After 2003’s Metro Maps of the World and 2015’s Transit Maps of the World (our review here), this is Mark Ovenden’s third offering on the subject of global transit maps and diagrams. The question to be asked, then, is simply – is a new book on the same subject worth it?
I’ve been sworn to absolute secrecy on this project since mid-January, so I’m very excited to finally share it. Early today, Field Notes (the purveyor of beautiful memo and note books) released their latest quarterly limited edition, “Mile Marker,” with cover designs celebrating the Interstate Highway system. Included with subscriptions – and available for separate purchase on the Field Notes website – is an old-school foldable highway map, designed by me in collaboration with the […]
If you follow me on Twitter, then you know I’ve been working on this project for a while now, but I think the time has finally come to share the final product. (Click on the image to view it larger). Prints of this map are available in my online store, starting at just $38 plus shipping for a 24″ wide by 32″ print. Click here to get one! This map is an evolution of one […]
Here’s a new “map” that I’ve designed – a cartogram of State Route or State Highway shields for each U.S. state, plus the District of Columbia. Each shield is numbered in the order that each state joined the Union, so Delaware is “1″, Pennsylvania is “2″ and so on… all the way up to D.C, which is cheekily represented with a “51?”, referencing the ongoing statehood debate there. I originally put this together as a quick Twitter post, as […]
Now that I’ve acquired my own large format inkjet printer, I’m printing and fulfilling all orders from my print store myself. This means it’s much easier for me to produce many of my maps in larger, made-to-order sizes for those who want them. All of my original maps are created in Adobe Illustrator, so they can scale up to any size as required. In addition, many of my restored vintage maps have excellent image resolution […]
Today’s installment of “Shut Up and Take My Money” showcases these simply stunning printed circuit board iPhone cases that represent the rail network of Tokyo by Japanese company MOECO. From their website (via Google Translate): I drew a railroad line in Tokyo with the wiring pattern of printed circuit board. Designed with board CAD, electronic components are mounted on board. Genuine board, genuine electronic parts. The pattern is gold-plated. A 3.2 mm red LED at […]
A selection of great books at least tangentially related to transit maps and transit design. A note: some of the links below are Amazon Affiliate links – if you make a purchase after following one of these links, I make a small commission on the sale. An easy way to help support the site! Johnson and Gill: Very British Types by Mark Ovenden. A intertwined history of two of the most recognisable British wayfinding typefaces: […]
Maps: it’s why we’re all here, isn’t it? Here’s a selection of some great map posters to get up on your wall this Christmas. Stations & Lines by data visualisation designer Nicholas Rougeux. A lovely representation of all rail rapid transit stations in selected cities and the route lines that serve them. Boston, Chicago, London, New York, Paris and Washington DC. 24″ x 36″ posters for $28.60 on Nick’s website. Also by Nick, MetroDots – […]
Seeing as I’m just back from the Big Apple, and as Tommi has now put his awesome map up on Society6 for sale, I thought this would be a good place to launch Transit Maps’ inaugural “Holiday Gift Guide”! Although Society6 offers prints in many sizes, I would definitely only purchase either the large ($39) or extra-large ($52) prints, due to the fine detail and small type in this map. Click here to see the product […]
If imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, then H.C. Beck must have been blushing when this diagram of railway services in Sydney, Australia was produced in 1939. Designed just six years after Beck's famous London Underground diagram first appeared, it mimics the original's style almost perfectly. As scans of this map on the Internet had quality issues, I decided to redraw it in Adobe Illustrator from scratch.
