A Few Of My Favourite Things: Hand Drawn Map Association

I can't tell you how I first discovered the Hand Drawn Map Association - I simply do not remember. But now I have found it, HDMA is a vital part of my internet life. The premise is simple - readers of the site send in maps of their own, or someone else's, creation - all the map has to be is created by human hand. No computer generation here. Most of the maps are simple line drawings, but occasionally the map will be an exquisite piece of art in its most functional form, such as the one above, Map 113. Like many of the other maps on the site, Map 113 captures a moment, has a story to tell. In this case, the site states the following:

Marcin, a historical cartographer from Poland, sent us this amazing map he made as a child (around 12-14 years old). It's a fantasy composition with non existent places. Marcin describes the shape of the country as similar to the southern Chile coast or the coast of Norway. The place names are all imaginary (a'la French) and the descriptions are written in Polish.

This is why HDMA is so lovely - it captures a moment and shares it with you and everyone else. Check out the site, especially Maps 111, 64 and 52.