Every so often, a project comes along that really makes you step back and think about how to bring something to life on the page. When ExxonMobil Fawley got in touch, asking me to illustrate their refinery for a limited edition print, I knew this was going to be one of those challenges—the kind that pushes you, but in the best way.
If you’ve ever been along Southampton Water, you’ll know Fawley Refinery dominates the landscape. It’s the largest refinery in the UK, a huge sprawl of chimneys, towers, and intricate pipework, constantly at work. It has a certain presence—especially at night when the lights flick on, turning it into something almost otherworldly. My job was to capture all of that in a single image—keeping the detail, making it visually balanced, and, most importantly, making it work as an illustration.
One of the biggest challenges with this piece was that there aren’t many repeating forms or clear focal points—just a network of industrial structures, all designed for function rather than aesthetics. That meant I had to piece together a composition that worked, bringing in key elements without making it feel cluttered or chaotic.
The bricked office building became an important anchor—it helped ground the scene, adding contrast against the towering steel structures. Without it, the whole thing risked feeling like a tangle of pipes with no clear sense of place.
I also chose to include an oil tanker in the foreground, adding a sense of scale and activity. The refinery isn’t just a collection of buildings—it’s a working, moving part of the landscape. Including the tanker helped tell that story, giving the piece a sense of purpose and connection to its surroundings.
With the layout decided, the real challenge was in the details. Fawley is incredibly intricate—pipes crisscrossing, chimneys stretching up, layers of platforms and walkways. If I tried to include everything exactly as it is, the piece would have felt overwhelming.
So I had to be selective. Some areas needed to be highly detailed, while others had to be simplified to create structure and depth. It was all about balance—capturing the complexity without losing the composition. Every tweak, every adjustment helped refine the final look, bringing it all together into something cohesive.
After plenty of refining, the final illustration was produced as a set of 50 limited edition prints for ExxonMobil’s internal use. Seeing it in print was a great moment—but what really made it special was the response. It’s always rewarding when a piece connects with the people it was made for, and this one seemed to really resonate.
This project reminded me why I love illustration. Industrial landscapes might not be the most traditional subject, but they have a real presence. The sheer scale, the way they shape the world around them, the stories they hold—it’s fascinating. And turning something as complex as Fawley into an image that feels intentional and considered? That’s the kind of challenge I love.
Would I take on another project like this? Absolutely. There’s something exciting about transforming something intricate into a piece of art that people can engage with. But for now, I’m just proud to have captured this icon of the South Coast skyline.
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