Traditional Street 2 Dimentional map services.

Unquestionably birds-eye views have their utility, and many of its landmark features may be easier for some users. But there are limitations as well, including buildings or trees that are obscured by larger ones in front. There's also the question of how useful they are to someone needing to navigate from an unforeseen point of view: back to front, or entering from one side of the view.

Just as we know that creative and most women prefer to navigate via landmark knowledge references, more analytical and most men prefer resources that are more survey or grid style. By accommodating your reader or on line viewer with both information presentation styles, your organization provides meaningful wayfinding to the broadest audience possible.

Since our illustrated maps are created in a digital format, it’s straightforward to adopt either format into any format: print, electronic or fully interactive WebMap formats.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do we create Street or Grid views?

When an grid or 2D map is desired, the first thing we determine with our client is the end products styles. If our client wants a matching view street and Illustrative map, then we begin to develop the composition, layout and point of view angle. Next, building footprints are applied in accordance to the oblique angle of the view.

Again, in 100% digital formats, we create a vector or bitmap based map based on the geometry of the fully Illustrative map. At this point, this is where 2D is completed as it’s own product. Since the angle, layout and geometry is the same as the 3D illustrated map, the reader can understand the wayfinding viewed from the same perspective. We find that this same-but different approach is more user-centered design.

Will Illustrative Maps create 2D map without a fully illustrative version?

No. If our client is seeking only a grid or overhead style map illustrations, typically a graphic artist or cartographer may be a better resource. These illustrated maps typically show the footprints of buildings within a property boundary, as well as sidewalks, parking accommodations, nearby streets, and just about any other types of details that clients desire. They are very popular with individuals who prefer to navigate using street names and distances, as opposed to visual landmarks

Our 2D maps are a byproduct of our fully Illustrative maps. We start with a perspective and then at a certain point complete the grid map from pencil sketch of the perspective version.

Typically if a client wants only a grid map, most would prefer to have a map meeting strict accuracy of distance, geometric relationships and actual building footprints. We create an artistic version of this from an oblique angle – therefore there is compression, adjustments and artistic liberties used with a goal of a more user-friendly design.