In September 2017 I embarked on an ambitious art project, to convert the maps of all 15 of the UK’s national parks into Tolkien inspired masterpieces.
This cartographic endeavor, original in its idea, began as a small sketch of Tolkien’s very own map of Middle-Earth. Upon posting this sketch online, it became immediately apparent that my ability to draw maps was better than average. So much so that I was inspired to draw more maps, this time of real world places.
And so the seed to convert national park maps was sown. National parks often contain a plethora of mountains, forests, lakes (or lochs), and rivers. This makes them ideal for conversion. By highlighting these features, a total re-imagination of reality can be given.
I sit here eight months later, having now completed this project. I have appeared on TV, taken part in various media interviews from around the world, and met some incredibly interesting people along the way. My plan now is to convert some of the US national parks, and some of the UK’s counties. Yellowstone, Yosemite and The Smoky Mountains are all converted.
More info: middleearthsmaps.com%20
Yellowstone National Park
The Lake District National Park
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
The Yorkshire Dales National Park
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