Friday, July 25, 2008

THE BEST MAP SITE

Michael Sporn has recently linked to a terrific map site that I never knew existed.

http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/

Maps are fascinating. At various times I've had ocean navigation and flight maps on the wall, and until recently I had a heraldic map of Scotland up. You can see it on a post I put up almost two years ago on the subject of ideal pictures to hang in a boys room.


I post this baseball map (above) not because the idea is so clever, but because the color is gorgeous. Notice how the lettering at the top pops out.


Wow! Is this (above) by Gilray? Wouldn't it be great to have a full-sized poster of this on the wall?



A map of Heaven (above) has been long over-due. I notice though, that the Garden of Cartoon-Infatuated Naked Women is missing. And where are the statues of Milt Gross and Don Martin?


Another long over-due map, the map of the center of the Earth (above). It correctly locates the underground city of Shamballan.


The world envisioned by Homer (above).


Here's a rendering of a city (above) which includes architectural highlights of the western world. They're not always the buildings I would have chosen, and the painter seems to favor long boulevards framed by wind traps, but the basic idea is terrific. I'm surprised that no city in the world (outside of Disneyland and The Tivoli) has chosen to make itself into an anthology of the best architectural ideas the world has to offer.

IT'S SAN DIEGO CONVENTION TIME, SO I'LL BE GONE TIL MONDAY, JULY 28!



12 comments:

Adam Tavares said...

I love that map of heaven. When you're forced to draw heaven instead of just saying heaven is 'infinitely beautiful and peaceful' you realize how silly the entire concept is.

I picked up a book of etchings based on The Divine Comedy by this 19th century artist Gustave Dore. The etchings of hell are so detailed and interesting but heaven is so bland and boring, but I guess if it was specific it couldn't be paradise to everybody.

pappy d said...

I'm surprised the "Damned Viewer" isn't more crowded.

Lynsey Schaschke said...

I love the map of Scotland... but then, I'm Scottish. I've seen a few with the same idea. The map of Europe is also great.

I found the post about what boys should hang on their walls, but the map wasn't in it - shame

Anonymous said...

Wow, I thought I was reading the Map Room Blog for a second. ( http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom). I'm going to see if I can get them to link to your blog, if you like traffic that is.

Hey, I think I answered "Maps" to the What Boys should hang on their wall discussion.

Enjoy San Diego Uncle Eddie.

Anonymous said...

Whoa! Another fantastic post as always, Eddie! And the Heaven map, I think the Milt Gross and Don Martin sculptures are in The Hall of Heroes. At least they should be. Oh, and what do you mean that you "until recently" had a heraldic map of Scotland? Did you loose it, sell it, or what?

diego cumplido said...

Your MIGHTY MOUSE POSTER (page 218) is beautiful!!!! it looks -by far- better than all the other "new adventures of mighty mouse" art that I've seen. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it doesn't looks like it was made in the eighties. I got the book today, in a box just next to Popeye vol.1.

I feel so happy. So you played Allen Ginsberg, huh?

Anonymous said...

This blog is amazing! One of the few riminders on on the internet that real people still exist

Eddie Fitzgerald said...

Lynsey: Try Aril 2006 or there abouts. The picture is in a post called "Wouldn't It Be Fun to Design a Textbook?"

Adam: I noticed that. The book on Hell seems to be a lot more interesting.

Phantom: In a moment of philanthropic insanity I gave it to my kid and she likes it so much that she won't let anybody take it out of her room.

Lynsey Schaschke said...

Found it! It even has the shield for Hamilton in it - my home town!

Anonymous said...

'Strange Maps is the best!'
'True that!'
"DOUBLETRUE!"

Freshyfresh said...

These maps are amazing!!! :D
Great find and thanks for showing them!

pappy d said...

more maps with national archetypes:

http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2008/08/dogs-of-war.html