Why this Melbourne man has drawn a massive freehand map of North America

Some people read.

Some people follow the horses.

Some garden.

Melbourne man Anton Thomas (pictured above)? He used his spare time to draw a massive freehand map of North America.

Using a pen and 24 coloured pencils, it took him four years and nine months to draw the 20ft print, which features illustrations of prominent features amid the detailed landscape.

All photos courtesy of Anton Thomas

Why?

Anton, now a full-time cartographer, told Kate and Quarters on 3AW Breakfast it started as a “passion project” while working at a Melbourne school.

“I had a flair for drawing maps ever since I was a little kid,” he said, contributing his love of landscape to his upbringing in New Zealand.

“I was doing this in the night time and weekends and the holidays until about two years ago when I was able to branch out and do my cartography full-time.”

He has always been fascinated by the US, backpacking around the continent when he first left home.

He now tours the map, including in the US.

Click PLAY to hear his full chat with Kate and Quarters

• Click HERE to go to Anton’s site and see more photos