Gold Rush Job: Illustrating 'Beyond the Map’s Edge'

How I beat the clock before the premiere of Netflix's Gold & Greed

Listen, I’m not the fastest draw in the West. So when Justin Posey contacted me with a tight turnaround for his book, Beyond the Map’s Edge, I was a bit wary. See, the book had to be ready before the premiere of the Netflix series, Gold & Greed: The Hunt For Fenn's Treasure. The key to success, I thought, will be strategy. And lots of Dr. Pepper.

Here are my top three non-carbonated tips for illustrating a book in less than a month.

Half-pager from Justin Posey’s Beyond the Map’s Edge

Sketch with a thick tool

Sketches should be boldly impressionistic, yet, like many people, I can get lost in the weeds of perfectionism at too early a stage. To avoid getting bogged down in details, use a fat brush or pencil.

Sketch submitted to the author on the left, final image on the right.

Limiting myself by using a big brush helped me get ideas out faster. I’ve mentioned before how creating a sense of urgency leads to good results in this post:

The Five-Minute Face

Keep it mobile

When time is not an issue, I enjoy working my ideas out on paper, even when I know that the final will be rendered digitally. It’s liberating to unplug, and I’m less distracted by digital rabbit holes. For this project, however, I decided that the extra time I’d need to scan or trace images was simply too valuable.

I have a digital drawing station at my studio with a massive Huion tablet, but I didn’t want to be tied to my desk. As I mentioned in this Instagram reel, I drew everywhere at all hours. So staying mobile during the drafting process was vital. I worked mostly on my iPad, moving to the big screen for final touches.

A screen for every occasion!

Adobe Fresco for the win

I use a variety of drawing programs, but when pressed for time while working on a print project, I have to choose the option that streamlines my process. I chose Adobe Fresco on the iPad because it transitions seamlessly to Photoshop, and I gotta check those CMYK values before sending off my files.

A spread from Beyond the Map’s Edge with one of my full-page illustrations.

The book was designed beautifully by Jason Arias.

Disclaimer: I do NOT know where the treasure is hidden! I didn’t place clues in the illustrations. Please don’t send me messages about easter eggs or conspiracy theories.

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Stroopwafel Express in The New York Times

Speaking of golden treasures, my latest comic in The New York Times is online now! Watch for the print version in the paper in the next couple of weeks. I’ll be following up with a post next month about what I’ve learned through the past three years of publishing with the Times.