"Geography and our identification with it, give us a sense of place."

Maps are challenging information design challenges containing many layers of spatial information melded together into a flat, 2D document. Our philosophy is to use every design tool available to present geographic information as clearly and elegantly as possible.

Since the early 2000's, we have evolved a unique and compelling shaded relief map style which has proven popular with hikers, mountain bikers, runners, and even other map-makers. This style has been progressively refined as a result of feedback from map users. Art of Geography maps were the official map at a number of California State Parks.

Process

Similar to the discovery phase of a website project, the first step is understanding who the audience for the map will be. If it will be a hardcopy map, then the print size is going to have a huge impact on downstream choices. Depending on the scale of the map, a projection may need to be chosen based on the map goals and audience.

If the end product is a paper map, mockups are made to show how the folded map might look. Not every printer can handle every fold option, so getting the printer locked in will help with the fold options.

For most of our map projects, we use a variety of GIS tools to compile a complete geospatial dataset for the area being mapped, usually including data from field observations. Recently QGIS has been the GIS tool of choice, but we've used Cartographica and GlobalMapper.

Then once the GIS data is complete, it is exported so the final map can be designed and refined in Adobe Illustrator. Inevitably a number of proof and review cycles occur so that the map can be tested by real people. When the map is ready, it is imported into InDesign so the complete brochure can be laid out.

Then once the GIS data is complete, it is exported so the final map can be designed and refined in Adobe Illustrator. Inevitably a number of review cycles occur so that the map can be tested by real people. Then it is time for submitting to the printer and reviewing their proof prints.

Highlights of Art of Geography cartographic projects

• Walk There maps -- a collaborative effort with Matthew Hampton @oregonmetro. This popular guidebook contains 50 walks, each with a map. "Walk There! maps won the highest honor in the July 2009, Environmental Science Research Institute (ESRI) International User Conference. This is the world's largest event dedicated to geographic information system (GIS) technology. The maps took first place in this particular category and later went on to win best overall, beating out all other first-place finishers and prevailing over 2,000 entries."
• Three giant wall maps for an athletic club: one shows all the trails, parks, and recreational opportunities surrounding San Francisco; while the other two are 27 foot wide wall maps showing all the trails, parks and recreational opportunities in the south San Francisco Bay region.
• A 12 foot wide translucent street map of San Francisco showing attractions & landmarks, mounted in glass in the lobby of a major San Francisco hotel. A road map of Mexico and the border areas of adjoining US States.
• Official park maps for Big Basin Redwoods State Park, The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, Castle Rock State Park, Portola Redwoods State Park, Wilder Ranch State Park, and Henry Cowell State Park.

Maps remind us of where we’ve been and where we’d still like to go.