It's time for another survey! Apparently instead of making random maps in my spare time, my new current hobby is asking questions of my colleagues. As you may know, I'm keen to make the money side of freelancing more transparent. Toward that end, Aly Ollivierre and I are collaborating on an anonymous survey of freelancers, asking … Continue reading Another Survey!
Cartographers’ Preferred Typefaces
“What typeface should I choose for my map?” It’s a question that cartographers of all skill levels get stuck on, from time to time. Sometimes it’s just a matter of browsing around until you stumble upon the right one, one that looks right to you, in the specific context. And sometimes having a list of inspirations … Continue reading Cartographers’ Preferred Typefaces
An Informal Survey on Typefaces
Today, while one colleague was discussing her thoughts about choosing the right typeface for her maps, I began to wonder: "what sorts of typefaces are cartographically popular?" I have ones that I like to use all the time (mostly Adobe Caslon, Gill Sans, and Mostra Nuova), but many of you do, too. I think it … Continue reading An Informal Survey on Typefaces
An Uncomfortable Request
So, I'm going to try doing something new this year; something that makes me uncomfortable. I'm going to put donation buttons on my tutorials and other parts of this site. Technically, there are already fairly-well-hidden ones on my river maps, but people usually don't notice those. One of the things I value most about the … Continue reading An Uncomfortable Request
Renaming Michigan
This weekend, on a whim, I pursued a little side project that had been kicking around in my head for a while. Perhaps you've seen Marty Elmer's very fine Laconic History of the World, in which each country is represented by the most common word from the Wikipedia article on its history. It's pretty fun, … Continue reading Renaming Michigan
A Collection of Round Islands
Several months ago I happened upon an island in Alaska called "Round Island." I'd heard of other Round Islands elsewhere in the US, and I began to wonder just how many there were, and exactly how round they were. So, I decided to assemble them into a poster, for better appreciation of their numerousness and … Continue reading A Collection of Round Islands
Creating Shaded Relief in Blender
Welcome! This is the long-awaited text version of my Blender relief tutorial, following on the video series I did a few years back. If you've already seen the videos and are returning for a refresher, note that I use a somewhat different method now, so don't be surprised if you encounter unfamiliar settings. This tutorial will … Continue reading Creating Shaded Relief in Blender
The Colors of Mars
I can't quite remember why I started, but for the past several weeks I've been thinking on and off about hypsometric tinting schemes for the planet Mars. There are a wide variety of elevation coloring schemes that exist for the Earth; I won't get into details here, but most of them start with some sort … Continue reading The Colors of Mars
A Cartographer’s Story
In the years since I wrote On Salvation, I have received a number of comments about how it's resonated with other people in the field (and without). I've long felt we, as a community, need to hear more stories like this. In any creative field, including cartography, there's a lot of emotional investment in the … Continue reading A Cartographer’s Story
Financial Transparency
Note: This post has been updated to reflect my situation at the conclusion of 2017. As a freelancer, I often wonder how I am doing financially as compared to my colleagues. Not out of a sense of competition, but just to answer the persistent question: is this normal? Am I earning a "typical" living? Do I … Continue reading Financial Transparency
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