Luna Creative

What Luna Creative does

Luna Creative is a small, founder-owned design and illustration studio based in Knoxville, Tennessee, operating with a 2-5 person team led by founder and creative director Cordelia Norris. The studio specializes in science communication, translating complex scientific and environmental concepts into visually compelling content for federal and state government agencies, nonprofit conservation organizations, universities, and science communication bodies. Core offerings include reports and white papers, books and publishing services, custom natural science illustrations, data visualization and infographics, WordPress-based website design, event collateral, and presentation design, with documented 508 compliance capability for federal accessibility standards. Notable projects include the Climate Literacy Guide (produced with 15 federal agencies and the White House via USGCRP), the National Heat Strategy (a 2024 effort across 23 federal agencies), the annual Pacific Northwest Water Year Report, the CIA's Cuba Map Folio, and the Coloring Wonder educational book series.

The studio generates revenue through four primary streams: project-based professional services fees for design, illustration, and publication work (sales-led, custom-quoted, initiated via website contact forms); consumer book and merchandise sales (the Coloring Wonder series and related prints) distributed through Amazon, Etsy, big-box retailers, and the Ingram Content Group; Sketch Club, a Saturday-morning in-person creative workshop priced at $20 per session or $50 for three sessions; and ongoing art prints and merchandise via the Luna Creative Market Etsy storefront. Marketing and distribution rely on organic channels — a portfolio website, LinkedIn, Instagram, and a monthly email newsletter — supplemented by community-based initiatives such as Sketch Club. The company is privately held, bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or M&A activity, and operates primarily domestically within the United States, with product reach extending globally through e-commerce channels.

Name

Luna Creative

Legal name

Luna Creative

Website

https://lunacreates.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Luna Creative is a Knoxville, Tennessee-based design studio specializing in science communication and environmental illustration, serving federal agencies, conservation nonprofits, and universities with publications, custom illustrations, data visualization, educational books, and creative workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Communication Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Science communication design
• Natural science illustration
• Data visualization
• Publication design services
• Environmental book publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Creative Services and Project Work: Project-based fees for design, illustration, publication design, data visualization, and art direction services for government agencies, nonprofits, and science communication organizations.
2. Book Sales and Publishing: Sales of educational coloring books (Hatchlings, All Along the Atlantic, Backyard Pollinators) through Amazon, Etsy, and retail channels. Books published through Ingram distributor.
3. Sketch Club Sessions: In-person creative workshops held Saturday mornings in West Knox location. Pricing at $20 per session or $50 for 3 sessions, includes art supplies and snacks.
4. Art Prints and Merchandise: Books, prints, and paintings sold through Luna Creative Market on Etsy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Luna Creative is a design and illustration studio that produces science communication content for conservation, government, and education clients. It offers custom illustration, data visualization and infographics, publication design for reports and white papers, book production from concepting through publishing, website design, event collateral, and presentation design, along with consumer-facing products including the Coloring Wonder series of educational coloring books and Sketch Club creative workshops.

Product overview

Luna Creative is a design and illustration studio, not a unified software platform. The company offers a portfolio of creative services organized around science communication and environmental education. Core service offerings include reports/white papers/publications, books and publishing, custom illustrations, data visualization/infographics, website design (primarily WordPress-based), event collateral, and presentation design. The portfolio includes named products such as the Climate Literacy Guide, National Heat Strategy, Pacific Northwest Water Year Reports (2024 and 2025), Cuba Map Folio, Rethinking Resilience synthesis, the Coloring Wonder book series (Hatchlings, All Along the Atlantic, Backyard Pollinators), University of Georgia Skidaway Aquarium installation, ALL BLUE brand and website, Going Green Magazine website, and Sketch Club creative retreats. These products demonstrate expertise in translating complex science into compelling visual communications for conservation, government, and educational clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reports, White Papers, and Long-Form Publications Professional publication design services for scientific reports, white papers, and long-form documents serving conservation, climate, and science communication audiences.
• Books and Publishing Services Full-service book production from concepting and editing through design and publishing, covering the Coloring Wonder educational series and bespoke client publications.
• Custom Illustrations Original illustrations of species, ecologies, and systems for scientific and educational contexts, created in collaboration with scientists and subject matter experts.
• Data Visualization and Infographics Creation of maps, charts, graphs, icons, and infographics to communicate complex scientific data visually for climate and environmental contexts.
• Website Design and Development Custom WordPress-based website design and development for environmental organizations, including UI/UX design, wireframing, and user testing.
• Event Collateral and Marketing Assets Design of event materials for special occasions, plus print and electronic marketing assets for environmental and science-communication clients.
• Presentation Design Professional presentation design for pitches, reports, and stakeholder communications in the science and conservation sectors.
• Coloring Wonder: Hatchlings First book in the Coloring Wonder series, an educational coloring book celebrating North American nesting birds and their young with 35 original natural-science illustrations. Sold through Amazon, Etsy, and retail channels via Ingram distribution.
• Coloring Wonder: All Along the Atlantic Second book in the Coloring Wonder series, an educational coloring book highlighting wildlife along the North Atlantic coast with a percentage of proceeds directed to the North Carolina Coastal Federation.
• Coloring Wonder: Backyard Pollinators Third book in the Coloring Wonder series, an educational coloring book showcasing North American pollinators and their plant relationships, sold via Amazon and other retail.
• Sketch Club Saturday morning in-person creative mini-retreats held at the West Knox studio with art supplies and snacks, priced at $20 per session or $50 for a three-session bundle, limited to 12 participants per session.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cuba Map Folio distributed to White House, Congress, and National Geographic
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Washington State Climate OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on the Pacific Northwest Water Year Report 2025. Luna Creative designed and produced this comprehensive climate impacts assessment report in partnership with multiple regional agencies.
• University of Washington Climate Impacts GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Pacific Northwest Water Year Report 2025, providing climate research and analysis for the regional assessment.
• Oregon Climate ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Pacific Northwest Water Year Report 2025, contributing state-level climate data and expertise.
• Idaho Department of Water ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Pacific Northwest Water Year Report 2025, contributing water resources data for the tri-state assessment.
• NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration partner across multiple reports including Pacific Northwest Water Year Reports, National Heat Strategy, and Rethinking Resilience project focused on tribal drought engagement.
• U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the Climate Literacy Guide, a publication representing 15 federal agencies and the White House, serving as the leading climate education resource.
• UNCW Center for Innovation and EntrepreneurshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServed as founding member and design partner for ALL BLUE initiative, contributing strategic naming, identity design, website development, and presentation materials for this blue economy economic development hub.
• CIA Cartography TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with CIA cartographers on the Cuba Map Folio, with Luna Creative providing art direction and design while CIA developed all original maps. Final product went to White House, Congress, and National Geographic.
• Avian Cetacean Press (Cathy Meyer)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored All Along the Atlantic coloring book with coastal naturalist Cathy Meyer. Luna Creative led project development and publishing while Meyer contributed author content.
• North Carolina Coastal FederationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit beneficiary for All Along the Atlantic coloring book, receiving percentage of proceeds from book sales to support coastal conservation.
• University of Georgia Skidaway AquariumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated permanent installation of 52" x 20" banners showcasing coastal Georgia ecologies for the aquarium's entrance. Worked with staff biologists to ensure scientific accuracy.
• Ingram Content GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublishing distributor for Luna Creative's coloring books, enabling distribution through Amazon, retail, and other channels.
• Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead ReservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with NIDIS and Tribal Nations to develop Rethinking Resilience synthesis on drought management approaches for tribal lands in the Upper Columbia and Missouri River Basins.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IDEO: IDEO is a global design and innovation consultancy known for human-centered design. Comparable in offering design services to mission-driven organizations but vastly larger and broader in scope.
• Pentagram: Pentagram is one of the world's largest independently owned design consultancies. Comparable as a design agency but vastly larger in scale and offering broader services beyond science communication.
• Frog: Frog (formerly frog design) is a global design and innovation firm. Comparable creative design services but vastly larger in scope, including product design and digital transformation.
• Landor: Landor is a global brand design and consulting firm. Comparable in providing design services to mission-driven clients but much larger and focused on corporate brand strategy.

Direct peers

• PRPL: PRPL is a digital agency serving government, healthcare, and nonprofit clients with web design, application development, and digital strategy. Comparable in serving federal agencies and nonprofits with design services, though at larger scale.
• Climate Central: Climate Central is a nonprofit producing climate science visualizations, reports, and multimedia for journalists and the public. Comparable in climate science communication and report design, though operating as a larger nonprofit rather than a design studio.
• Periscopic: Periscopic is a data visualization studio focused on social impact, working with nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies. Comparable in mission-driven data viz and information design for public-interest clients.
• Second Story: Second Story is an interactive design studio creating experiences for museums, cultural institutions, and brands. Comparable in creating bespoke visual narratives and digital experiences for institutional clients.
• Stamen Design: Stamen Design is a San Francisco-based data visualization and design studio known for mapping, interactive graphics, and storytelling through data. Comparable to Luna Creative in being a small, specialized design firm serving mission-driven clients with bespoke visual work.

Emerging players

• Rare: Rare is a conservation organization using behavioral science and communications to drive conservation outcomes. Comparable in using design and communications to advance conservation missions, though operating as a nonprofit rather than a design agency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/luna-creative
• Instagraminstagram.com/luna_creates

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Luna Creative