World Cup 2018 Football Atlas: Artist combines his love of maps with football, producing stunning sketches of Kane, Neymar and Suarez
US artist Michael Raisch's multimedia project features the world's best players drawn on top of the countries they represent just in time for the World Cup
THIS isn't sketchy at all.
US artist Michael Raisch loves maps and football, so he thought he would combine the two to produce the stunning multimedia project, The Football Atlas.
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A series of sketches of the world's top players drawn on their respective country's maps, it's one of the most colourful things we've seen so far during the World Cup.
"In spirit of the World Cup there is collective excitement to tap into, it’s this shared global experience that takes it a whole other level," Raisch told SunSport for his reasons behind creating the project.
"As a illustrator and content creator - that feeling, that energy, that collective passion for the sport is something huge to draw from and be inspired by.
"With that stage set, with the biggest footballing nations of world, the diversity of cultures of world combined with these football heroes as national icons.
"Well, right there you have great opportunity for an illustrated series."
Raisch admitted he got a particular kick out of drawing Liverpool stars Mo Salah and Sadio Mane because of their striking features.
"Sadio Mané had these really intense eyes and until it hit that- it didn’t really resemble him," he said.
"But sketching Mo Salah’s hair and beard was just frankly fun. They were my favourites so far."
The quirky designer's Instagram account has been flooded by positive messages liking his work.
Even Jesse Lingard loved one image on Instagram, while Luis Suarez's brother Paolo clicked 'like' on his siblings sketch too.
"I feel it’s all supported by the passion people already have for football, and for their nations. The illustrated maps really captures that," he said.
And does Raisch see The Football Atlas going beyond the World Cup?
"I could see some really interesting ways to bring The Football Atlas over to the big Premier League matches of year," he revealed.
"How cool would a derby illustration be for Man Utd and Man City over a Manchester map?"
The answer to that is simple. Very.
To see more of Michael's work, and see his art for yourself.