Create customised artwork featuring your local town with this Instructables design which won first prize in the Maps Challenge.
“The first thing to do is to find a map to start with,” says Jan, who created the Instructable. “Google Maps might be the first place that comes to your mind to find a map. However you can't do much with screenshots but trace the map by hand.”
“There is an Open Source alternative. OpenStreetMap is a community based map that will allow you to download the complete underlying data in many formats” and “you can download the map as a SVG or PDF file directly from the web site.”
“For the lace to work, all the pieces need to be connected so that the map doesn't fall apart” using a vector image editor such as Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw. “Roads connect our world so that's what the lace will be based on. Rivers and streams are also connected and can be included. They give a nice contrast with their meandering curves to the straight lines most street are made of. If you have train tracks in your area, they too are connected and can be included.”
Jan cut the map using a Cricut craft cutter but it can also be done with a laser cutter or by hand using a craft knife.
Full instructions are available at https://www.instructables.com/id/Paper-Lace-Map/
