Maps

One of my favorite forms of drawings is maps. When most people think of maps you think of a road map on how to get places, but what if you thought of maps in a different context. If you Wikipedia maps this comes up.

"A map is a visual representation of an area-a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes."

When I think of maps I think of symbolic ways of describing things. I love the ideas and possibility's of the idea of maps. One of my favorite maps is a map about Points, Line and Plane created by Ryan Gladhill. Its published in "Graphic Design The New Basics" and when I saw it, it immediately became my favorite map drawing. "The drawing is inspired by maps of population density, this digital drawing uses lines to describe shapes and volumes as well as to form dense splotches of texture The drawing originates from the center with a series of hexagons. As the hexagons migrate to the left, they become more open. as they migrate to the right they erode, becoming soft and organic."

For some you might still not get the idea of maps as a creative way of displaying and diagramming something so for a better understanding of this piece I have included the text from "Graphic Design The New Basics" on Point, Line, and Plane to better grasp the idea.

Point, line, and plane are the building blocks of design. From these elements, designers create images, icons, textures, patterns, diagrams, animations, and typographic systems.

Point A point marks a position in space. In pure geometric terms, a point is a pair of x, y coordinates. It has no mass at all. Graphically, however, a point takes form as a dot, a visible mark. A point can be an insignificant fleck of matter or a concentrated locus of power. It can penetrate like a bullet, pierce like a nail, or pucker like a kiss. A mass of points becomes texture, shape, or plane. Tiny points of varying size create shades of gray.

Line A line is an infinite series of points. Understood geometrically, a line has length, but no breadth. A line is the connection between two points, or it is the path of a moving point. A line can be a positive mark or a negative gap. Lines appear at the edges of objects and where two planes meet. Graphically, lines exist in many weights; the thickness and texture as well as the path of the mark determine its visual presence. Lines are drawn with a pen, pencil, brush, mouse, or digital code. They can be straight or curved, continuous or broken. When a line reaches a certain thickness, it becomes a plane. Lines multiply to describe volumes, planes, and textures.

Plane A plane is a flat surface exten– ding in height and width. A plane is the path of a moving line; it is a line with breadth. A line closes to become a shape, a bounded plane. Shapes are planes with edges. In vector–based software, every shape consists of line and fill. A plane can be parallel to the picture surface, or it can skew and recede into space. Ceilings, walls,floors, and windows are physical planes. A plane can be solid or perforated, opaque or transparent, textured or smooth.

Below are some of my favorite examples of maps. They are diagrammatic, Typographical, and many others, but most of all they are fun and exciting to look at. They also make you think and are not just right to the point.