The Craft of Map Making
A Labour of Love
Creating one of our maps is not a quick process. Every map begins with months of research, data collation and development. We gather information from a wide range of sources before carefully checking, refining and editing it to ensure it is both accurate and useful. Depending on the project, this stage alone can take six months or more. And that's before we even think about printing.
Data Collation
Building the Foundations
The foundation of every map is the data behind it. Roads, waterways, settlements, boundaries, topography and countless other layers of information are brought together, checked and refined to create a clear and reliable picture of the landscape.
The challenge is not simply collecting information, but deciding which information matters most and how it should be represented. Every decision affects the clarity, usefulness and character of the finished map.
the design process
Making It Beautiful
A successful map is about more than information.
Whilst map making is often about adding detail, it is equally about knowing what to leave out. Too much information and a map becomes crowded and difficult to read. Too little and it loses its usefulness.
Colours, typography, hierarchy and linework are all carefully considered to create maps that are both beautiful and easy to understand. Then, with patience, attention to detail and a meticulous approach to every label, road and river, we spend months refining the artwork until it feels just right.
Proofing & Editing
The Art of Being Fussy
A map is only as good as its accuracy.
Once the design work is complete, every map is scrutinised by our meticulous cartographic editor. Armed with a full-scale printed proof, she begins the process of checking, correcting and refining every aspect of the map.
A printed proof reveals things that a screen simply cannot. It allows us to assess the overall balance of the design, the amount of information included and the legibility of the finished artwork, while helping us spot even the smallest errors before the map goes to print.
It's a painstaking process, but one that ensures every map meets the standards we set for ourselves.
Printing & Finishing
Bringing the Map to Life
Once approved, the artwork is ready for print.
Our paper maps are produced using a lithographic printing process, where each ink colour is applied separately. This traditional technique allows us to use specially mixed metallic, luminous and highly saturated inks, creating the distinctive appearance that has become synonymous with Future Mapping.
To add further depth and contrast, many of our maps receive a gloss varnish finish applied through a separate screen-printing process. On our world, country and continent maps this highlights the landmasses, whilst on city maps the application varies according to the design.
It is this combination of specialist printing techniques, carefully chosen materials and attention to detail that gives our maps their distinctive finish.
Find out more about this stage here: How we print a map.
In the Studio
The Finishing Touches
Once the printed sheets arrive back at our Somerset studio, the final stage begins.
This is where a printed map becomes a finished piece.
Some maps are sent for specialist encapsulation, creating the durable finish used on our magnetic maps. These are then carefully mounted onto a flexible steel-backed material, allowing magnets to cling securely to the surface whilst retaining the flexibility needed for framing and display.
Many of our maps are framed to order in the studio, assembled individually and inspected before dispatch. We also produce our own wooden hanging rails, a simple and elegant display option inspired by traditional chart hangers that allows the map to hang naturally and take centre stage.
Even our packaging is made in-house. Framed maps are shipped in bespoke protective boxes that we manufacture ourselves from sheets of heavy-duty double-wall corrugated cardboard, ensuring they arrive safely at their destination.
Every order that leaves the studio has passed through our hands several times. From mounting and framing to packing and dispatch, we're involved in every step of the process.
The Future Mapping Company remains a small, independent business, and we're proud to be hands-on throughout every stage of map making. If you have a question about our maps, a project you'd like to discuss, or simply want to say hello, we'd love to hear from you.