Many people have often wished they could enter an imaginary realm envisioned by an author or scriptwriter and one person has made that seem somewhat possible with a series of American fantasy maps. Inspired by the whimsical cartographic style of J.R.R. Tolkien's images that help flesh out Lord of the Rings' Middle-Earth, these fantasy maps are full of detail in only the best of ways.
Created by Stentor Danielson, a geographer based in Pittsburgh, the American fantasy maps essentially romanticize industrial cities such as his hometown as well as Cleveland, Ohio. His impressive series of fantasy maps started at a young age. Stentor Danielson tells Fast Co Design, "Throughout my childhood I made hundreds of maps of imaginary and fantastical places, in a variety of styles cribbed from different fantasy novels."
American Fantasy Maps
Geographer Stentor Danielson Envisions US Cities as Imagined Places
Trend Themes
1. Fantasy Map Art - The trend of geographers creating fantasy maps of real-life places using a whimsical cartographic style, presents an opportunity for artists to create custom maps for individuals and businesses alike.
2. Industrial Nostalgia - The trend of romanticizing industrial cities through fantasy maps presents an opportunity for businesses to leverage consumers’ nostalgia by highlighting historical features of their products or services.
3. Childhood Visions - The trend of creating imaginary and fantastical places as a child is being translated into adult creativity through fantasy maps, providing opportunities for toy, game, and related industries to tap into people's fond childhood memories.
Industry Implications
1. Geography - The geography industry has an opportunity to capitalize on the trend of fantasy map art by offering custom cartography services.
2. Tourism - The tourism industry can leverage the trend of fantasy map art by offering guided tours of cities using customized fantasy maps created by local artists.
3. Real Estate - The real estate industry can use the trend of industrial nostalgia showcased in fantasy maps to market historical buildings as both attractive and filled with character.