Evelium, map for a novel

[ThomasR]

Hi Folks,

I've been informed that this is online which means I get to share with you this little double page spread map I drew for the upcoming novel of author Jeffrey Speight titled "Paladin Unbound".

Jeffrey reached out to me in April as he needed a map pretty urgently so, I hurried up and, thanks to our local lockdown, managed to deliver on time (April has been a crazy month for me when it comes to maps with six maps).

The story has some Egyptian-like lore in it and I do not know much more but I look forward to reading it when it is out.

The map was fun to work on. On the sketch the client provided were the two bigger mountain ranges that ran parallel from West to East. The challenge was to change this as subtly as I could to give the land a more flowy/natural and dynamic feel while keeping the storytelling purpose of the map. It's a good thing I love to draw branching mountain chains.

Here it is :

Finalpost.jpg
© Thomas REY - 2021 - All rights reserved

I hope you like it. As always, I'd love to hear your critics and comments.

See you next week for another map

Cheers !

Thomas

[Andarr]

Your mountain ranges looks really great and dynamic, its strikes me as great inspiration. But the main things i love about this piece is the borders and the compas rose gives the map totally different feeling for me. I cannot tear off my eyes form it.

Great job!

[Ilanthar]

Great work, as per usual. Apart from the compass, I really like that frame (even if it's really damaged ).

[- JO -]

What a job... and in a few weeks? Thanks to the confinement, as you say! We can feel that this map was made to tell a story, more than to be aesthetically "beautiful": very busy, a lot of information... but you knew how to keep it readable, and its atmosphere makes you want to dive into reading the adventures it illustrates. Bravo for the work in any case!

[ThomasR]

Your mountain ranges looks really great and dynamic, its strikes me as great inspiration. But the main things i love about this piece is the borders and the compas rose gives the map totally different feeling for me. I cannot tear off my eyes form it.

Great job!

Thanks Andarr ! I'm really glad you like the mountain flow. I'm convinced that fantasy maps need to have that movement, that dynamism that comes from the flow of mountains. Our trade is not simple geography, it is storytelling and adventurous storytelling so, movement and drive is mandatory for a fantasy map. The border and compass are also nice elements that set a mood and useful tools to evoke the cultural background of the lands we draw.

Great work, as per usual. Apart from the compass, I really like that frame (even if it's really damaged ).

Merci Julien I have a confession to make, almost all my frames and friezes and some times the compass are hi-jacked elements from totally different fields. A tiny element on an illustration can be used, tweaked and distorted to give something far away from the base inspiration. Someone said that originality is the art of hiding your references

What a job... and in a few weeks? Thanks to the confinement, as you say! We can feel that this map was made to tell a story, more than to be aesthetically "beautiful": very busy, a lot of information... but you knew how to keep it readable, and its atmosphere makes you want to dive into reading the adventures it illustrates. Bravo for the work in any case!

Yup ... the first seven month of 2021 have been very busy with 16 maps !! I'm tired. Would you believe me if I told you we removed one third of the labels ? Story maps are tough as you need to find a compromise with the client on what to keep, what is essential to the story, while defending that tiny part of the story that is the map (and your baby, kind of). It is sometimes a hard bargain but Jeff was a delight to work with and very comprehensive of that issue. I'm glad you heard the call for adventure as I feel it's my goal with every map. Cheers !