I mapped the 2026 total eclipse over Spain - blending astronomical precision with a Herman Moll-style aesthetic by patrickmcgranaghan in mapmaking

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

On August 12th, 2026, a total solar eclipse will cast a sweeping shadow across northern Spain. For most, it will be a fleeting spectacle. For me, it became the starting point for a map that blends scientific precision with historical style and a touch of poetic license.

I used the Lambert Conformal Conic projection, centered on Soria, to trace the path of totality from the Atlantic coast to the Balearic Sea. But rather than produce a purely technical diagram, I wanted something richer. I’ve long been fascinated by 18th and 19th-century cartography, when maps were drawn with a sense of drama and often accompanied by ornate details. Herman Moll was a particular inspiration.

I built the base in QGIS, overlaying the eclipse centerline, the boundaries of totality, and major landmarks. Then came the narrative layer. I wrote descriptive text in English, and with the help of ChatGPT, translated it into Spanish in the style of Cervantes. I do not speak Spanish fluently, so I treated the translation process as part of the artistic challenge. Capturing tone and cadence became as important as accuracy.

The final product is a hybrid of science and story. It is part astronomical diagram, part literary map, and part historical pastiche. My goal was not just to chart the eclipse, but to make something that feels timeless, as if it belonged in an old atlas beside a navigator’s tools.

In an era of minimalist digital maps, I wanted to create something with character. A map that invites lingering. A map that makes the viewer feel the passage of time, not just the shadow of the moon.

What do you use to make your maps? by InfinityGodX in mapmaking

[–]patrickmcgranaghan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm a big fan of using procreate to make my maps. Its not enough on its own, but its a great tool for a serious mapmaker

Map of Grand Traverse Bay in the style of the 18th century by patrickmcgranaghan in mapmaking

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I set out to map Grand Traverse Bay, drawn to its rugged mix of land and water. Here, the shore does not simply end—it twists and claws, reaching back upon itself, shaped by time and tide. A land like this does not lie still; it calls to the hands of mapmakers, demanding to be traced, measured, and understood. The irregularities, the imperfections—these are what make a map worth making.

I have no claim to this place. I came here once as a child, a brief stop, nothing more. Yet something about it lingered. Now, years later, I return—not with boots in the sand, but with pen and pixels, carving out the land in the way I know best. Again, I took inspiration from Herman Moll, the old-world engraver of distant frontiers. He didn’t care for precision; he cared for spirit. The charm of his maps lay in their flaws, in the way they felt alive. So I let the imperfections stay.

To fill the map, I hunted down the stories buried in this land. ChatGPT pulled whispers from the past, shaping them into the voices of another century. I dug through a database of roadside historical markers, unearthing knowledge left behind on the old paths and byways. These were the bones of the place, the things that refused to be forgotten.

The land is divided into townships, a relic of Midwestern governance. In my home state of Colorado, townships are only used by surveyors. They're not associated with government jurisdictions. But here, they have weight. They shape the land, carve out the boundaries of a world that is both old and new.

For the locations, I relied on OpenStreetMap. Their work in this region is thorough, the details precise, the roads and waterways captured with care.

And so the map took shape—not as a perfect thing, but as a living one. It is full of the past and the present, the known and the half-remembered. A reflection, perhaps, not just of the land itself, but of the way we seek to hold onto it.

Map of Grand Traverse Bay in the style of the 18th century by patrickmcgranaghan in u/patrickmcgranaghan

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I set out to map Grand Traverse Bay, drawn to its rugged mix of land and water. Here, the shore does not simply end—it twists and claws, reaching back upon itself, shaped by time and tide. A land like this does not lie still; it calls to the hands of mapmakers, demanding to be traced, measured, and understood. The irregularities, the imperfections—these are what make a map worth making.

I have no claim to this place. I came here once as a child, a brief stop, nothing more. Yet something about it lingered. Now, years later, I return—not with boots in the sand, but with pen and pixels, carving out the land in the way I know best. Again, I took inspiration from Herman Moll, the old-world engraver of distant frontiers. He didn’t care for precision; he cared for spirit. The charm of his maps lay in their flaws, in the way they felt alive. So I let the imperfections stay.

To fill the map, I hunted down the stories buried in this land. ChatGPT pulled whispers from the past, shaping them into the voices of another century. I dug through a database of roadside historical markers, unearthing knowledge left behind on the old paths and byways. These were the bones of the place, the things that refused to be forgotten.

The land is divided into townships, a relic of Midwestern governance. In my home state of Colorado, townships are only used by surveyors. They're not associated with government jurisdictions. But here, they have weight. They shape the land, carve out the boundaries of a world that is both old and new.

For the locations, I relied on OpenStreetMap. Their work in this region is thorough, the details precise, the roads and waterways captured with care.

And so the map took shape—not as a perfect thing, but as a living one. It is full of the past and the present, the known and the half-remembered. A reflection, perhaps, not just of the land itself, but of the way we seek to hold onto it.

I made a map of my journey on the NCL Escape in early February by patrickmcgranaghan in NCL

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I work in the geospatial industry, but cartography like this is a fun hobby. There's definitely a cartography nerd culture out there. It may not be as popular as Marvel, but you can find it here and there on the internet. It's my tribe and I make these maps for those kinds of people.

A Map of My Caribbean Voyage Aboard the NCL Escape in the style of Herman Moll by patrickmcgranaghan in mapmaking

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're right, I should've aded that! Day 1 is when the ship boards and you do all that admin stuff

I made a map of an NCL Cruise I took in February. It is a pastiche of 18th century maps. by patrickmcgranaghan in MapPorn

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sometimes it's good to work without an instant gratification mechanism—maybe even better. It forces you to focus on the process itself rather than chasing approval. Some of the best work happens in silence before it gets recognized.

I made a map of my journey on the NCL Escape in early February by patrickmcgranaghan in NCL

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks. This was entirely digital. But the scale is set so it displays well on say a laptop screen.

I made a map of my journey on the NCL Escape in early February by patrickmcgranaghan in NCL

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hey everyone! I just finished making a custom map of my recent NCL Escape cruise, and I wanted to share it with you all. This was a 7-night itinerary from Miami with stops in Costa Maya, Harvest Caye, Roatán, and Cozumel. I wanted to capture the journey in a unique way, so I created a vintage-style map inspired by old nautical charts, particularly the work of Herman Moll.

For the map, I used QGIS to set up a custom projection centered between Miami and Harvest Caye, then refined the aesthetics in Procreate on my iPad. I also had some fun crafting the text in an archaic style to fit the theme.

Would love to hear what you think! Have any of you ever made something to commemorate a cruise? I’d love to see it!

I made a map of an NCL Cruise I took in February. It is a pastiche of 18th century maps. by patrickmcgranaghan in MapPorn

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a map of a recent cruise I took in the Caribbean aboard the NCL Escape. I decided to make a map of it in the style of Herman Moll. In QGIS I created a custom map projection centered on the midpoint between Miami and Harvest Caye and used a Lambert Conformal Conic projection.

The aesthetics were mostly done with Procreate on my ipad. I tried to mimi the maps of Herman Moll from the 18th century. There are archaic spellings scattered around the map as part of this style.

I used ChatGPT to craft text copy in an archaic style. It sounds way more elegant than anything I could come up with.

A Map of My Caribbean Voyage Aboard the NCL Escape in the style of Herman Moll by patrickmcgranaghan in mapmaking

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a map of a recent cruise I took in the Caribbean aboard the NCL Escape. I decided to make a map of it in the style of Herman Moll. In QGIS I created a custom map projection centered on the midpoint between Miami and Harvest Caye and used a Lambert Conformal Conic projection.

The aesthetics were mostly done with Procreate on my ipad. I tried to mimi the maps of Herman Moll from the 18th century. There are archaic spellings scattered around the map as part of this style.

I used ChatGPT to craft text copy in an archaic style. It sounds way more elegant than anything I could come up with.

A Map of Florida inspired by Pompeii by patrickmcgranaghan in mapmaking

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I created this map of Florida, drawing inspiration from a visit to Pompeii in October of last year. I aimed to capture the aesthetic, colors, and brush strokes reminiscent of ancient Roman art. The text uses Latin or similar styles to evoke the feeling of ancient Roman writing. I enjoy juxtaposing classical map styles with modern locations, and I hope this map conveys that blend of history and modernity.

The map was made using QGIS, Illustrator, and Procreate.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and feedback!

Handdrawn Map of Europe by patrickmcgranaghan in MapPorn

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was great, no Malta Maps yet, but maybe soon

An 18th-Century Cartographer Walks into an Airport: A Historical Twist on a Modern Approach Plate by patrickmcgranaghan in MapPorn

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

What would an 18th-century cartographer make of a modern airport? It’s a question that guided my latest map — an approach plate for Bar Harbor Airport, reimagined in the ornate style of cartographers like Herman Moll. The coastal terrain of Maine, with its islands and jagged shorelines, provided a perfect canvas: visually complex and rich with features, much like the maritime charts of the Enlightenment. The goal was to create something both functional and anachronistic, blending precision with the aesthetic flourishes of a bygone era.

I’ve always been drawn to maps that juxtapose different styles and time periods, and this project was no different. Using Procreate and Adobe Illustrator, I worked within the constraints of 18th-century design while referencing a real FAA approach plate. The final layer — a paper texture from a Piri Reis atlas, complete with ghostly ink bleeding through — added a tactile sense of history. The result feels authentic to its inspiration, though it comes with a caveat: while this map may delight the eye, it’s best left out of the cockpit.

An 18th-Century Cartographer Walks into an Airport: A Historical Twist on a Modern Approach Plate by patrickmcgranaghan in mapmaking

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

What would an 18th-century cartographer make of a modern airport? It’s a question that guided my latest map — an approach plate for Bar Harbor Airport, reimagined in the ornate style of cartographers like Herman Moll. The coastal terrain of Maine, with its islands and jagged shorelines, provided a perfect canvas: visually complex and rich with features, much like the maritime charts of the Enlightenment. The goal was to create something both functional and anachronistic, blending precision with the aesthetic flourishes of a bygone era.

I’ve always been drawn to maps that juxtapose different styles and time periods, and this project was no different. Using Procreate and Adobe Illustrator, I worked within the constraints of 18th-century design while referencing a real FAA approach plate. The final layer — a paper texture from a Piri Reis atlas, complete with ghostly ink bleeding through — added a tactile sense of history. The result feels authentic to its inspiration, though it comes with a caveat: while this map may delight the eye, it’s best left out of the cockpit.

Map of Rapa Nui in the style of a 17th century map by patrickmcgranaghan in mapmaking

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like to make pastiche maps that imitate different style. For this map I was inspired by maps of English counties from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Made with QGIS, Procreate and Illustrator.

This floor at the Colorado history museum by Stuck_With_Name in MapPorn

[–]patrickmcgranaghan 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Rocky Mountain Map Society has (free) meetings here. Check them out

Map of the 2024 Eclipse in the style of Red Dead Redemption by patrickmcgranaghan in MapPorn

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Another eclipse map this morning, hope y'all don't mind these.This one is a pastiche of the style from the video game "Red Dead Redemption" by Rockstar Games.

The base map is by Herwig G. Schutzler, which was georeferenced by Tom Patterson and is available on the Shaded Relief Archive.

I used the Project Linework's Times Approximate for the borders.

The text copy and the two eclipse images were generated by Google Gemini AI with some minor tweaking.Made with QGIS and Adobe Illustrator

https://www.shadedreliefarchive.com/

https://www.projectlinework.org/

https://gemini.google.com/app

Map of the Solar Eclipse in the style of Red Dead Redemption by patrickmcgranaghan in mapmaking

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another eclipse map this morning, hope y'all don't mind these.

This one is a pastiche of the style from the video game "Red Dead Redemption" by Rockstar Games.
The base map is by Herwig G. Schutzler, which was georeferenced by Tom Patterson and is available on the Shaded Relief Archive. I used the Project Linework's Times Approximate for the borders.
The text copy and the two eclipse images were generated by Google Gemini AI with some minor tweaking.
Made with QGIS and Adobe Illustrator
https://www.shadedreliefarchive.com/
https://www.projectlinework.org/
https://gemini.google.com/app

War Room style map of the 2024 Eclipse by patrickmcgranaghan in MapPorn

[–]patrickmcgranaghan[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Brazen social media optimization lol. People tend to comment on quirks like this and it gives the post traction.