Continuing our series of interviews with cartographers, this month we're talking to Julien Labit, known to us all as Ilanthar. He's known for his large scale work and a real breadth of subject matter and style, as well as a ready willingness to try new things and techniques.
We asked him 7 questions, as we will in each interview.
We asked him 7 questions, as we will in each interview.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background...
My name is Julien LABIT, known as Ilanthar, here at the guild. I'm French and I've a biology engineering diploma and a master in scientific vulgarization, and I'm an avid RPG gamer before all. I'm currently doing science activities for children (experiments, lego robotics, making technical stuff). Last year, I made war machines like catapults and ballistas with a group of 9-11 years old.
I'm basically interested in sciences, history/geography and a big fan of the TV show "le dessous des cartes" or "Mit offenen karten" which relies on maps.
2) How did you get into mapping?
Well, I think I fell into it when I was young! I've been interested in maps for as long as I've been playing role playing games & board games (when I was 11-12 years old). Then, I quickly had the wish to create my own RPGs or board games and of course needed maps for to do it.
3) Do you create maps professionally, or for fun? If you've sold your work, how did you get started? Any fun/horror stories to share about commissioned work?
I create maps for fun and my own imaginary worlds. The only commission I took was here at the guild and wasn't paid, just for practice. It went very well since the commissioner was patient and comprehensive. Oh, and also a second commission for the "commission a guilder challenge" and it was a lot of fun. So, no horror stories.
4) What kind of computer setup/equipment/software do you have? Any advice or tips for learners?
I have a classic personal computer (64 bits, 4 Gb RAM) and use mainly Paint Shop Pro 7 and sometimes (from the more to the less used) Gimp, Sketchup, Wilbur and Inkscape. I should mention that I discover Sketchup and Wilbur thanks to the Guild, along with Krita that I'll probably try soon.
I would recommend to learners to take inspiration, ideas, views, methods, techniques... and for that, the guild is by far the best place I've ever found. It's such a supportive community!
I would also say it's often a mistake to want at any price to copy a style you like. We all tend to do that at first, and it generally turns out to be hard and disappointing. Better take inspiration from it and develop your own style of mapping!
5) What are your favourite kind of maps or favourite map makers from history?
Apart from the growing number of awesome maps posted on the guild, I've been strongly influenced by the Hârn and Lythia maps when I was younger. I'm also always impressed by the beautiful old illustrative city maps like the map of Paris by Braun & Hogenberg published in 1572.
The thing is I love a lot of very different maps... a probable explanation for my tendency to create very different maps myself.
6) What do you consider your best piece of work? How about your favourite, if different?
If I'm trying to be a bit objective, I would probably say that my best piece remains my map of Argona city. It was by far the most difficult map I've done so far, and the one that required the most time and a lot of thought.
My favorite is my Elzevir Geopolitics map, since it's almost exactly what I pictured in my mind.
7) Where can we find you on the web?
Well, just here on the guild, my profile and my albums.