The Making of a Map

So, throughout the map making process, Craig often sends me updates– little snippets to keep me abreast of what is happening!  I thought it’d be fun to show you a few of the things that he sent along the way this time.

Then he sent…

This one amazed me!

Then, after that, he does this!

I love getting emails with stuff like this!!

But this one was just amazing to me!  Little details like ink and such really blow my mind sometimes!

I sure hope he does.  I’d LOVE to own that jar of ink.  I have to say, I’m really going to miss working with Craig.  He is a wealth of information on almost any subject.  I was stunned how often I mentioned something and he’d run with the idea!  He’s the one who told me about Druids and hemlock, about how castles were built, about the different kind of dwarves and elves from different parts of England!  He knew instinctively what each map needed to have the biggest impact.  The research he put into these things is amazing!  He made Google maps with little dots to show the journeys and knew to break up names into those cool little boxes.  It fascinates me!

I have to publicly thank Craig for EVERYTHING he’s done for me.  He calls these maps a “commission” just like any of his other jobs, but honestly, we all know that they are a gift. I don’t even come close to compensating him for time much less his incredible talent.  The steps these things go through that I know about and can remember are:

1. Rough sketch
2. New paper-  under sketch
3. Ink over sketch
4. Trace over ink with new ink
5. Scan (this time he had to do it in 4 parts!)
6. Go over every inch of it in photoshop to make it completely smudge/lint free.
7. Pray I don’t say, “Oh, wait!  I have a better idea”

Ok, the last one was a joke.  I’m sure there were more steps than that.  I’m sure of it.  But I do know of those.  Think of the HOURS and hours of work, materials, and such.  His maps were definitely a gift, and I am so grateful for them.