Chris Birde left retail to pursue his passion for fantasy cartography, creating unique maps of Yorkshire and other regions.
Sheffield: Meet Chris Birde, the guy who’s bringing Yorkshire to life with his fantasy maps. He left his retail job to follow his dream of being a cartologist.
In 2020, Chris took the plunge. He started drawing maps of real places, like Yorkshire, but with a twist. His maps highlight cool historical spots.
His Etsy shop is buzzing with activity. One of his latest creations? A Lord of the Rings-inspired map of South Yorkshire. How cool is that?
Chris shared that this map is the result of five years of self-taught work. It all began when he was writing a fantasy novel and needed a map for it.
Instead of hiring someone, he decided to try it himself. He was thrilled with the outcome and even made a fun map of his hometown, Teesside.
After posting it online, the positive feedback was overwhelming. He realized he was onto something special. Chris noticed a gap in the market for these unique maps in the UK.
So, he set a goal to map every UK county in this fantasy style. He wanted to uncover hidden histories that you wouldn’t find on Google.
Using Photoshop, he spent about three weeks on the South Yorkshire map. A good chunk of that time was spent researching local stories and suggestions.
He believes these maps should have a purpose, not just be pretty. Chris is a big Tolkien fan and loves the classic fantasy look of his maps.
What makes Chris’s maps unique is the crowdsourced locations. He reached out in over 500 Facebook groups and Reddit for local insights.
The response was amazing! He received over 1000 comments filled with great ideas. He managed to include about 90% of the suggestions.
Some of his favorite suggestions are tied to local myths, like the Bunting Nook Boggard and the Barghests near Sheffield. These spooky creatures used to roam the roads!
If you want to check out Chris’s map, just click here. It’s a fantastic blend of history and fantasy!
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