I am working on a map of Philadelphia for the They Draw & Travel contest I wrote about today on Cartophilia, and in the process of looking for reference photos, found this map on my hard drive. A friend of mine commissioned it two years ago to commemorate the annual Tour de Shore bike ride from the Irish Pub in Philadelphia, PA, to the Irish Pub in Atlantic City, NJ.
I was uncomfortable with this map while drawing it, and for a long time after, because it was so necessary to include people in it, and I don't draw people very often, so I'm not skilled at them. These bicyclists brought me all sorts of angst, but my client loved them, especially the ones who represent real people, and now that I look at them, I don't think they're that bad. The leprechaun could maybe stand to gain a few pounds (more potatoes! more Guinness!), but for the most part, I am kind of fond of them.
Overall, though, I have always been pleased with this map, and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to create it. If you're in the Philadelphia area, I've been told the original is now framed and hanging in the Irish Pub, although I haven't had the opportunity to see it myself. We'll be heading up there later this summer, so I will make sure that's finally a stop on the agenda.
