Map Art Lab

Hold the presses!

Did you know that Jill Berry (along with her sister Linden McNeilly) has a new book out?

Yep, a wonderfully creative, awesome, fun yet totally usable lab art book entitled "Map Art Lab".
(say that fast three times)

The book is separated into 7 units that include a total of 52 map making labs or projects.
That's right...I said 52 projects.
One for each and every week of the year.

The units include -(some words copied directly from the unit descriptions in the book)

Map Basics- There are eight projects inside this unit that will teach you how to make cartographic components that will decorate your map.

Map Magic- You will explore creating map elements using ordinary materials. There are seven projects and one extra feature (making a pop-up and folded map)

Flat Maps-You will learn how to take elements of flat maps- line, form and color- in new directions. You will learn how to deepen your experiences as you play with color and pattern.
You'll also find eight projects and a featured mapper (not to be confused with a mapmaker that raps)(that would be a rapping mapper or a map making rapper, right?).

Mixed Media Maps- This unit includes seven projects that will hopefully open your eyes to the unusual materials that maps can be made from as well as a featured mapper (or multiple mappers in this case).

Personal Maps- Most maps ARE personal maps as they tell a story but this section is full of eight different map labs that take a stroll down memory lane or tell of a personal experience.
I am honored to have a map in this section called "The Journey Of You And Me".
It's a map of the journey of the romance of my husband and I, via the places that we lived, that lead us to the home that we live in now.
It's a smallish map (10" x 10") with lots of tiny details.
Evidently I have a problem leaving out details in a 2"x2" drawing...

 For all of you Clemson fans out there, look at Tillman Hall in the upper right-hand corner. The original drawing is about 3" x 2.5". I did leave out many details but it's still full of teeny tiny windows...

I love that the color in the book is as bright as the original is. Upon closer inspection, I saw that all of the colored maps in the book have great color clarity as well.

Cartographic Projects- This unit is all about creating projects out of pre-printed maps. There are seven projects (or labs) that include book making, jewelry, sculptures, mail art and collage. There is a quest mapper as well that uses  pre-printed maps to create the most amazing 3D sculptures.
It's a must see section!

Inspired By Artists- Imagine being surrounded by the people that you admire the most: artists, musicians, storytellers, relatives, and historians. You gather them in a village and they teach you everything that you want to learn. In this case, artists inhabit the village, and after we construct a place for them to reside, we will go about learning how each of them might fashion a map.
She has included seven different artists in this unit.


Jill and Linden have also included a page of resources as well as a page about the contributors.

I love that they used many young mappers work in the book!

This would be a fantastic tool in the classroom as well as for families.
Hell, this book would be an awesome resource for anyone interested in map making!

You MUST go now and buy this book!
There is NO OTHER book out there like it, I promise you.

Jill Berry has done it again (along with sis Linden McNeilly) .
They have created a one of a kind book in this day that we see a lot of copycat books.

I truly feel that Jill has a pure and authentic artistic voice that shines through in her work and this book proves that once again...