Celebrated artist and cartographer Francesca Baerald, known for her intricate hand-painted maps featured in games like Dragon Age, Warcraft, Octopath Traveler, and Diablo, is releasing a comprehensive art book titled "Unbound - The Cartography Art Book by Francesca Baerald." This large-format A3 volume showcases a vast collection of her detailed cartographical work.
The book is currently being crowdfunded via Kickstarter and has already surpassed its initial £20,000 goal by more than four times, with several weeks remaining. "Unbound" will feature over 250 maps drawn from Baerald's contributions to video games, tabletop role-playing games, board games, and graphic novels.
Baerald's unique approach to mapmaking involves a predominantly physical process, utilizing watercolors rather than digital tools. "I believe a perfect map should inspire players and readers from the first glance," Baerald stated previously. "I see maps not as instruments to find directions in a game, but as decorated, welcoming doorways that drag you into the game's world."
The art book is available in a Standard Edition for €150, a Premium Edition for €250, and a high-end Limited Edition for €2000. The Limited Edition is notable for being hand-bound in Italy using traditional techniques by Bottega dei Gozzi. The emphasis for all editions is on the book's substantial size and the high quality of the prints and paper. Production is reportedly 99 percent complete, with shipping scheduled for next summer.