Anne Smith Illustrated Maps

These illustrated maps by Anne Smith are so colorful and fun! They include just the right amount of information about the points of interest, without including extra details that would distract from her wonderful drawings.

Whimsical Antique Maps

Old maps always fascinate me. They're snapshots of past eras, and a key to how people saw the world and what they thought of foreign lands. These whimsical maps from Dark Roasted Blend show how countries were personified in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

I think my favorite depiction is that of Russia. I'd heard of the "Russian Bear" before, but never the "Russian Octopus"! It makes sense, though, when you think of how Russia expanded into Eastern Europe and the Baltic in later years.

See more maps from Dark Roasted here!

Shakespeare and the Tube

This is a really clever map, designed by Kit Grover and Dr. Hester Lees-Jeffries for the Royal Shakespeare Company. It depicts the characters from Shakespeare's plays, and their relationships to one another.

As described by the RSC:

"The lines include: lovers (red), mothers (pink), fathers and daughters (green), villains (light blue), heroes (dark blue), strong and difficult women (turquoise), warriors (black) and fools (orange). Interesting intersections include Henry V who meets on the warrior and hero line, and Lady Macbeth on the strong and difficult women and warrior line. "

Really clever and original!