California
2013
Full figure portrait drawn in white pencil over a reproduced blueprint of California. The map shows old rail routes in and around the state.
15″x45″ approx.
Original sold.
Prints available from Abend Gallery.
12 years ago I bought an old map from a charity shop, just because I liked the colours, patterns, and because I enjoyed collecting odds and ends. It cost me 20p (well under a dollar), which I often say, is the best investment I ever made. Within a week or two I was drawing on that map, and within a year I was showing that exact map plus a handful of others at my first international exhibition. Fast forward to today, and my 'hijacking' of cartography has blossomed into a welcome obsession which I'm grateful to be able to tend to daily.
I often think about how chaotic our lives are, how chaotic the world is, and how a chance choice with no real underlying reason can so strongly dictate the way things turn out years into the future. The full answer to "how did you get into this" is a little more nuanced and there were several underlying interests at play, but ultimately, I can trace a lot of it back to that 20p purchase.
This video shows a selection of some recent works, and the audio is recycled from my appearance on the Geomob podcast, episode 90.
3 days ago
This is Criccieth, Wales - and in the background - a hint of a future release 👀
I made the original map of Criccieth available to buy earlier this week, along with 5 other originals. They were all snapped up within a day, most within 15 minutes of the newsletter going out. I cannot thank my collectors enough.
If you weren't able to get a look in, or are interested in other locations, I'm working hard to make even more available, not just originals, but prints too. Lots of you have seen all kinds of snippets of maps on my socials, plenty of works in progress, but I'm also chipping away at other drawings which I haven't previewed at all yet. I typically work on multiple things at a time and I'm always planning new work, even as I'm finishing older drawings from weeks or even months ago. Basically, my studio is a mess, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Being an artist is, emotionally, full of ups and downs - at times it's easy to feel deflated, thirsty for inspiration and in turn lacking motivation. But other times are filled with feelings of invincibility, enjoying a drive and energy which I know all creatives wish could be bottled for the darker moments. Lately I've been enjoying the latter more than ever, and have loved every minute of my time in the studio. I can't wait to share more with you!
2 weeks ago
Last call for Brooklyn! These prints will leave my studio store at the end of today (Wednesday) and will never return. Huge thanks for all your orders.
The original drawing was made available yesterday via newsletter, along with 5 other originals - everything has now sold! I receive frequent enquiries regarding originals, so if you are interested in acquiring an original be sure to sign up to my mailing list as it'll usually provide the earliest opportunity to bag any new releases.
I have one or two exciting things around the corner which I can't wait to share with you all, but for now I'll be in my studio working on future locations. Where next? London? Washington? Vienna?
3 weeks ago
Selection of drawings over US maps 🇺🇸
The first and second images show Denver (2015) and Brooklyn (2024), a contrast between some of my earliest and most recent work. Both drawings combine more than one technique within the same map; a mix of blocking in areas, crosshatching and contouring, all in ink. The challenge lies in matching tones and creating a smooth transition from one area to the next.
The second image - Brooklyn NY - is a location I've visited before, both in person and on paper.
I always find myself returning to the States.
Brooklyn is available to buy as a print, but only for another few days. After that, it'll leave my studio store forever! See my previous posts or the top of my profile here on Instagram for full details.
Huge thanks to my collectors who have bought a print (or several!) - it's wonderful to see you receiving them already - feel free to send me your photos, I always love seeing where my work ends up 💙
3 weeks ago
Brooklyn prints are now live, but they're available for a short time only! There are three different print sizes with framing options. Full details are at the top of my profile here on Instagram.
Huge thanks to my newsletter subscribers, who received early access to the drop. Lots of you have already bought a print, and I can't wait for you to receive them.
Predictably, as with every new print release, many of the orders are destined for the location of the map itself - so in this case, Brooklyn - but it's also nice to see orders going further afield, as well as repeat orders from our regular collectors. Viola and I are so grateful for your support, so thank you again 💙
4 weeks ago
Edit: prints are now available!
✨ Brooklyn, NY ✨ crosshatched in ink over an original 1896 atlas page. The blocky layout of Brooklyn couldn't be more different to the spaghetti-on-a-plate of European cities, and as with lots of other US locations it's a welcome challenge for my process.
I'm excited to announce that I'll be releasing this brand new map later this week as a limited edition print! It'll be limited not just in quantity, but also time, as the print will only be available for a few days. Once it's gone, it's gone forever.
The run goes live this Thursday, 28th March, unless of course you're on my mailing list... in which case you'll receive an early access link 24 hours before the drop! This will allow you to bag the earliest edition numbers in the size of your choice. During my last time-limited print drop the largest print size sold out before general release, so it's definitely worth signing up for early access.
You can find the sign-up link at the top of my profile here on Instagram.
Over the next few days I'll be sharing a little more info about the print, as well as the artwork itself and the process behind its creation. Until then, thank you all for being here 💙
4 weeks ago
Stoke-on-Trent prints are now available at @nellyduff ! The run went live at 11am today. The original was also available but sold very quickly... huge thank you to my collectors!
I managed to send the wrong link in my newsletter yesterday, linking to the listing for the original, instead of the print - so if you've been trying to click through from my newsletter to buy a print - scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you'll see the print listed under 'more from Ed Fairburn'. I've also listed the correct link at the top of my profile here on Instagram. Apologies for any confusion!
Seriously, a huge thank you once again - to those of you who have bought a print, an original, or even simply engaged with my posts here on my socials - it's always, always appreciated 🙏
1 month ago
Crosshatching over Quebec City, Canada 🇨🇦
I use all sorts of pens and inks, but perhaps my most frequently used is the humble pigment liner. I always keep a handful of them uncapped, for hours, sometimes days at a time, cycling them from shelf to desk. Keeping the cap off dries the tip of the pen and draws a lighter line, ideal for working around highlights or delicate areas. I understand if it feels wrong to leave a pen uncapped for so long - as though you're ruining your equipment - but really, most tools mean very little, they're a means to an end. There's no right or wrong way to use a tool if it achieves the desired result. Ultimately, it's all about the art.
As a side note - although most pigment liners are considered to be disposable, I don't think I've ever thrown one away - they seem to last forever!
I'll be releasing some originals very soon (I feel like I've been saying that for a while but it really will be soon I promise!) along with some new prints. This map of Quebec will likely be available further down the line.
1 month ago
Ink drawings over maps of Marquette, Michigan (2022)
These are pages from one of the oldest atlases in my collection, dated 1896. It contains 34 maps in total and details the geology of the area. It's a kaleidoscope of colour, with each colour representing a different rock formation. The patterns are sporadic, almost gestural, and offer an excellent compositional prompt.
Reference via @barbisubotic_
2 months ago
It's been a busy week! I don't have anything new to share yet though, so instead here's a repost of some ink drawings over sections of an original Stanford's map of the Thames. I think it's the longest map in my collection, unfolding like a concertina from one end of my studio to the other. I own several editions which means I can use each section more than once.
Two of these works are available as limited prints.
"The yellow leaves begin to fade
And flutter from the temple elms,
And at my feet the pale green Thames
Lies like a rod of rippled jade"
(excerpt from Symphony in Yellow, Oscar Wilde)
2 months ago
Crosshatching over one of the oldest maps in my collection, which ironically contains the word "modern" in its title. It's dated around 1830, long before my early to mid 20th century sweet spot.
2 months ago
Something calm for a Tuesday afternoon... a short compilation of fountain pen drawings crosshatched over various maps from my collection.
I often use pigment liners for my work, sometimes fountain pen, occasionally dip pen and very occasionally something else entirely. It all depends on the paper type of the map, density of details, what I want to achieve, and of course, my mood.
2 months ago
Huge thanks to Zara Kand and the rest of the team at @hifructosemag for this excellent feature! I have a special 16 page insert in the latest issue. I had a surprise feature on their website a few years ago, but it's so gratifying to now see my work in their printed magazine. Print always hits different.
3 months ago
Thank you for all the wonderful comments on my last post, the Stoke-on-Trent map - here it is as a still photo, hanging on the line in my studio.
If I used crisp white papers as a canvas, I don't think I'd peg my work up like this - but the reality of collecting and working with old maps is that they already show a long life lived. It's difficult to ruin a pair of shoes if they're already broken in, just like it's difficult to ruin an old book by reading it again, and again. Of course, I am careful handling my work - it's just a welcome convenience not to be debilitated by that 'brand new surface' feeling - that same feeling so many of us get when making the first marks in a fresh sketchbook.
This map will be available in future as both an original, and as a limited edition print.
3 months ago
Selection of monochromatic maps ✨
Looking forward to sharing some new work with you all soon... feels a bit late to say happy new year but I hope 2024 is treating you well so far!
I see some new faces here, thanks for the follows and welcome on in 💙 If you have any questions about my work leave them in the comments below and I'll do my best to answer in the next day or two.
3 months ago
I've always said, if I wasn't a full time artist, I'd probably have more time to draw. It's almost a paradox. Sound familiar?
It's the behind-the-scenes stuff that takes you away from your flow in the studio - emailing, logistics, accounting, planning projects, evaluating projects - basically everything about being an artist that you don't learn about in art school. But I've also always said, business itself is a creative endeavour, there's no right or wrong way, no road map - so I believe that if you can make art and sketch a world on paper, you can also sketch out a business plan, carve out a professional practice. Art for work is not for everyone (by which I mean, you may try it, you may hate it), but if you're thinking about it and need a little push, I hope this post helps.
2024 will mark my 12th year as a working artist - the last decade has been a ride and a half, with plenty of ups and downs, twists and turns. I'm forever grateful to receive strong support from those around me, most notably my partner, Viola. We're kicking back for now and enjoying the no man's land between Christmas and New Year, drinking, eating, playing games. It's a welcome break but of course we are looking forward to the year ahead.
Anyway, here's a few highlights of 2023. I've not created as much as I would have liked, but I accept the ebbs and flows of life, and I realise I've been busy with other things. I've travelled more this year visiting old friends, moved house. both Viola and I have also poured a lot of energy into restructuring our practice (some of that 'other stuff' listed above) - we now have a mailing list, a relaunched print store, new relationships with galleries around the world and some exciting new projects lined up.
Early next year I'll be listing some new originals, so collectors, take note! We wanted to make new originals available before Christmas this year but we simply ran out of time. If you're interested in originals and/or prints, be sure to sign up to my newsletter.
Thank you all for your support... all the print orders, sold originals, likes, comments, follows... from us to you, enjoy the rest of the holidays 💙
4 months ago
I've drawn lots of lines this year. Here's a few of my favourites, and here's to a few more next year 🍻
Thanks for being here 💙
4 months ago
Take a peek inside my studio ✨
Big thanks to Ian, Tina and team at CBS for this feature, @abendgallery and of course to Katherine for taking part!
You can watch the full video over on CBS, see my bio for the link
4 months ago
Aberdeen Harbour, Scotland 🏴
Ink drawing crosshatched over a page from one of the most unusual atlases in my collection. The atlas itself is fairly common (a Bartholomew's British Isles Pocket Atlas), but it's full of extra pages, added by a previous owner. The atlas is therefore twice as thick as it should be.
The extra pages contain annotated maps of various towns and cities, carefully glued into place. On the reverse of each additional map is the smallest handwriting I've ever seen, listing town populations, locations of tea rooms, dance halls, hotels and more.
All maps are time capsules, but this one is special. Perhaps it belonged to a travelling salesperson? Or maybe it was used as a personalised travel guide in a pre-internet age? Who knows.
(any ideas...?)
✨ Limited edition prints of this map are available - see my bio for details ✨
4 months ago
✨🇮🇹 From original, to print... crosshatching between the historic streets of Pisa, a challenge which I thoroughly enjoyed. The tiny scale of the roads and other details required a steady hand and limited caffeine intake 😅
The resulting print is one of 7 maps in my latest release, with print editions off to new homes around the world, not just Italy. It's available in two sizes - the original small scale , plus an enlarged version which can be bought ready-framed. Have a look at my bio for details.
These are limited edition prints, so once the numbers sell out, they won't be restocked! Huge thanks to all of my collectors, old and new 💙
5 months ago
I'm DELIGHTED to say that my studio print store is finally open again! There are 7 brand new limited edition prints in various sizes, available framed or unframed.
Viola and I have been working on this relaunch for what feels like a very long time, and yesterday we finally flicked the 'on' switch which felt amazing. Shortly after going live I sent my newsletter subscribers a heads-up - thank you so much to those of you who have already bought a print - or several! It seems some of you have a lot of wall space to fill 😅
If you'd like to purchase a print for Christmas, there's still time! Just be sure to check the delivery FAQs on the store page before placing an order. The shop link itself can be found in my bio.
5 months ago
"By thirty hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorpes, a little town,
And half a hundred bridges"
(from The Brook by Alfred Tennyson)
This is the full, uncropped view of my latest Thames map, crosshatched in ink over an original folding map of the Thames, the stretch between Bampton and Eynsham. Scroll for details.
I think the interplay between figure and river worked particularly well here. To me, the layout of a landscape shows character, gesture even - a weaving river or winding road offers something in one place, and requires something back in another.
Original sold a while back but limited prints will be available soon, in time for holiday shopping, along with some other much awaited prints. If you'd like to be informed as soon as new releases are available you can sign up to my newsletter ✨✉️✨
5 months ago
"it's about finding a harmony or balance with the composition, placing the portrait in such a way that compliments the road network"
Totally unrelated but ✨CONGRATULATIONS✨ to @hermann2n who has won the postage stamp drawing which I shared in a recent post! Hermann is one of my newsletter subscribers and was randomly selected from thousands of entries. Thank you to everyone who entered 💙 you can of course still sign up to my mailing list if you're not already subscribed. In my next newsletter I'll be sending further updates on some upcoming print releases as well as a sneaky look at some of the most beautiful maps in my collection.
Audio: Geomob podcast, episode 90
6 months ago
#tbt to some looser, broader crosshatching. These are all drawn in ink, with the white lines carved from the ink layer in a sgraffito-like process, allowing the paper underneath to show. For this sort of technique I use a surgical scalpel. Sometimes, my work is about the removal of details, as well as the addition of details.
6 months ago
This is what crosshatching over old paper sounds like. Now close your eyes and picture a steam train.
6 months ago
What I call 'off road drawing' - working on anything but plain paper. This is a mix of my smallest and largest works, all crosshatched in ink over a range of surfaces - my usual paper maps, an unused postage stamp and an old (previously classified) aircraft manual for an English Electric Lightning.
I'm giving away the postage stamp shown in this video! For a chance to win you just need to join my mailing list. If you're already on my mailing list, you don't need to do anything - you're automatically included in the draw. If you'd like to enter you only have a day to sign up, as I'll be selecting a winner at random at the end of tomorrow, Tuesday 7th November.
You can of course join my mailing list any time if you'd like to receive updates on my work - this includes early access to new print releases, details of upcoming exhibitions along with other insights into my creative process and life in the studio.
6 months ago
#tbt to one of my favourite creations of 2023, so far. Back in March I was commissioned by Disney+ to create artwork for the release of true crime thriller Boston Strangler. I drew Keira Knightley as Loretta McLaughlin, covering a map of Boston MA 🇺🇲
I've worked with Boston several times now, and each time has been an absolute joy. I just love the character of the coastline, and the compositions it can force.
Just a reminder - or if you missed my previous post - I'm giving away a small (my smallest) original artwork, a tiny drawing covering a tiny map-themed postage stamp! You can enter the draw by signing up to my mailing list. If you're already on my mailing list, you're automatically entered. The draw will end next Tuesday, November 7th, when I'll pick a winner at random.
6 months ago
✨ I'm giving away my smallest ever drawing - this postage stamp! ✨ Well, both stamps really, as they're joined at the hip. My intervention on the left is stippled in ink, the untouched version on the right shows the stamp in its original state. They're from my stamp collection (yes I have a stamp collection) which unsurprisingly contains a sub-collection of map-themed stamps.
I'm going to select a winner at random from my ✨✉️ mailing list ✉️✨ next week - you have until November 7th to enter! If you're already subscribed to my newsletter you don't need to do anything, you're already in the draw.
If you're not on my mailing list and would like a chance of winning this unusual offering, you can sign up to my newsletter via the link in my bio.
Through my newsletter I'll send you occasional updates on new releases, along with exclusive insights into my creative practice. You'll also receive early access to many of my upcoming print drops.
Thanksandgoodluck 💙
6 months ago
It's been over a year since I recorded this audio and I still haven't learned how to pronounce 'pareidolia' - or spell it either apparently as I just had to look it up.
This is a short crosshatching compilation with audio from my appearance on the Geomob podcast. I used this excerpt last year in a previous reel, as I felt it helped to explain a part of my process - specifically the frequently asked question, "do you see faces in maps?"
New work coming soon plus updates on my next print release - keep an eye out here or better yet, subscribe to my mailing list - you'll find the link in my bio!
6 months ago