St Petersburg map in globe perspective JULIA MOZHAROVSKAYA TELLS THE STORY OF CITIES THROUGH ISOMETRIC MAP DRAWINGS WITH DETAILED LINES AND EYE-CATCHING COLORS
TEXT: JULIA MOZHAROVSKAYA
IMAGE COURTESY OF JULIA MOZHAROVSKAYA
(For Thai, press here)
WHO
My name is Julia Mozharovskaya. I’m a professional illustrator with a background in architecture and urban planning. I work independently as well as part of creative teams, often in lead roles.
Map city
WHAT
My main focus in illustration is creating detailed isometric maps. Alongside commercial projects, I actively practice hand-drawing through sketching, painting, and keeping visual journals. These artistic experiments help me continue developing my visual language while exploring new ways to document and interpret the world around me. I also share my knowledge through teaching — I run sketching workshops for adults, where I show that drawing can be enjoyable and accessible to anyone, and I also teach how to create simple and intuitive maps for scientific, personal, or data-related purposes.
first map
WHEN
Back in my third year of university, I got my first commission to create an isometric map for an advertising agency. The task was to replicate the style of a well-known artist. I enjoyed the process, but the style didn’t feel like mine. That inspired me to draw my own map — of my hometown, in my own voice. Ten years later, I’m still making maps, and it’s become my main creative path.
WHERE
I’ve always worked remotely, with no ties to a specific location. I haven’t physically visited many of the cities I’ve illustrated, but I study them closely and learn about their unique identities through research and observation.
WHY
What started as a way to capture my personal perception of a place — turning each area into a symbol or emotional association — eventually evolved into my profession. My dream is to illustrate all major cities around the world, one by one, in my own style.
Fasades from Barcelona
section of the factory
How do you define your own style of work?
Honestly, that’s still a mystery — my style is evolving with me. At its core, there’s a strong foundation in architectural drawing, with precise and clean volumes, but thanks to my sketching practice, my illustrations have gained liveliness and color.
Logo in doodling
What inspires you and what principles do you apply to each project?
In commercial work, my inspiration comes from the brief itself — I love large, complex projects where I can turn lots of information into a clear and detailed visual. In personal projects, I often draw from my surroundings or life experiences — my own emotions are the richest source of creative fuel. My main principle is to make each piece something I would love myself — even if it takes extra effort, revision, or finding the right way to communicate it with a client.
Map for Coca-Cola
Which project are you most proud of and why?
One of my most recent and challenging works was a map created for a Coca-Cola exhibition at their museum in Atlanta. I had to design a highly detailed, large-format map featuring recognizable parts of multiple world cities — all under tight deadlines.
St Petersburg map for coloring
Which part of the process do you enjoy the most during work?
My favorite part is the concept stage — the very first approach to the task. It’s the moment when all possibilities are open, and I explore the best (or multiple) solutions. That first interaction with an idea is always the most exciting for me.
If you could invite any ‘creative’ for a coffee, who would it be and why?
Honestly, I haven’t found that one person for now. Maybe someday there’ll be someone whose experience I’ll be eager to learn from, but for now, there’s no specific name that comes to mind.
vyborg map