When I was a lad and first getting into drawing and painting, I always had a bit of a dream of illustrating a board game. I loved all the bright colours and spot illustrations. I remember Mouse Trap and Haunted House being particular favourites. Christmas Day was never quite complete without a board game or two.
Well, I never got to do one until this year. Yes, John Adams Leisure Limited contacted me and asked if I would illustrate a board game for the TV series Midsomer Murders. Naturally, I was thrilled to have this schoolboy wish come true.
What is the game all about?
Midsomer County looks peaceful enough. Thatched cottages, village fetes, the odd friendly local. But you know better. Someone’s been murdered, and DCI Barnaby needs a sharp mind on the case.
In the official Midsomer Murders board game, you travel around the board, question suspects, uncover hidden motives and piece together the clues. When you’re ready, race to Causton CID and name the killer, along with their motive and weapon. The first player to get it right wins. Get it wrong, and you’re out.
What I had to illustrate
I was given a basic layout of the board, which included the pathways and rough ideas for the buildings, such as Causton CID, the train station, etc. From there, I had to come up with a bright, illustrative finished product.
To add a bit of value, I decided to make each location an actual filming site from the TV series. With this, I went down the very long tunnel of Midsomer fan sites, of which there are many!
So, after a bit of work, I managed to locate all my locations. For example, the pub is The George on the Green, featured in episode 18, Harvest of Souls (2016), and the railway station is Chinnor Station in Oxfordshire, from the episode Death in a Chocolate Box (2008).
Once this was done, I got to work illustrating each location and fitting them onto the layout. This was a bit of a tricky task, as they are all at different angles depending on where each player is sitting around the board.
At the same time, I had to make each location fit into the landscape as naturally as I could.
In conclusion, I was very pleased with the result, as was the client.
Also, I now know exactly what all my family will be getting this Christmas!
Client testimonial
Liam was fantastic to work with on the artwork for the game board of our new Midsomer Murders game. He understood and nailed the brief quickly, and his first draft was already incredibly strong. Any amends we requested were handled promptly and professionally, and the overall turnaround was impressively fast. We’re really pleased with the final result and would happily recommend Liam to anyone looking for a talented, responsive illustrator.
Matthew Parlett
Senior Product Development Manager
UK Office: John Adams Leisure Limited
