I decided to actually write a personal post this evening. I am a working mom and I love my job. What do I do. you ask? I am a Digital Cartographer. That is correct. My actual title is Digital Cartographer/Graphic Artist.

Pretty spiffy, huh? I like it. I am an artist by trade, nature, and all my being. So I put it to use in a different way as well. I now make maps. No way, really? Yes way! Where did you think maps came from? A machine? :0)

car·tog·ra·phy
   /kɑrˈtɒgrəfi/ Show Spelled[kahr-tog-ruh-fee] Show IPA
–noun
the production of maps, including construction of projections, design, compilation, drafting, and reproduction.

I have been a cartographer for 3.5 years now. I use so much of what I learned in school to do digital illustration at my job now. All my fav programs I'm totally awesome at like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

I am currently working on our biggest project of the year, which is the NADRA (North American Deluxe Road Atlas). Also thrown in there, I just finished up an Orlando map as well.

I edit the maps, make all corrections such as adding new streets, deleting streets, landmarks (schools, shopping centers, parks, points of interests, etc..). After making all the corrections that a research has done and given to me, I take the map, make a frame for it. It could be anything from a fold map, flip map, wall map, educational map.... and then I put it in the frame, move things around to make it fit and place right, Add legends, scale bars, copyright info, ect.... and viola! You got yourself a map right there.

In my 3.5 years experience there, I have learned so much. I now can apply it to my own artwork as well all the shortcuts and tools I do at work. The greatest part is that we get to keep samples of what we have worked on and produced. I love being handed a product I made and also whenever I go into a gas station, I see our maps on the shelves. Lots of which I created.

Its just us (Universal Map) and Rand McNally left in the mapping world. Going head to head to see who will survive. We bought out all the other companies. LOL.... that's how we roll :)