5 replies to this topic

[Schley]

Hi folks,
It's been a while since I've posted anything new here so I thought I'd show off some route maps created recently for a guide to the Wonderland Trail by Mountaineers Books.

These four include the primary overview map as well as three sectional route maps. A total of 15 trail maps, 2 elevation graphics, and a scale bar were created for the project of which these are a sample.

I usually create fictional maps for fantasy book and game publishers. Since this is my first foray into real-world cartography, I'd love to hear what you guys think.

Cheers!
Mike

Attached Files

•  WonderlandTrail_Overview_sm.jpg   243.77K   156 downloads
•  WonderlandTrail_DevilsDream_sm.jpg   249.33K   92 downloads
•  WonderlandTrail_NorthernLoop_sm.jpg   250.54K   90 downloads
•  WonderlandTrail_EastSideLoop_sm.jpg   248.39K   52 downloads

[razornole]

Hello Mike,

These are unique. Do you have a legend. Tough to tell what is going on.

Have these been sent to press?

kru

[Schley]

Hello Mike,

These are unique. Do you have a legend. Tough to tell what is going on.

Have these been sent to press?

kru

Hi razornole,
The Wonderland Trail by Tami Asers will be out later this year from The Mountaineers Books, so check your local book/gear shop.

Here's the map key-

Attached Files

•  WL_MapKey_EditedFinal_sm.jpg   85.87K   63 downloads

[Gretchen Peterson]

I really wanted to like the shading/shadows that you've put in there, along with the little maroon squiggles that run alongside them. However, I kept thinking about this from the perspective of someone who wanted to glean information about the trail, at a glance, and how those shadows kept getting in the way of that.

What is the 1/N label tucked in between "BAKER" and "SNOQUALMIE" out of curiosity?

The rendering of the bits of snow breaking up as you near the base is pretty great. I like the icons, crisp and clean. As is everything else. Also, I noticed that you didn't use initial caps on the legend key items. I love that! It is so refreshing to see words that are in all lower-case in map legends. It is calming.

So, if I were to quibble, that top point would be it. Otherwise excellent craftsmanship as usual! (Also, I'm proud to say that I know how to pronounce Puyallup, having lived near there not so long ago.)

[David Medeiros]

I had a similar reaction as Gretchen to the shading. I really like the graphic look of it, and while I can make out the terrain implications of the shading polygons, I'm not sure a less experienced map reader will. Even if they intellectually know that these represent terrain in some way it might not visually translate due to the level of abstraction.

That said I think these are pretty good looking maps. Nice and clean, good style for print publication. My only gripe would be that all of your labels are pretty close to each other in style and size regardless of feature type. I might try some lighter shades for less important geographic feature labels and maybe color some of the labels per their feature (eg, blue for river and lake type).

Looks good!

[DaveB]

I had similar reactions as Gretchen and David. Nice and clean overall. Not crazy about the block shading. Seems a bit too abstract to be helpful in reading the terrain and at the same time adds complexity to the map.
I'm also not crazy about orange-ish colors on white (or other light background color), like your trail symbols. But maybe that's just me.