlife greeting cards
• art prints
• wooden decorations
• colouring and activity books
• creative Christmas products
• children’s books
• custom products for zoos and wildlife attractions

Wild Lines products are sold directly through the website and supplied wholesale to independent gift shops, zoo shops, visitor attractions and other retailers around the UK.

Creating Poco Returns to the Wild

One of the biggest milestones in the Wild Lines story has been writing and illustrating my first children’s picture book, Poco Returns to the Wild.

The story follows a golden lion tamarin preparing to leave the safety of the zoo and return to the Brazilian rainforest.

It was inspired by real conservation programmes and reflects something I care deeply about: showing children that zoos can play an important role in conservation, research and species reintroduction.

Illustrating an entire picture book was a much larger task than I initially imagined, but it brought together many parts of my background - zoology, conservation, writing, editing and wildlife art.

What comes next

Wild Lines has changed considerably since I created that first collection of drawings, but the central purpose has remained the same.

I want to create wildlife products that feel joyful, distinctive and thoughtful.

I want to introduce people to animals they may never have encountered before.

I want to work with more shops, zoos and conservation-focused organisations.

And I want to keep finding new ways to combine art, storytelling and wildlife education.

Wild Lines is still evolving, and there are always more ideas than time. But that sense of possibility is one of my favourite parts of running the business.

Thank you for being part of the story.

Discover Wild Lines

Explore our collection of wildlife greeting cards, gifts, art prints, colouring activities and children’s books - all beginning with an original hand-drawn illustration.