Art or Cartogrpahy - What is a map?

[Jalyha]

I didn't mean a photograph with lables... I meant, like, a painting, or a sketch. Like a landscape

This is an interesting topic!

In my opinion, art is something – anything – that gives the viewer some emotion. I don't view my maps as art, because I'm not trying to send any emotion, but I've certainly seen a lot of maps that were art to me, and I do hope that someone might see my maps as art even though it wasn't my intention. I don't really consider myself a cartographer either, cartography should probably involve far more science than I use in my maps. But my opinion is that every piece has to be viewed and categorized individually and personally, and that there is no one answer to what maps are. Making me a boring, neutral, stereotypically swedish person I guess

I see your maps as art.

The whole reason I'm hanging around here instead of paying someone to map my annoying little planet and washing my hands of the whole thing is that I keep seeing these posted maps.

Some are cute, or quirky, or intimidating. Some of them literally take my breath away. Does that emotion mean they aren't maps? (I kid, I kid...)

I'm starting to realize how important the science is to mapping (they end up looking much better when everything is planned well) but... Maps were made long before we had satellites, yes? So I don't think the science of it is the most important thing?