Crosshatching compilation... with commentary. The audio is from a recent feature recorded for Turkish TV network @trt2 - this part of the conversation was mostly about my technical process, how and where I start each portrait, and why. You can see the full feature (with the original video) via the link in my bio.
4 days ago
I think I'll work on more of these trench maps soon.
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This one is "Stanway Avenue", finished and sold earlier this year.
2 weeks ago
Working on another one of those 'stuff all the important bits into one corner' compositions, using equipment sent to me by @uniball_uk - thanks uni-ball!
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Drawing is crosshatched in Uni Pin pigment liners over an original unfolding map of the Thames. Reference via #caneyo
3 weeks ago
"Virtually all of my work stems from a love of collecting original maps and other paper ephemera - I really enjoy the textures, patterns, history and even smells of aged paper. Maps are particularly interesting because they often tell the story of a specific place. I think my clients appreciate being able to introduce that quality to their collection, campaign or project - and for me, I certainly like exploring the concept of celebrating both people and place, together as one."
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Excerpt from a recent(ish) feature on Shoutout Colorado - this was released a couple of months ago but I forgot to share.
3 weeks ago
Nothing says 'map' like a coastline - the more rugged, the better. It's one of my favourite constraints to work with.
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Selection of coastal works in ink over various maps, some commissioned, some self-initiated.
1 month ago
Philadelphia prints are now live! See the link in my bio for more info.
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Here's a short sequence of some of my favourite prints, being signed by 6 year old me (sort of)
1 month ago
As promised before my recent holiday, here's Philadelphia! I finished the original last year and will be making prints available this Friday, July 1st at 6pm UK time (that's 1pm EST)
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Prints are limited to an edition of 300 and are sold sequentially according to the orders received - so if you'd like an early edition number be sure to set an alarm! For more details including size and price, follow the link in my bio.
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Original is both painted and crosshatched over an original map using Dr ph Martin's black star ink. The folds of the map were particularly challenging here. I'm used to drawing over folds, but these were very delicate.
2 months ago
NASA lunar map Chaplygin (2017)
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One of my all time favourite map finds, part of a series of orthophotomaps of the lunar surface published by NASA in the 1970s. I have a couple of these tucked away.
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The Chaplygin crater is the large circular pattern to the left, following the structure of the neck. As a key feature it forms the basis of the whole composition. In reality, the crater has a diameter of 123km, which is roughly the distance from New York City to Philadelphia, as the crow flies.
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Original is painted in Dr. Ph. Martin's black star ink (4/4) - this is the 'hi carb' version, which is excellent for covering very smooth or non-porous surfaces. The ink is permanent and dries fast.
2 months ago
Details of Paris (2022) - a private commission crosshatched in ink over an original map of the city. This post shows the uncropped map along with some close ups.
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Thank you all for the love and kind comments on my last upload - it's so uplifting to know that so many of you are interested in my process!
2 months ago
I see lots of new faces here (welcome!) so thought I'd share a short video which briefly explains my process of working with original maps. It also dispels a common misconception regarding my work - "do you see faces in maps?" (the answer is no, not really)
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Audio is from Geomob podcast episode 90 - Ed Fairburn: Topopointillism
2 months ago
I spent the last couple of weeks recharging my batteries in Italy, specifically Bologna, Faenza and further south for a friend's wedding. My partner Viola is Italian which helps me feel like less of a tourist - not that there's anything wrong with feeling like a tourist - it's just always good to experience some of the more authentic places, plus my Italian is non bene (although I'm working on that). We're now back in the UK and back in the studio, easing into one or two different projects.
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I managed to finish this private commission right before we left - these are just a few process clips although I'll be sharing some stills in a future post.
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The portrait is crosshatched in ink (0.03 and 0.05 pigment liner) over an original map of Paris. It's a unique and minimal map, part of an atlas of statistical maps of the city.
2 months ago
Detail of Denver, Colorado (sold 2015) - a throwback to an iconic USGS quadrangle hijacked in ink.
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The geography of this part of the city is a mix of elevation and urban sprawl, which allowed me to combine my two favourite approaches to generating a tonal range.
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If memory serves I used an isographic technical pen loaded with a permanent ink, most likely @drphmartins black star ink.
2 months ago
I found this aircraft service manual in an old book shop. According to the cover the contents are classified, but I'm assuming the information is no longer sensitive given the age of the aircraft.
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Those of you who know me well, know that I'm a bit of a plane nerd. For a long time growing up I wanted to be a pilot, and I was just as obsessive about that pursuit as I am about any other passion in my life (call it an addictive personality) - I learned to pilot gliders/sailplanes and flew a solo flight at 17, but dropped it soon after. I wasn't a bad pilot, but I quickly realised I was a much better artist.
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I also went through intense phases of wanting to be a meteorologist, a professional athlete (I still laugh at that one), and rather fittingly, a cartographer, or as I called it back then, a map maker. It's funny how everything plays out in the end.
3 months ago
For those of you wondering - my signature stamp is my 'real' signature, from about 25 years ago. I had the stamp made in 2012, at the start of my creative career. It was scanned from a birthday card I sent to my nan - I would have been around 5 or 6 at the time. I'm not entirely sure why I started using it as an alternative to my 'adult' signature, but it stuck! I now use it on everything including prints, originals - even invoices and other paperwork.
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This is pigment liner over an unfolding map of the River Thames (Abingdon to Wallingford section), 8" x 9.5" approx.
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Original sold
3 months ago
"Where do you find your maps?"
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Earlier this year I welcomed a film crew into my studio to record a short documentary for the Turkish channel @trt2 - my work was featured in a series of shorts looking at artists who recycle/upcycle rubbish. I've never thought of the maps I use as rubbish (and actually most of them are very collectible), but the general idea of repurposing existing (and often discarded) materials is central to what I and the other artists in the series do.
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This is an excerpt answering my most frequently asked question. For anyone interested in watching the full episode the link is in my bio
3 months ago
River Thames; Abingdon to Wallingford.
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Crosshatched in ink over an original unfolding map.
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Sold
3 months ago
Details.
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Ink drawing over an unfolding map of the River Thames - this is the Richmond to Staines section. The full map stretches from Richmond all the way to Lechlade in Gloucestershire.
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Sold
3 months ago
Crosshatching over an original map of the Thames, the Staines to Richmond stretch. This is about as fast as I go.
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Sold
3 months ago
Philadelphia will be my next major print release, and the next addition to my Collier's US cities series. It doesn't strictly belong in the collection as it's not a map from a Collier's atlas, but it's very similar in terms of scale and aesthetic so I thought I'd include it.
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I'll be sharing some process footage and other details in the coming days. The print release will likely be timed so keep an eye out if you're interested!
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The original is crosshatched in ink using a mapping nib, with some of the flatter details inked by brush.
3 months ago
Manchester (2018)
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My conservatory is the only room here large enough to get a full photo of this map. My studio (the adjoining room) isn't small, but it's not exactly huge either - it has its pros and cons. Ideally I'd love a warehouse-sized studio, large enough to be able to avoid keeping things organised. I would just move around the space in the same way a gardener might rotate crops in an allotment. I think that says more about my personality than it does about the art I create. In all seriousness though, I do appreciate the importance of keeping a tidy space - a tidy space is a tidy mind - it's just much easier to keep a space tidy if there's a lot of it.
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"Working in a home studio is not the same as working elsewhere, leaving work at work, and coming home to a different life - and actually, I often think of my arrangement as living at work, rather than working from home - my daily commute is two left turns and a staircase. That sounds resentful, but it really isn’t - I love being immersed in what I do. Most of the time, it’s one of the best things about being an artist. It can be difficult to switch off but why would I want to?" (on the ups and downs of life as an artist: part of my response to a student's research inquiry)
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How does your space affect your work?
3 months ago
Following lines of elevation with a brush - a very different language to the crosshatching of yesterday's post.
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This is (in my eyes) a failure, something which didn't work out as planned - but I thought I'd at least throw some of the process footage together for a short sequence. I actually really enjoy making these videos. I also really enjoy this scale of map - a mighty 6 inches to 1 mile - in topographic terms, that's a huge level of detail! Individual buildings are visible.
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This map is an OS special provisional edition dated 1956. It's always interesting to see how much the landscape has changed over time.
3 months ago
My favourite technique... and my favourite anatomical detail.
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Selection of crosshatched works (2015-2022)
3 months ago
Crosshatching with cartography - more of the good bits! I'm busy with commissions at the moment, and with nothing new to share just yet I thought I'd take a look through some past footage and put together another compilation reel.
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All of these works have been drawn in ink over various maps from my collection, using a mix of fountain pen (Olika EF), Staedtler pigment liner and mapping nib. Always worth taking care when using a mapping nib as they're surprisingly sharp.
4 months ago
Changing a scalpel blade is like sharpening a pencil - do it more often than you think is necessary and you'll really feel the difference.
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I thought I'd show a few details of my etching/sgraffito process. I just bought a fresh box of blades and it reminded me that I wanted to share this technique in a little more detail - so here it is!
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I reserve etching for the most intricate details, where a subtraction method is more practical than simply avoiding the details in the first place. It allows me to delicately carve out lines, letters and other patterns from the ink - the aim is to gently lift the ink layer, not the paper underneath.
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I use a non-sterile surgical scalpel. My preferred make and model is a Swann Morton No.3 handle, paired with a 10A blade. I buy the blades in packs of 100 which is hugely economical - it works out at around 12p per blade (that's about 16 cents) - this is important because I really do get through a lot. If you're using a scalpel or knife to cut paper, and you're wondering why the blade is 'pulling' at the paper, or not making a clean, effortless cut - you probably need to change the blade.
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I carefully tidy the 'carvings' with a putty eraser to lift any remaining paper fibres. This requires a soft touch to avoid leaving residue from the eraser, but also to prevent pulling any stubborn areas and ripping the paper away.
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If I do carve too deep, I go over the area with a hard (6H) pencil or coloured pencil to match the surface tone of the map paper.
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For this etching/sgraffito technique to really work, I ensure I'm using the correct combination of ink and paper. A smooth, non-porous (almost plastic-like) paper is best, in conjunction with a carbon or pigment ink that dries on the surface. I'm sure I've said this many times before, but one of the joys and challenges of working with original maps is that my support is ever-changing, and so my approach must also be changeable to adapt to any surface or situation.
4 months ago
I can just about fit these into one post! This is the full collection (to date) of a growing series of miniatures which I started back in 2020. Most have sold but there are a few still available - DM for details.
4 months ago