I built this 3D map based off of the fairy world that my mom created for her book. For the design, I was inspired by fantasy maps that are often on the inside jackets of fantasy books.

Using saws in the wood shop, I carved and sanded flat pieces of wood into shapes. I created areas of low and high elevation by layering pieces on top of each other. For the river, I twisted and pleated an iridescent fabric to mimic the movement of water. For the neighborhood in the center of the map, I used curled wood shavings to represent a pine tree forest. I chose the cave area and the cliff area to be in opposite corners of the square in order to create a visual frame.

My favorite part of this piece is how tactile it is. The sanded and layered pieces of wood are satisfying to view and to feel, and the twisted fabric river is also visually and texturally interesting. I also appreciate the different perspectives of the map. When viewed from the side, one can see the cave above the river and the arch below the cliff wall that are concealed from an aerial view.