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Quarantine Project: I Spent 3 Months Drawing A Mythological Medieval World Map On My Door (13 Pics)
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Quarantine Project: I Spent 3 Months Drawing A Mythological Medieval World Map On My Door (13 Pics)

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After being locked up for several months, I decided to decorate my door with miniature monsters from medieval times. Somehow, along the way, it became a medieval map full of symbolism, some carefully planted Easter eggs, and overall a filled canvas with various references that can leave one more than just curious.

The monsters that filled this door canvas are not only from Europe, but also from other continents too. Therefore, that’s why it took me a while to fill in the map as I took a lot of references from various cultures from around the world.

The sketch

It all started on an ordinary day of the quarantine, and like most of the days, this one too was filled with a lot of boredom and a still clean door.

So I looked up some sea monsters and drew them. When I realized they looked lonely, I sketched a complete map.

The frame

To give it an antique map style, I decided to frame it. The empty spaces were filled with my ideas.

The theme

The point was to illustrate as many medieval monsters and supernatural characters as possible, not only from Europe, but also from all over the world.

The map

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The result was a map full of symbols, hidden things, and other additional details.

The 13 kingdoms

In total, there were 13 kingdoms representing the different parts of the world. Each one had its valleys, forests, or cities. The names also came from real myths.

One could say they are mythological, unusual, or non-existent sites in which people believed at some point. At the center of the map is the Axis Mundi that was believed to be the center of the earth and the earthly paradise.

The sea

The seas and islands are also real ghost islands from old-world maps. Every monster on the map was actually described as real at some point during medieval times.

The forests

The geography of places is also related to the world. There are weeping willows, pine and palm trees, oaks, mountains, cliffs, deserts, lakes, swamps, mangroves, and of course, the fountain of eternal youth.

The plants

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There are miniatures scattered on the map that represent non-existent plants and trees such as the Mandrake or the Wak Wak. These also have their special place on the map. Some of them come from the enigmatic Voynich Manuscript.

The frame

Wrapped in a vine, I placed all the arcana of the tarot (a game typical of the medieval world) and among them are the different signs of the zodiac.

Above the door are the Celtic runes on different shields.

And there is a miniature near the city of Scholomance that represents all the secret societies that existed in medieval times.

The knob

Around the knob, the decoration conceals more than 25 symbols used by alchemists. All are ordered as is and as dictated by the formulas to convert metals into gold.

The secrets of the frame

Perhaps the place with the most hidden things is the frame. Animals are typical of the 4 elements (previously, it was believed that chameleons lived in the air.) In the circles are the 5 Chinese elements of Feng Shui.

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Among the creepers, the 10 points of the Jewish Kabbalah are hidden written in Hebrew.

There are even the symbols of IChing, ancient symbols of good luck and various medicinal flowers.

Porta map

At the end of the map and the whole journey I had while making it, I decided to baptize it as the “continent of Porta.”

In total, it took me 3 months to complete it, working day and night almost every day.

Mapa del Continente de Porta (Porta Continent Map MMXX)

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michel_2 avatar
Marcellus the Third
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nice! A lot of very recognizable ones (like from Olaus Magnus' map)... but my eye struck one typo on first closeup photo and can't get over it ("Joannes Presbyter")

firefaerie20 avatar
Judy Price
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is so incredibly amazing, my mind can barely handle it! I love when a random little time killer morphs into a masterpiece! This is truly awesome in the truest sense of the word!

onemessylady avatar
Aunt Messy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd love to see this on a canvas with some light watercolor washes added....You're on to something here.

valyk90 avatar
Valentin Celac
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMG absolutely fantastic :) that took a lot of time and patience🤓

nikkibrauer avatar
Nikkibr.
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love this! what an amazing job. i love medieval time period and love to look at old maps and even illuminated manuscripts with all the hidden border secrets.i'd love this on my wall

sdeveno12 avatar
BasedWang
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pretty rad.. Any Vril anywhere? haha The alchemical symbols are dope too.... Reader of Hermeticism?

i-ketsopoulou avatar
happycamper
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

so cool!! so if I understand correctly, this isn't from a specific story or myth but a pastiche of different influences?

marshafredell avatar
Lovin' Life
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Beautiful work! What a magnificent focal point you now have in your home. Very impressive! I love it!

ispeakcatanese avatar
ispeak catanese
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mario, me encantó ver el pueblo llamado Ombligo! Está cerca de Axis Mundi o a la altura del tuyo?

mayatossain avatar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

El axis mundi es el centro del mapa y Obligo es el centro de la puerta (Cabe mencionar que el la época medieval se creía de un poblado mágico llamado Ombligo y tienes razón, no está ahí por casualidad)

Load More Replies...
mistihale avatar
Nidamae
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Next step: take a high res photo and sell prints and digital files for people to use as art or their tabletop game🤯🥰 Also, what type of market or pen did you use?

gayoon09-kim avatar
Bored bunny
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Looks beautiful! It must have taken a LOT of time to drew these all by yourself!

freefeather2 avatar
nini
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh my god, that is so freaking awesome! I love the details, I can see how much thought and love you spent on this project! 😍😍 And also the amount of research, amazing.

michel_2 avatar
Marcellus the Third
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nice! A lot of very recognizable ones (like from Olaus Magnus' map)... but my eye struck one typo on first closeup photo and can't get over it ("Joannes Presbyter")

firefaerie20 avatar
Judy Price
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is so incredibly amazing, my mind can barely handle it! I love when a random little time killer morphs into a masterpiece! This is truly awesome in the truest sense of the word!

onemessylady avatar
Aunt Messy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd love to see this on a canvas with some light watercolor washes added....You're on to something here.

valyk90 avatar
Valentin Celac
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMG absolutely fantastic :) that took a lot of time and patience🤓

nikkibrauer avatar
Nikkibr.
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love this! what an amazing job. i love medieval time period and love to look at old maps and even illuminated manuscripts with all the hidden border secrets.i'd love this on my wall

sdeveno12 avatar
BasedWang
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pretty rad.. Any Vril anywhere? haha The alchemical symbols are dope too.... Reader of Hermeticism?

i-ketsopoulou avatar
happycamper
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

so cool!! so if I understand correctly, this isn't from a specific story or myth but a pastiche of different influences?

marshafredell avatar
Lovin' Life
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Beautiful work! What a magnificent focal point you now have in your home. Very impressive! I love it!

ispeakcatanese avatar
ispeak catanese
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mario, me encantó ver el pueblo llamado Ombligo! Está cerca de Axis Mundi o a la altura del tuyo?

mayatossain avatar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

El axis mundi es el centro del mapa y Obligo es el centro de la puerta (Cabe mencionar que el la época medieval se creía de un poblado mágico llamado Ombligo y tienes razón, no está ahí por casualidad)

Load More Replies...
mistihale avatar
Nidamae
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Next step: take a high res photo and sell prints and digital files for people to use as art or their tabletop game🤯🥰 Also, what type of market or pen did you use?

gayoon09-kim avatar
Bored bunny
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Looks beautiful! It must have taken a LOT of time to drew these all by yourself!

freefeather2 avatar
nini
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh my god, that is so freaking awesome! I love the details, I can see how much thought and love you spent on this project! 😍😍 And also the amount of research, amazing.

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