Your handmade map Friday open thread

by liberal japonicus

Dr. Science wrote earlier about Google maps and I've always loved maps. So I thought that this was pretty cool:

American mapmaking’s most prestigious honor is the “Best of Show” award at the annual competition of the Cartography and Geographic Information Society. The five most recent winners were all maps designed by large, well-known institutions: National Geographic (three times), the Central Intelligence Agency Cartography Center, and the U.S. Census Bureau. But earlier this year, the 38^th annual Best of Show award went to a map created by Imus Geographics—which is basically one dude named David Imus working in a farmhouse outside Eugene, Ore.

The article makes it sound like an extraordinary piece of work and I'm hoping to order some for my students. You can order a copy of the map here. 

But to expand it a bit, the article says this 'This is an example of heartfelt, artisanal cartography coming from a pro at the top of his game.' What does 'artisanal cartography' sound so cool?

It may sound strange, but I have always envied people who could find something they really really wanted to do and then were able to devote all their attention to it. I have always been what Japanese term as a 'three day monk' (三日坊主) In other words, someone who tries something and then gets bored at it (though some say the proverb is about people who don't like hard work. That fits too...) I would like to think that it is that I have just not found that thing that would capture my undivided attention, but I suspect that there is nothing like that. I flit from hobby to hobby, and always find the grass a nicer shade of green when I'm not standing on it. I've masked it a bit by moving to related things rather than starting things from scratch, but that's just a ruse. 

So an open thread for maps and your heart's desire.

 

Comments

[Ugh]

I've always wanted to be a blogger but have found the barriers to entry to be too high.

[hairshirthedonist]

I would like to think that it is that I have just not found that thing that would capture my undivided attention, but I suspect that there is nothing like that.

lj, you've always struck me as the kind of guy who would have a passion for rogue taxidermy. And Lord knows the world needs more jackalopes.

[byomtov]

"Three day monk."

Wonderful phrase.

[wj]

I've got several long-term interests. But I am definitely a "three day monk" for an enormous number of others. And I think that's actually a good thing.

It never hurts, in my experience, to have at least a little familiarity with a large number of subjects. At worst, it means that you can find some common ground with a new acquaintance. At best, you discover a new long-term interest, or a place where something from one subject can be applied to another.

The world needs more generalists.

[CCDG]

With the advent of the internet, I increasingly find my imagination captured by things that I quickly find others have done really well.

I suspect it limits my motivation to pursue certain hobbies/businesses.

[hairshirthedonist]

"Three day monk."

Wonderful phrase.

I like it, too. It makes me think of beer.

[Aardvark Cheeselog]

> What does 'artisanal cartography' sound so cool?

Actually the Slate article makes it sound brutally tedious. Slaving over label placement and kerning? No thanks.

[liberal japonicus]

Just dropping in. Rogue taxidermy! Wait till my wife finds out! I will direct her to hairshirthedonist.

I guess part of it is that my dad had his workshop where he did everything, with lots of tools and stuff, and that was neat. Saying 'I need to do X' and then reaching down to get just the right tool was a huge childhood influence.

[Hartmut]

Agree about the three day monkery. My problem too.
But a number of subjects fall just dormant and may come back at intervals. Creative dispomania, so to speak (no alcohol involved).

[Tom Allen]

"Three day monk." That's me. Or rather, I'm more of a three-day monkey. :-P

[Laura Koerbeer]

I'm an artist. I told once by a gallery owner that in order to be taken serioulsy as an artist I had to keep it secret that I work in several media and have several bodies of work. The notion is, I guess, that na artist wh does more than one thig is a dilletante. Unless the artist is Totally Famous like Picasso.

I have th opposite view. I think that if someone is doing the same thing over and over and over that, at some point, it stops being an act of creation and becomes a job. Boring!

[byomtov]

Laura,

Maybe you should stick to monochrome, while you're at it.

[skippy]

where does a three-day monk get his suits?

[byomtov]

Wherever suits him.

[Hartmut]

I thought it was the main point that he won't go into the habit.