Making Beautiful Maps: Geodata, Spatial Analysis, and Map Design

Classroom

What You’ll Learn

Discover your inner cartographer in 2 hours! From the first human maps on cave walls to real-time, continually-updated, crowdsourced geodata, mapping has come a long way in the last 8,000 years. Maps are currently used in an endless number of ways by artists, designers, developers, scientists, urban planners, city officials, tourists, explorers, and more.

In this class, in a matter of hours, you will discover how to:

use free, open-source mapping and design software to start playing with the countless datasets available on the web
create your own geo-data
bring it all together into a beautiful map using GIS and vector graphics programs

Whether you want to peruse census data, map your favorite bike routes, make awesome geo-art, or just have another skillset under your belt, this class will quickly take your mapping skills to the next level!

Beginner Level

About Your Teacher See Full Bio

Jake Levitas · Research Director, Gray Area Foundn. for the Arts

I have been a map nerd since I played with the original GeoSafari toy as an 8-year-old. I've been doing spatial analysis, map design, and visualization professionally and academically for the last five years. I've also made maps for art installations, community projects, websites, print material, and even birthday cards. I currently lead the research program at GAFFTA where, among other things, we explore applications of mapping and data visualization at the intersection of art, technology, and cities.