Bastian Arceneaux - Tumblr Posts

Map illustration for ‘The Foxglove King’ by Hannah Whitten, Orbit Digital, two-page spread 12 x 9.25" (2022) Described as a lush gothic fantasy, this series called for a map that would reflect the opulence of the world that the protagonist, Lore, finds herself in. I knew right away that I wanted to explore stained glass as a style here—more specifically, taking inspiration from the work that illustrator and stained glass master Harry Clarke was doing in Ireland in the early 1900s. I’ve been obsessed with his work ever since I got to see some pieces in person!

The map is framed by the Bleeding God and the Buried Goddess, the two deities whose story sets up the current stakes in the novel. Imagining that this is an actual stained glass window somewhere in the citadel, I also incorporated various symbols mentioned in the book: the candle, roses, sun and crescent moon, golden and silver threads for spiritum and mortem respectively.

Here’s the sketch I sent in for approval, with annotations explaining the visual choices:

Thanks to AD Lauren Panepinto for the creative freedom and also the help with the typefaces!

The book comes out March 7 in the USA. You'll enjoy it if you're a fan of palace intrigue mixed with dark magic and religious institutions. The regular Orbit hardback has the map in black and white while the special Barnes & Noble edition has it in colour on the endpapers. Prints available in my INPRNT store with white and dark backgrounds!