Creativity in Cartography — The Second Week of the 30 Day Map Challenge

Week two of the 30 Day Map Challenge is where creativity really takes off. The prompts for the second week become more challenging requiring more imagination and innovation. Here are some ideas for how you can use Cadence to rise to the challenge. Happy mapping!

Remember to share your maps with the hashtag #30DayMapChallenge for a chance to win cash prizes and Cadence Professional licenses.

9 November: Analog
You may need to step away from the screen for this one!

Why not use the Annotations tool to draw your own data directly onto a map.  Or, if you want to go even further, upload images of your own drawings and link them to your map to bring places to life as you see them.

10–12 November: Air, Minimal Map, Map from 2125

• Air: Use Cadence to map pollution, storms, or flight path data. Use the Camera tool to create “fly throughs” and make it dynamic.
• Minimal Map: Strip it right back. Cadence’s flexibility lets you customise basemaps, removing labels, and unnecessary layers — leaving only the essentials.
• Map from 2125: This map is all about the future – let your imagination run wild. Why not use Cadence’s Stories feature to integrate images and video with your maps to highlight what your place could be like in 2125.

13–15 November: Speed & Data Sources

• 10 Minute Map: Cadence is built for speed. Making beautiful maps in less than 10 minutes should be great in this challenge. To accelerate your professional map creation use the in-built DataBank, apply our default stylings, and publish. Giving yourself a 10-minute window, you’ll probably have time to spare!  Why not time yourself and share how quick it was!?
• OpenStreetMap (OSM): The Cadence DataBank includes the ability to search by source and already includes a range of data from Open Street Map making it much easier to engage with this rich data source. 
• Fire: Explore Cadence’s international mapping capabilities and import data from a range of formats and sources. Once you’ve found the data you like, why not create an interactive Story to showcase some of the key elements?

This week is about style, speed, and imagination. Cadence lets you move quickly between datasets, experiment with visuals, and publish interactive maps instantly. Don’t forget to share your maps with the challenge hashtag and invite others to explore them through Cadence’s simple links.