Artist and cartographerAnton Thomasis making waves for his enormous, hand-drawn map of North America.
No ordinary map,North America: Portrait of a Continentis filled with Easter eggs waiting to be discovered.
Such a long development period also meant that Thomas' drawing style changed over time.
As he wracked up more hours working on the map, his skills sharpened.
In the end, all of Thomas' efforts paid off.
He was also able to execute some small illustrations forThe Washington Post.
Want to learn more about this epic, hand-drawn map?
Read on for My Modern Mets exclusive interview with Thomas.
What was it about maps that captured your imagination as a child?
Growing up in New Zealand, it’s not hard to be inspired by geography.
The landscape is diverse and dramatically beautiful.
I remember being captivated as a kid when I first took a flight between Nelson and Wellington.
Your first major map-drawing experience was on a refrigerator.
What did that experience teach you in preparation for your next map?
Drawing on that fridge in Montreal back in 2012 had a huge impact.
It gave me the desire and confidence to pursue cartography further.
Meanwhile, friends were responding to the artwork in the most fascinating way.
And it was clear whyI was drawing real places.
Also, while drawing, I listened to more music and podcasts than ever before.
This has vast potential.
It took nearly 5 years to complete the North America map.
How did the project change you as an artistor as a personduring that time?
The map changed everything.
This is a major reason that it took so long.
I would get home, then draw at night, weekends, and holidays.
But I loved it.
It was teaching me so much and I couldn’t imagine giving up on what Id started.
It gave me thousands of hours of drawing experience and taught me considerable patience.
One of the biggest surprises from the map has been the number of spinoffs I didnt expect.
What was the most challenging part of executing the North America map?
When I redrew a massive portion because my drawing had improved.
Scraping the fine liner from the paper was a painfully slow, delicate process that I did not enjoy.
It was the most grueling stage and it went on for over a year.
Nonetheless, Im glad I found a technique to execute this, as the map needed it.
You cant just leave an entire region subpar.
It was almost a year ago that it was completed.
How has your life changed since that time?
It has changed so much.
Until then, my life literally revolved around drawing it.
Sooner or later you’ll have to manage your business, and 2019 taught me that in spades.
Do any areas of the map have special meaning to you?
There were many highlights, but I look back at Cuba especially fondly.
Around this time Id started listening to music to match the places I was drawing.
I was trying to treat mapping like a method actor.
This idea was first unlocked with Cuba.
I became fascinated by the country when I watchedBuena Vista Social Club, just before I started drawing it.
I even celebrated completing the country with a Cuban cigar.
Drawing Cuba taught me new ways to feel engaged and inspired by the work.
Time log from the creation of the map.
The map is filled with so many details.
What kind of research was involved in deciding what hidden gems would define different areas?
At the country, state, or city level, theres so much research involved.
I cant just make things up.
Whether its an elephant seal or a Mayan pyramid, theres homework behind everything.
Its a tricky business as the world is vast and complexany illustrated map of it is an extreme simplification.
Whatever the place, I read all I can to get a sense of its defining features.
Some things are iconic and easy choices (e.g.
Every place is different, so you have to be flexible as you go.
Working on Miami is nothing like working on Nunavut.
Its important to take that responsibility seriously and treat all regions with respect.
Our world is so astoundingly interesting that youre never far from good options.
Its hard to compare the North America map with anything elsethe scale of work was extreme.
Every state or province was like a new project.
Even its cartouche (the title emblem) took longer to draw than the entireWashington Postset.
New ideas, new frontiers.
There is so much to map.
What do you hope that people take away from your work and your story?
Everyone has their own experiences with my maps, and they take away different things.
Its always fascinating to hear what people have to say.
I do hope to help inspire interest in geography and mapsand thus interest in the wider world.
By presenting real places in this lively illustrated style, perhaps it will draw more people into maps.
Dont be afraid of making sacrifices for your art, especially early on.
If you love creating something, then just do ita lot.
Theres no need to immediately worry about where its going.
People around you may not understand, but dont worry about what others think.
Nothing excites me more than considering what’s next.
Time log from the creation of the map.
