A map is already a collection of marks, but deciding which ones to draw is a design problem. Plotcaster’s map-art tool works with streets, waterways, railways and elevation contours, arranging them as separate SVG layers for a plotter. Its option to draw major roads with parallel lines is a simple way to suggest weight with a single pen.
For someone exploring terrain, the interesting question is how much geographic information a sheet of paper can hold before the drawing becomes too dense. Scale, contour interval and pen choice all change the answer. Plotcaster also offers a ridgeline approach to elevation, making it a useful counterpoint to CDW’s rotational terrain studies.
Explore Plotcaster’s map-art guide.
For maps using OpenStreetMap data, the source attribution and licence matter: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Open Database Licence.
Featured image: screenshot of Plotcaster’s map examples, including the Yr Wyddfa ridgeline study. © Click Clack Labs. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors; elevation context: Mapzen Terrain Tiles.
