I was recently commissioned to do a few maps for an upcoming book* due out later this year. A few people asked to see the final art after I posted some work-in-progress details over on Instagram, so here it is, along with some process show-and-tell.
Since I'm usually asked to illustrate places that exist in reality, this project was super interesting, because these were more fantasy-based maps.
In this case, the art director sent over detailed notes about the story, along with a rough sketch of how the author visualized the world in her head. This was all extremely helpful, and gave me a great starting point, yet still left a lot of creative freedom...
Below is the first sketch sent to the publisher. (I swear I had some tiny rough thumbnails, but they were lost in the flurry-of-paper that is my studio.)...
Close up inking details and adding a tone wash...
Coffee meditation break. (No worries! None was spilled! Don't try this at home, kids!!)...
And voilá, one of the finished pieces...
*The book is called THORNGHOST (Dial 2016), by Tone Almhjell, coming in August. Check it out!