13 replies to this topic

[Schley]

Here's a recent map I was commissioned to create by Scholastic Books for the middle-grade novel "The Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanna Snow
Mystery" by Angie Frasier. Just finished it and the book's due to be released early next year. It's a bit of a stylistic departure from my other maps but it works since the book's geared towards pre-teen girls.

Let me know what you think.

Mike

Attached Files

•  Map_MidnightTunnel.jpg   453.51K   242 downloads

[Michael Karpovage]

Mike,

That is a wonderful map that fits the pre-teen audience. Great job! I would love to see this in full color for the full impact but I'm thinking the book publication probably is b&w on the inside, correct? Does the author have plans to have you add color maybe at a later date? It would make a nice poster or even just an additional merchandising piece she could offer to her readers. Again, great job.

[Jean-Louis]

I really like it also. Faux old maps usually dont work that well but this one is top-notch...Maybe its the way you did the black & white that makes it work so well. congratulations Mke!

[François Goulet]

I agree. Wonderful!

[Schley]

Michael -
Thanks for the kudos! The map was only commissioned in b&w though since it will be printed on the endsheets of a standard hardback novel. Unfortunately Scholastic doesn't have any plans to produce the map as a promotional poster but I like the idea and will mention it to my AD.

Jean-Louise -
Glad you like it! I tried hard to avoid looking too contrived. A lot of faux-vintage maps look overworked and unreadable so my focus was to create a clean, slightly delicate, map that looked semi-victorian in style but which could have been printed yesterday.

[Schley]

Took a look at my original post and realized the attached image was a bit too small.

I've replaced it with a larger version of the map so check it out again if you'd like. You can even read the text now!

[Pete]

... my focus was to create a clean, slightly delicate, map that looked semi-victorian in style but which could have been printed yesterday.

You nailed it, it's a brilliant map! I really like the way the horizontal lines in the sea become breaking waves on the coast and on the shorelines of the small islands.

[natcase]

Reminds me of Arthur Ransome's maps for the Swallows and Amazons books. Nicely done. My only qualm: using tyset lettering instead of hand lettering. This is one thing that always throws me in modern faux-hand-drawn maps. Very few typefaces really convincingly look hand-drawn; subsequent iterations of the same letter always look identical.

But lovely work.

[David T]

Very well done!

[DaveB]

Very nice! It looks very much like the best maps from older books. I love these kinds of endpaper/book maps and have been known to buy books on the strength of the maps...

[Michael Karpovage]

....have been known to buy books on the strength of the maps...

Well then check out my novel! See link below in my signature....I'm so shameless.

[MapMania]

Wow thats great! As a new Cartography student I would love to know how you got into the position to make maps for books? I really like what you created. What design program did you use?

[rudy]

Wow thats great! As a new Cartography student I would love to know how you got into the position to make maps for books? I really like what you created. What design program did you use?

Connections, connections, connections. I've made maps for books, including ones published by Scholastic here in Canada and it was always through connections - people I know work for the company. Most people don't know any cartographers so when they do hit upon one they generally hold on to them.

[François Goulet]

Wow thats great! As a new Cartography student I would love to know how you got into the position to make maps for books? I really like what you created. What design program did you use?

Connections, connections, connections. I've made maps for books, including ones published by Scholastic here in Canada and it was always through connections - people I know work for the company. Most people don't know any cartographers so when they do hit upon one they generally hold on to them.

The 3 Cs!

I've got my last contract entirely from my website. My client search the web and "found" me. Having a good portfolio is a wonderful tool too...