Ed Fairburn is a British artist who creates unique portraits drawn on paper maps. He names his creative process “topopointillism,” derived from its combination of topography, the study of forms and features of land surfaces, and pointillism drawing technique.
In order to create his works, Fairburn spends a lot of time studying old maps of roads, cities, states, countries, and regions, among others. Once he finds a perfect map, he makes subtle changes in markings and patterns found inside it to bring out a human form on the surface.
The beauty of Fairburn’s works is that the artist always works inside the constraints offered by the map and keeps its original composition. As a result, the map preserves its functionality and could be used for its original purpose despite its transformation into a portrait.
“I’m interested in the degree of subtlety behind each synchronisation, and the way in which a completed map behaves more like a portrait when viewed from further away – it’s almost paradoxical that a portrait should lose detail when examined closely,” Fairburn shares on his website.
Fairburn showcases his works on social media, often uploading videos that capture the intricacies of his creative process. You can check out more of them below.
