I have a thing for maps, especially city maps. I love the way that admiring a map instantly reminds you of the myriad of reasons you love the city you live in. It can also quickly take you back to an incredible journey you took long ago, or catapult you forward in a longing reverie of a far-away place yet to be visited.
Like most things, I think I'll enjoy this paper cut map even more because I'll have made it myself, so I plan to give this project a try. This bright orange DIY map of Amsterdam from Just Crafty Enough has inspired me and the steps look simple enough:
1) Find a detailed (but not too detailed) map of your city of choice.
2) Use a thin black marker and a ruler to emphasize the lines that you are going to cut out. (Leaving just the streets.)
3) Scan the map (with your markings) onto your computer and flip the image (so that the correct side will be outwardly facing when you mount it.)
4) Grab your exacto knife and cut away!
5) Spray adhesive onto your freshly-cut map and mount it. Enjoy!
One of these maps would make a great Valentine's Day gift. The possibilities are endless: the town where you met your love, the city where you fell in love, or that place that is forever perfect in your heart. After all, we'll always have Paris.
Images: Just Crafty Enough
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This is a fantastic idea I can't wait to try. Can just picture the Portland bridges!
From the title, I thought the map might be drawn in blood.
cute and original idea!
lol, @ava's mom!
I would scan first, mirror in photoshop or whatever, print, then mark up and exacto. Maybe even just find an image online. I mean, why waste a presumably perfectly good map.
I'm confused about what comes between step 3 and 4. You scan the map and flip it, then....what? Do you print the image out on paper that you will cut? If so, what kind of paper? Or are you supposed to trace the printed image somehow?
Sorry if this question is dumb; I've never made papercuts before.
Some cities are just too big/wide-spread to do this properly. You'd have to choose a favorite section or use some artistic license.
I've done the same thing, but instead of drawing the map, I just spray adhesive-d a google map print out and cut around the streets!
Scott
www.savvyinteriordesign.com/SavvyChic
Drawworm, there's clearer directions on the site. The original was actually turned counterclockwise, not 'flipped' front to back (the wording confused me too). Then it was scanned and printed onto white cardstock.
Thanks for the questions everyone, and apologies for any confusion about the steps.
Definitely visit the Just Crafty Enough link for the full tutorial:
http://www.justcraftyenough.com/2012/01/iron-craft-challenge-1-paper-cut-map/
@AVA'S MOM thanks for the laugh! I didn't catch that until you mentioned it :)
@dillydally
No, the image is mirrored, ie flipped horizontally (it doesn't matter if you flip horizontally or vertically). The side you cut on is the mirror image of the backside, which is the side that is going to be displayed because it's not marked up. So you have to mirror the image so the side with your guidelines is backwards, so that the back will not be backwards.
Oh my, this looks like it would take hours upon hours to create! Looks fantastic but I just don't think I'd have the patience ;]
im so gonna do this for my bf :) we are from 2 different cities which are quite close, so im gonna make each separate and just put them together with a map of our highway :9
And when you want to get really fancy:
http://lihanstudio.com/index.php?section=16
What a cute idea! I'm going to do this as a V-day gift for my BF. He loves maps. I'm going to add little heart stickers for all the places that are special to us (our houses, special date locations, favorite restaurants, etc.). Can't wait to get started!
So excited to see my little project here, thanks for all the kind comments. It was a really fun one to do.
@LEPIDOPTERY - I chose to mark the cut lines and then scan & print it to cut so I wouldn't risk getting any smeared pen or pencil on the final piece. I just thought it was neater. And you are correct, there are a couple different times you can make the mirror image of the piece before cutting.
@ YONELLA - Even with Amsterdam I just did the central city. You'd need a much bigger printer or be willing to cut some tiny detail to do a bigger area.
My dad is genuinely obsessed with maps (they're the only wall decor he has, and when my parents came to visit me in London over Christmas, he spent hours every night poring over no less than four maps, spread across my living room floor - by the end of it he knew the city better than I do after living here for 6 years!), so I am 100% doing this for Father's Day. In fact I'm in the middle of it right now, but unfortunately my one felt tip pen ran out of ink, so I'm taking a break. . .
But if anyone else is interested in doing San Francisco (the city I picked), I've found this map works really well as a template:
http://0.tqn.com/d/sanfrancisco/1/0/_/6/-/-/mapsfmuseum.jpg
@ChloeSF Thanks so much for sharing the San Francisco map! I am based there and needed that - thanks!
@KathyL So happy to feature your great project here. As many have said, such a cute idea for gifts.
Pretty cool! Nice framing, too!
Holy crap, GTTIM! That's some serious paper-cutting! Are you the artist?
There is an Etsy store which sells paper cut maps very similar to this (forgot the name). No mention of that shop or the artist anywhere :( . Too bad the crafts person is claiming this idea as her / his own ...
oops , there is , sorry !
OK, I made this one of San Francisco (it's sitting on top of my printer), but now I'm at a loss as to what color to use as the background! I love the orange, but it doesn't match a thing I have. Maybe dark gray? Or a soft, muted aqua?
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/3842/sfcutout.jpg
I'm finally done with this map of Manhattan.
http://imgur.com/13jos
I'm working on a really detailed version of a San Francisco map.
Thanks for the idea!
It's Amsterdam, my hometown :) Love your idea!!