{"id":250404,"date":"2024-09-25T09:19:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T08:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/?p=250404"},"modified":"2026-10-07T16:58:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T15:58:42","slug":"science-fiction-map-la-ciutat-del-cel-porcs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/science-fiction-map-la-ciutat-del-cel-porcs\/","title":{"rendered":"Science fiction map for La ciutat del Cel. Porcs by Jordi de Manuel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you ever imagined an orbital city inhabited by robots, with unknown jungles and desert regions floating above a planet? That is the world I had to draw in this <strong>science fiction map<\/strong> for <em>La ciutat del Cel. Porcs<\/em>, the new novel by Jordi de Manuel published in Catalan by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jollibre.com\/libro\/la-ciutat-del-cel.-porcs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jollibre<\/a>, an imprint of Santillana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Science fiction map<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#how-the-commission-started\">How the commission started<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-orbital-structure-at-a-glance\">The orbital structure at a glance<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#details-that-tell-stories\">Details that tell stories<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#about-the-novel\">About the novel<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#my-process-as-a-map-illustrator\">My process as a map illustrator<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-makes-this-science-fiction-map-special\">What makes this science fiction map special<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#do-you-need-a-map-for-your-science-fiction-novel\">Do you need a map for your science fiction novel?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-the-commission-started\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How the commission started<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The publisher contacted me while preparing the second book in the series that began with <em>El m\u00f3n fosc. Talps<\/em>. They wanted a double map to guide readers through the new adventure: a general view and a more detailed one, both set on a huge orbital structure above the planet Gaia. They sent very clear references and, to my surprise, one of them was a map of mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their brief was simple: readers should be able to get lost in the orbital rings, recognise the farming areas, the deserts and the wild habitats, and even find the city where the great mysteries of the past took place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"the-orbital-structure-at-a-glance\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The orbital structure at a glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"667\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ilustracion-de-mapa-para-La-ciutat-del-Cel-Porcs-Pablo-Uria-Ilustrador-667x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Science fiction map of the orbital rings above Gaia for La ciutat del Cel. Porcs by Jordi de Manuel, illustrated by Pablo Ur\u00eda\" class=\"wp-image-248467\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The orbital structure circles Gaia about 400 km above the surface and is made of crossing rings where biomes and human architecture blend together. The key was to convey that monumental scale without losing clarity, so I worked with clean lines, strong black and white contrast and details that invite readers to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"details-that-tell-stories\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Details that tell stories<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"667\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Detalle-Ilustracion-de-mapa-para-La-ciutat-del-Cel-Porcs-Pablo-Uria-Ilustrador-667x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Detail of the science fiction map for La ciutat del Cel. Porcs with jungles, farms and the Sky City\" class=\"wp-image-248466\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second map zooms in. Each ring has its own function:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Selva d\u2019Orjan<\/strong>, a jungle where strange species grow.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Camps de tr\u00edfids<\/strong>, fields of triffids, a nod to John Wyndham\u2019s classic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Northern and southern farms<\/strong> that supply food to the station.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Desert and steppe strips<\/strong> that mark out unexplored regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>La Ciutat del Cel<\/strong>, the Sky City, where everything seems about to be revealed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every label is integrated into the drawing and follows the typographic design of the first novel, so both books feel like part of the same series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"203\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Cubierta-de-la-novela-La-ciutat-del-Cel.-Porcs-203x300.png\" alt=\"Cover of La ciutat del Cel. Porcs by Jordi de Manuel, Jollibre (Santillana)\" class=\"wp-image-248468\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"about-the-novel\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the novel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One hundred days after arriving from the depths of the planet, a group of young people get the chance to travel to the Sky City, an orbiting structure believed to be ruled by robots. Edgar Grim is convinced he will find his mother there. The station\u2019s rings hide jungles, deserts, farms and a forgotten city, but also secrets nobody can imagine. It is the continuation of Jordi de Manuel\u2019s <em>El m\u00f3n fosc<\/em> universe, a young adult science fiction saga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"my-process-as-a-map-illustrator\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">My process as a map illustrator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My job is not only to represent places but to amplify the story. I read the key passages, test scale and contrast with pencil sketches, and then move on to digital inking, where every line counts. This map took about two weeks between sketches, layout tests and final inking, with continuous reviews with the publisher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Jollibre and Santillana team was especially clear and collaborative. From the first sketch to the final delivery we worked side by side so the map would be a narrative piece, not just decoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-makes-this-science-fiction-map-special\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What makes this science fiction map special<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Clear visual storytelling:<\/strong> each area is designed so readers know where they are without long explanations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Graphic consistency<\/strong> with the map of the previous novel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Science fiction and biogeography<\/strong> combined, from the triffids to the steel tower.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>An invitation to explore<\/strong> the details again and again while reading.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"do-you-need-a-map-for-your-science-fiction-novel\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do you need a map for your science fiction novel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Science fiction worlds are often harder to map than fantasy ones: space stations, rings, planets and invented technologies need a clear visual logic. You can see more examples on my <a href=\"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/science-fiction-illustration\/\">science fiction illustration<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/map-illustration\/\">map illustration<\/a> pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are writing a science fiction or fantasy novel and need a map, <a href=\"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/contact\/\">get in touch and tell me about your world<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever imagined an orbital city inhabited by robots, with unknown jungles and desert regions floating above a planet? That is the world I had to draw in this science fiction map for La ciutat del Cel. Porcs, the new novel by Jordi de Manuel published in Catalan by Jollibre, an imprint of Santillana. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":249944,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[396],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-250404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-illustrated-maps"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250404"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":250407,"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250404\/revisions\/250407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/249944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=250404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pablouria.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}