Handdrawn maps project: Westeros

[Eochaid]

Hi everyone!

Introducing my new project: in order to practice my pen-and-ink drawing, I decided to map the whole of Westeros (from A Song of Ice and Fire, by G.R.R. Martin) at 1mm:2miles scale, on A3 (297mmx420mm) sheets. That's a total of 15 maps (!), I don't know if I'll be able/have the motivation to see it to the end, but I'll try!

Here's my planned cut (thanks Tear for the basemap...):

WesterosMaps-split.jpg

And the beginning of my work on the first map (going north to south for now: Beyond the Wall):

BtW1.jpg

My plan is to use a style "à la" Karen Fonstad, as the Gondor map I reproduced some time ago.

I'll have to find a way to scan A3 sheets though, there is a bit of distortion at the center where I joined the two halves of the map...

I'll post my progress from time to time (I hope regularly... but being in the middle of a P.H.D., that's not guaranteed), feel free to comment and especially to give some advice, since the main goal of the adventure is to practice and improve myself...

[Savannah]

Wow, that is an epic project! Good luck

[Lukc]

A fascinating project, and I see you're planning on using Karen Wynn Fonstad's mountains from the Atlas of Middle Earth. I love that book. It helped start my mapping, too!

[arsheesh]

Looks like a worthwhile project. Look forward to seeing it progress.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Eochaid]

Hi everyone!

It's been quite a long time since the first sketch of the map... But it is now done! I present to you: Beyond the Wall.

BeyondTheWall.jpg

As always, don't hesitate to post comments, this is a training project, so ANY type of feedback is important: what you find good, bad, not so great, any advice, etc.

The next map should be smaller, since I'll be mapping the area just west of this one: Skagos. And I'll be applying the feedback from you guys. Hopefully in 15 maps the style will be decent (and production time faster).

[arsheesh]

Wow! That is fantastic work Eochaid. I really like the way you did the mountain contours. Have some rep!

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Commander Freddy]

This project is momentous and you're doing incredibly so far! All the best for the other 14 maps, and I hope they turn out as great as this one!

[Lukc]

An impressive piece of work inderdad!

Comment wise: did you think about maybe doing the labelling on a separate sheet of paper or on tracing paper? that way you could compose the two together digitally & it would probably be easier to make smooth looking labels.

[Lalaithion]

This is really impressive. Reminds me of the maps in The Atlas of Middle Earth.

[Eochaid]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and comments!

@Lukc: I didn't think about it, no... but I think, for this project at least, that I prefer having a 100% completely hand-drawn map, and no tinkering with the computer. But that's a good idea for future, and more digitally-oriented projects.

@Lalaithion: Yes indeed... Where do you think I picked this style?

As for the update, I drew the coasts and labels for Skagos, I hope to finish the map soon... But the elements left are mountains and forests, not the easiest and quickest things to draw...