Cartographic design is all about drawing. Before I begin something new, I always start by reflecting on the essentials. I like to dissect and think about the most basic elements. What’s in my toolbox? What are my ingredients? Let’s think about lines. What can lines describe?

 

 

A line can describe a route - from point A to point B

 

 

A line can describe a shape or a form, such as a coastline

open the map, and take a look at the code that makes it work

 

 

A line can describe a ground feature such as these airport runways at SFO

In this case it’s a drawing but, now also a symbol, like a signature or calligraphic writing. Fascinating!

map | code

 

 

With contour lines we can give forms dimension

image from Thematic Mapping - link

 

 

Here’s a drawing technique I learned at NACIS, called Illuminated or Shadowed Contours, or otherwise called “Tanaka Contours”

James Eynard gave a detailed talk about this drawing technique in Minneapolis at NACIS this year, Evaluating the Effectiveness of Illuminated and Shadowed Contour Lines - link. This technique was developed by Tanaka Kitiro in 1950 - link.

 

 

Here are a variety of railroad lines by cartographer Erwin Raisz

 

 

Lines can also describe a structure such as a grid

Check out these grids!

map | code

 

 

Lines can form into polygons such as these building footprints

Forbidden City, Beijing

map | code

 

 

Apply a grid to a building facade and it becomes a surface

Columbus Circle, Manhattan

map | code

 

 

Repetition! The tool I love most! Repeat a line and we have stripes!

Brasília

map | code

 

 

Change the rhythm and we have a gradient

Lower Manhattan

map | code

 

 

Stripes can become texture when applied to lines, such as these diagonal stripes on a coastline

Stockholm Coastline Area

map | code

 

 

Or apply these repeated wave lines to an area and you can create a water texture

Southeast Asia

map | code

 

 

I use some of these drawing techniques in one of our featured styles called Refill. Refill is a continuation of the Toner style I started at Stamen. Think of Refill as a more detailed Toner, an elaboration with the GL capabilities of Tangram. With Tangram I’m able to explore more detailed line work, patterns and building extrusions. Below are some highlights of line-work from the Refill Style along with some isolated examples of drawing techniques I talked about above.

San Francisco in Refill

map | code

 

 

YYJ Victoria, British Columbia

map | code

 

 

HND Tokyo in Refill

map | code

 

 

Airport Runways Looking Like Symbols around London

map | code

 

 

Shinjuku West

map | code

 

 

Stockholm Coastline Views in Refill

map | code

 

 

Rome in Stripes!

map | code

 

 

Building extrusions in Singapore

map | code

 

 

 

I’ll conclude this with some gorgeous examples of beautiful line-work for your inspiration.

 

Jorinde Voigt

 

Massimo Vignelli

 

Daniel Libeskind

 

Julie Mehretu

Go and explore what you can do with lines!

Read the Tangram Documentation for more details. Let us know if you have any questions!