Reply With QuoteWell, hot damn. That is great.
Putting the illustration on the front end paper was a great design move. Really makes it pop out.
Commission: New Orleans French Quarter, 1872
This map is for THE BEAUTIFUL, a new historical vampire series by Renee Ahdieh, publishing this October from Penguin Random House.
For the history buffs: I'll admit, when I was commissioned to draw a highly detailed map of the New Orleans French Quarter, I was quite daunted--especially since it had to be accurate to 1872! But thanks to some wonderful historical surveys and photographs, I was able to get as close as possible to historically accurate. The significant buildings, like the hotels, convents, and government buildings, are drawn according to photographs and blueprints I was able to dig up. Some of the blocks I was able to find photos of, and the rest were based on these and the architecture of the time and place, while I used a survey map (pasted below) to work out the footprint of the buildings. It was fascinating and challenging given how many times the French Quarter has flooded or burned down; the architecture could change dramatically in just ten years! A few details were altered for the story world, which is after all a fantasy version of NOLA.
It definitely took much more time than any other map I've done, indeed most of last winter was spent on this one. I took a bunch of photos in Google Earth 3D to help with the perspective and isometry, which was a whole other challenge in and of itself.
I also devised the lion and fleur-de-lis symbol which is embossed on the cover of the novel, and the publisher altered the color scheme for the end paper. Posters of the original will also be printed and distributed to readers. (photo credit Penguin Teen)
digital map nola.jpg
Here's how it looks on the endpaper, and with the lion crest engraved on the cover.
EDjkKwiXsAUtS0d.jpeg
In case you're curious here's survey map I used for reference--I was SO LUCKY to find this, omg. It also ended up inspiring the color scheme!
IMG_2446.JPG
Well, hot damn. That is great.
Putting the illustration on the front end paper was a great design move. Really makes it pop out.
Last edited by KMAlexander; 09-04-2019 at 11:35 PM.
Writer & Designer - kmalexander.com
My FREE historical cartography brushes: Hogenburg, Kensett, Zuodong, Ishikawa, Hyacinth, Ende, Homann, Zatta, Janssonius, Vischer, Braun, Ogilby, Van der Aa, Gomboust, Harrewyn, Popple , Donia, Bleau, Aubers, L'Isle, Widman, Walser, Lumbia, Lehmann, and Moronobu Gansai, Mokuhanga, also de Fer Cartography, Battlefield, Settlement
Amazing work LizardInk. Very inspirationa and i love the end result
Cheers,
Karl
That is one fine piece of work there. WOW is all I can say!
Wow indeed! That's a real beauty of a map, and the efforts put into making it historically accurate really show
Wingshaw
(EDIT: sadly can't rep you right now; but it's definitely deserved!)
Last edited by Wingshaw; 09-05-2019 at 03:45 AM.
Formerly TheHoarseWhisperer
Wow that's absolutely incredible. Very beautiful, well done!
Very, really, awesomely cool map !
This is an awesome map and you have all my respect because, on top of it being breathtaking, I4d be totally unable to draw a map like this one. You're a real mistress Jess !
This map is disturbingly awesomeFantastic job!
"totally unable to...?" awww, I don't believe that for a minute!Originally Posted by ThomasR
thanks, Thomas!
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