Hand-Drawn Maps of London: Rivers

As an avid fisherman and a member of the Arding and Hobbs Angling Club, John Richardson spent many hours among the rivers and tributaries of London in the seventies. He has now translated this experience into a series of fifteen linocut illustrations printed on a Victorian Albion Press, which have been published by Caught by the River to accompany their “words on water”. The rough ideas can be seen in the original sketchbook form on the Caught by the River website.

John explains his process as being “more illustrations with a different view on a ‘map’; the Wandle image is all about the rebirth of the river and the richness running through suburban South East London, just at the end of peoples gardens and allotments. The map is a piece of graffiti chalked on the back garden door.”

His breadth of inspiration is broad, with hints of William Morris inspiring the forms surrounding the fisherman’s line which follows the route of the Upper Thames. Another piece shows a night time route as the cracks thrown up in the road surface, as it weaves its way through the East End – through Docklands, Millwall and Cubitt’s Town – where his children now live. As John points out, “Strange how your past is also your future.”

More of John’s work can be seen on his website; www.thetwoterrierspress.com

More maps needed! However weak or strong your artistic skills, we want to see your take on a local London area. Be as inventive as you like – maps can cover any part of the capital, from the whole city right down to one street. Please send images to tips@londonist.com.

Previously: Borough of Southwark, Brixton as a tree, Central London, Hampstead Heath, Central London with no street names, Driver’s Mind Map, Fleet Valley, London as a grid, King’s Cross and Islington, Mayfair, Mayfair Squares, New Cross, Notting Hill, Pimlico, Stoke Newington.

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