Fantasy Map Commission

[Ironheart Silva]

*EDIT* I AM SCALING BACK THIS PROJECT TO COMPLY WITH MY BUDGET. THE OVERALL SIZE HAS CHANGED AND I AM PREPARED TO CUT SOME DETAILS IN THE MAP TO PRESERVE OTHERS AND QUALITY. THANKS.



Hello there!

My name's Tom Baker and if you're reading this then, first off, I'm very grateful for you taking some time to flick through this commission request. I'm an aspiring novelist with a thirst for huge worlds that are as dense and expansive as our own, and today I'd like politely ask a talented cartographer to render my work semi-professionally. I have huge amounts of respect for artists and, having had maps previously produced for my work, I'm always in awe at the expertise of so many talented creators. Anyway, enough appraisal, here's the request!

This work is prefixed as Paid? because, at this moment in time, there's no guarantee I will be earning money from producing my novels to earn money - they are just a hobby that I can hopefully turn into a career if my world is realised fully enough. Depending on the quote and quality for the piece, I will gladly pay an artist whatever is expected as I understand how much work and effort goes into being creative - it's only expected that you're rewarded fiscally for all your hard work after all.


The Subject

Rassai is the western continent in my fictional world of Aern, a alternate reality much like Middle-Earth that existed alongside ours in days gone by. It's inspired by England and Ireland, and I was aiming for a nostalgic "I've been here before!" reaction by any who view it. Below, you should be able to see a quick, 88% finished, sketch of Rassai, its surrounding isles and continents and all the details I'd like to pack into this commission.

Rassai and Midderus version2belleros.jpg


The Style

In terms of style, again, I'm not really looking for anything to publish or gain fiscally on - just something that looks pretty in my study that showcases your talent stitched with my world's imagination. The map's purpose is to inform and display all the little details, land areas and towns I've created, so that it can help me flesh out my world with more depth.

map_Tolkien_MiddleEarth.jpg

Above is a picture of Tolkien's Middle-Earth that I rather like the style of. It packs everything you need to know about the world into one map including land and kingdom boundaries, river names and so on, whilst its subtle authentic/organic style makes it pleasing to the eye without being sterile.

Due to the long, narrow shape of Rassai, a different approach may be in order to ensure the tiny details are fully visible. Below is a picture of a fantasy map I found online and I felt as though fragmenting the continent into different sections and drawing those individually should help preserve those details. This may bump up the price, so it's something I'll have to discuss with a cartographer. You're the professional, and I'm open to your interpretation, so we'll see what discussions we have further down the line.

Hand-Drawn-Fantasy-Map.png


Size & Quality

Again, I'm not looking for something that's going to light the world on fire or re-invent the wheel, I'm looking for someone to fully realise my world within budget and meeting the purpose of the commission. Semi-professional quality is what springs to mind.

This commission is intended to be printed and framed. In terms of size, I was initially set on 50cm high by 40cm long, but I'm no expert and I'm not sure whether or not this size would preserve the details. As professionals, I'm sure you'd be able to shed your light on the subject and help me out - I'd greatly appreciate any feedback you have!


Time Constraints

There really isn't one. As I said, I'm not getting published any time soon and this is purely 'fan commitment' to myself (Yes, at the moment I am my only fan, haha). Take as much time as you need - God knows these things take time - and I'll be happy.


Copyright

I'm no expert on this subject so you'll have to walk me through this, but I know that this commission isn't going to be making any commercial gain any time soon. You'll obviously retain the right to portray this piece in your portfolio, but I would like my ideas (places names, continent shapes, etc) to remain exclusive to me. Though, I wouldn't say any of my ideas are worth stealing at the moment!


Contact Details

If you're interested in this commission, don't hesitate to contact me on my e-mail address tjoeyb@hotmail.co.uk. Let's make this happen and have fun.

Thank-you all for your time and stay creative!

Tom Baker.