About the Artist

The Illustrator

Chris Robitaille

Chris was born in Toronto, Canada, and graduated from the Ontario College of Art, where he received the Will Davies Award for Excellence in Illustration.

Early in his career, Chris worked as a storyboard artist in Toronto — training that sharpened his focus on confident drawing and strong composition.

In the early 1990s, he moved to Kenya and shifted his attention to landscape and wildlife oil painting. Inspired by the natural world around him, his output expanded dramatically. Chris has held dozens of solo exhibitions, and his work appears in corporate and private collections worldwide.

Since 2007, Chris, his wife Vanessa (“Ness”), and their children Max and Becca have lived across the globe — Suzhou (China), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Bangkok (Thailand), and most recently Doha (Qatar) — following Ness’s career in international education. Xplorer Maps continues alongside those family adventures, with regular visits back home to Toronto and Montana.

Process

How Are Hand-Drawn Maps Created?

Each Xplorer Maps design is meticulously illustrated by Chris, beginning with detailed pen-and-ink linework and built out through multiple layers of watercolor washes.

Depending on complexity, each map takes 5 to 8 weeks to complete — making every finished piece a true work of art.

What makes it different

The Xplorer Maps Difference

100% unique art. A lot of “map art” starts as stock or open-source imagery with a logo or small overlay, then gets marketed as “original.”

Xplorer Maps is different. Every line, letter, and image is rendered entirely by hand — original to each new map we create. The result is truly one-of-a-kind.

The End Result: An entirely unique and original piece of art — fully vetted for educational merit, historical and geographic accuracy, and cultural relevance.

Quality

Materials

All Xplorer Maps lithographic maps are printed on heavy-duty, 80 lb. cover stock using only soy-based inks and 50% post-consumer product.

The medium for Giclée prints is 100% cotton, MUSEO MAX, heavy rag with absolutely no optical brighteners. These giclée prints represent the finest original artwork reproduction in the industry and may appreciate in value approximately 5% annually for a true investment in art.

Every print is shipped in our unique and distinct “illustrated tube” that’s safe for shipping and travel — designed to fit standard carry-on luggage.

Fine Art Paintings

Explore Chris’ Fine Art Work

Learn more about Chris’ original oil paintings and purchase original artwork or fine art giclée prints.