Mind the Map ─ Illustrated Maps and Cartography

Whether sketched on a napkin or generated
from complex data, maps are a fascinating
expression of contemporary visual
culture. Their styles may range from simple
to intricate, focused to comprehensive,
and restrained to vivid, but all maps unlock
the world and make it more accessible. In
our age of omnipresent satellite navigation
systems, personal interpretations of our
surroundings are gaining in importance.
Today, the craftsmanship of cartographers
and the distinct visuals of map illustrators
are increasingly valued by both professional
designers and a growing community
of those passionate about maps.
Mind the Map features a stunning selection
of outstanding contemporary maps
that help us find our way around. The book
shows how editors, agencies, travel operators,
and relocation services are using them
to communicate what makes a region special,
to put a specific location into context,
to create moods, or to tell stories. Some
maps help us to orient ourselves in a foreign
country or an unfamiliar city, while others
make pathways clear and logical that might
otherwise seem confusing.
In our age of visual storytelling, cartography
has become more prevalent and innovative.
Maps can be illustrated by hand for
magazine stories or display in the home or
customized for screens of mobile devices
that can guide us on urban safaris or isolated
hikes. Mind the Map is a showcase that
reflects the broad range of work now being
created by a new generation of mapmakers
from around the world including classically
legible maps, artistic experiments, editorial
illustrations, city views, vacation guides,
and global overviews.
Mind the Map provides new perspectives
on the world in map form. The book offers
surprising and inspiring bird's eye views
into places that we thought we knew and
unexpected access into unfamiliar terrain.
Its texts guide the reader yet allow enough
room for personal discovery. Together the
visual examples and written information
make for a book full of fascinating journeys
that readers will want to take again
and again.