Friday 28 May 2010

Maps

The last post [ a bigger picture] raised some interesting questions - I've replied to a couple through comments, but also realise I can chat a bit more about types of drawing media [even show a couple of examples immediately to hand - though not all would be fantasy related, or a little more experimental] at a later date, and if their is interest.

In the interim, I'd like to post a couple of examples of maps. Not necessarily the best, but they were fun to do, as one of the elements of illustrating for me is trying to envisage a, for lack of a better term at the moment, 'bigger picture'. So here are some examples; first from the Fabled Lands series designed by Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson.

At this point, I had another map to post that showed an actual small town in England , but now realise that the only scan I can raise [at present] is actually tiny - thus the best laid plans of mice and beasties.
Still, as we are 'looking' at Fabled Lands, let's look at some images from that series, where I tried [as was the intent] of visually showing the Land in all it's variety and diversity.

I did a similar task with a world that was to be called 'Abraxis' , with it I created a map, cities, peoples, creatures, and so on; it never saw the light of print, and only my 'sketch studies' were ever 'finished', but again if anyone asks, they'll be a post.

5 comments:

  1. I just love the ammount of detail you put on the "Tamary Wharf": the erosion of the stones, the "worn out" aspect of the structures and the clothes... really brilliant.

    Your style seems to have a sort of "organic" aspect to it. It's no wonder that many people compare your style to that of Beardsley. Both of you are masters of the black and white illustration.

    I must also point that I loved your "Marine Art" (the ships and ocean depiction). It just proves that you're not only a professional at depicting Fantasy themes.

    Keep posting more art, please. :)

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  2. That is phenomenal stuff! Love the perspective in "portoreavers". :)

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  3. Wonderful work Russ,I love the way you play with light and dark areas within your black and white illos, it really draws people into the three dimentional within the pieces.As others have said,you are a black and white master!

    I would love to see some of your non fantasy related pieces.

    The maps are really great work,combined with your illustrations its like a tourist guide book of the fantasy realm in question.It really immerses the viewer in that particular world.

    Keep it up mate! :)

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  4. Wow, a lot!

    - the first map (B&W) appears in Fabled Lands book 5 (Court of Hidden Faces) and 6 (Lords of the Rising Sun).

    - the second map is of the land of Sokara from Fabled Lands 1: The War-Torn Kingdom.

    - the third map is of the kingdom of Golnir from Fabled Lands 2: Cities of Gold and Glory.

    - the fourth pic recently turned up on Dave Morris' blog:

    http://fabledlands.blogspot.com/2010/03/slaves-of-sardonyx.html

    and shows a habdigar on the wharf at Tamary, for the unpublished Ophis material which was a sequel to Dragon Warriors.

    - the next pic is the port of Dourhaven from Blood Sword 2: The Kingdom of Wyrd.

    - the pic of two ships comes from I know not where (although again, very Fabled Lands in style)! Incidentally, I went through my Fabled Lands books and Book 4: Plans of Howling Darkness, has almost no "occasional filler" art, so perhaps some of these pix were supposed to be for that book.

    - the next pic of a harbour is the port of Suhar from Virtual Reality 6: Twist of Fate.

    - the next two pix (the market town of Conflass and the seaside town of Wishport), are both from Fabled Lands 2: Cities of Gold and Glory.

    - the final pix is part of a diptych showing the citadel of Amcha One-Eye, King of the Reavers and the Unnumbered Isles, from Fabled Lands 3: Over the Blood-Dark Sea.

    Whew!

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  5. These illustrations make me yearn to see what you would do with Treasure Island. Magnificent!

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