Illustrated Timeline for Founders Forum Group

Main case study content

To mark 20 years of Founders Forum Group, we were commissioned to create a large-scale illustrated timeline that captured the organisation’s history, growth, and global impact.

The outcome was a 1.5m x 10m hand-drawn illustrated timeline mural, designed digitally and produced as a physical installation for a live event at Soho Farmhouse. After the event, the timeline was adapted to live on Founders Forum’s website as a long-term digital asset.

This project sits at the intersection of visual storytelling, hand-drawn infographic design, and large-format print, turning two decades of milestones into a single, cohesive narrative.

The brief

Founders Forum Group wanted to celebrate a significant anniversary while staying true to the substance of their work.

The timeline needed to:

• Reflect 20 years of key milestones

• Integrate photography, logos, and text

• Work as a physical centrepiece at a live event

• Transition seamlessly into a digital format post-event

• Feel credible, human, and timeless

The scale of the installation mattered. This was not a decorative backdrop. It needed to command attention and invite exploration.

Our approach

We developed a custom illustrated timeline concept designed to guide viewers through the story chronologically while allowing space for pause, recognition, and discovery.

Our process included:

• Creative concept development

• Narrative structure and visual pacing

• Curation of approximately 25 key milestones

• Hand-drawn illustration aligned with the Founders Forum brand

• Integration of archival photography and logos

• Digital illustration optimised for large-format print production

Each milestone was treated as part of a wider system rather than a standalone moment, ensuring the full timeline read clearly from both a distance and up close.

The visual outcome

The final artwork was installed as a 10-metre-long printed timeline mural at Soho Farmhouse.

The scale encouraged people to walk the timeline, follow the years, and physically experience the organisation’s journey. Guests stopped, pointed, photographed, and shared moments that resonated with them.

The mural became a natural gathering point throughout the event, sparking conversation and reflection rather than passive viewing.

Why illustrated timeline murals work

Illustrated timeline murals are particularly effective for organisations with history, complexity, and ambition.

They:

• Translate long-term growth into a clear visual story

• Create emotional connection through hand-drawn detail

• Work across live events, exhibitions, and digital platforms

• Encourage deeper engagement than text-based timelines

• Become reusable brand assets long after the event ends

This format offers an alternative to traditional live scribing when the goal is to visualise legacy rather than real-time conversation.

The result

• A large-scale visual centrepiece for a flagship 20-year celebration

• A memorable, shareable installation at a high-profile event

• A digital timeline that continues to live beyond the physical space

• A clear demonstration of how illustration can scale both conceptually and physically

This remains one of our most ambitious timeline illustration projects. Not because of its size alone, but because of the responsibility of visually holding twenty years of impact in one frame.

“It was wonderful working with Lina and her team who were always receptive to our feedback and laboured with us over the intricate details to create something beautiful and high-impact that reflects the breadth, gravitas, and legacy of our organisation.” Emily Miller, FF Group Director Of Marketing