Free Online Access: Explore the History of Cartography

Delve into 'The History of Cartography' - the most detailed and ambitious overview of map-making available for free online.

Are you sick of how brainwashed "normies" never seem to accept as true that the earth is "whatever shape" you tell them it is shaped as? It's your lucky day! You will probably be able to find a map through the registered ages and cultures that fits your believes in this encyclopedic online collection. Giving you justification to endlessly rant to strangers about it in public.

This overview could also give you ideas for your next fantasy book. Did you know, for example, that in the traditional cartography of Papua New Guinea they represented the migration path certain lineages took with a knotted cord? What would it represent, in your story, if the chief of the tribe started jumping rope with that map/cord?

Introduction

In 1987 the worldwide web did not exist. Now the online availability of material can be overwhelming, but when talking about maps, this might not be the case necessarily. The first volume of the History of Cartography now online thanks to the University of Chicago Press and edited by J. B. Harley and David Woodward was published in 1987 and the three books that constitute Volume Two appeared over the following eleven years.

Volume One is a full summary of the cartography in prehistoric, ancient, and medieval Europe and the mediterranean. Meanwhile Volume Two covers cartography from the traditional islamic and (south, east and southeast) asian societies. All the other four volumes that are also online, cover the Renaissance, European Enlightenment, Cartography in the Traditional African, American, Arctic, Australian, and Pacific Societies, Cartography in the Nineteenth Century and so on... You will never get lost again, I promise you!

They don't cover the cartography of the future, but they could. It's easy to make up stuff... What if I made up the previous Papua New Guinea anecdote? You could only know by clicking here and checking it out for yourselves!

Creative Gameplay Maps

I know you might be trying to use this opportunity to inspire your artistic endeavors. Always looking for new ideas? that is the insatiable mind of the "artistic entrepreneur"! I will also give you the guidance and tools to put your new knowledge into practice. A Domestika course on fantasy world illustration by Andrew Kolb (@kolbisneat), an illustrator, author, and game designer from Ontario, Canada.

In this online course, Andrew takes you step-by-step through the magical world of fantasy mapmaking. He shares his passion for the trade, guides you as you make decisions about your world, and explains how to use the digital tools you'll need to master all these skills.

And for anyone who thinks this is just for "nerds" to indulge in... You might be right, but if you found your way to this article... you are probably one of them, too...

The Essence of a City

Stef Maden (@stefmaden) is behind this cute and resourceful journey of illustrated maps and iconic places. We will use manual techniques and digital collage to achieve our unique look... Well, sorry. I already counted you in. I assumed you were down to do the course with me when I haven't even given you the link... Silly me! Here is the Domestika course on illustrated map creation.

Stef is a designer and illustrator currently working in England. She has worked in the Greeting's Card industry as an in-house designer and illustrator, as well as pursuing personal projects including selling her artwork online. This includes a variety of illustrated maps of her favorite places. She gathers her inspiration through her love of pop culture and trends, travel, food and her British sense of "humour".

Did you ever think of making a touristic map of Papua New Guinea? Me neither! And London? A paid visit should be part of the deal, but only if I'm granted a personal bodyguard willing to take all the stabs and acid attacks for me... Anyway, even if that is arguably part of "London's essence" unfortunately, and maybe a touch of the British "humour" I love, I don't think it's a great selling point for tourists to see crime representation in their maps... But who knows? Tourists are thrill seekers at their core...

Isometric Vibrancy

Do you like medieval maps where buildings are the same size whether they are far or near? Me too, and don't think they did it because they didn't know better. A supported theory states that medieval cartographers knew of Jess Wilson's work back then. Yes, Domestika has been here since the dawn of time!

Jess Wilson (@jswilson1984) graduated in 2006 (Times flies! The Middle Ages felt like it was yesterday...) and has been living and working in London ever since. Graduating from university with a 1st degree honours in Graphic design.

In this Domestika course on Isometric Map Illustration, Jess shares how to bring a city to life through illustration. Explore the tools you need to not only draw a place which is close to your heart, but to capture its personality and atmosphere in map-form through intricate shapes and energetic brush strokes.

With all this information, you are bound to make a new cartography style of your own! But you might discover too much at once. And the latest studies find learning to be unhealthy in the long run. A direct cause of death is learning, actually…!

But in Domestika we've always gone against the grain. We rather live young and die fast (or whatever the saying was… I, understandably, don't have time to look it up)! Are you one of us, yet?

- Creative Gameplay Maps
- The Essence of a City
- Isometric Vibrancy