oremantis map & design studio
DESCRIPTION
A portfolio of my mapping and design work. Please view more at http://liez59.wix.com/oremantisTRANSCRIPT
M A P P I N G P O RT F O L I OLiezel Bohdanowicz
DAVID McCUTCHEON
Cartographer extraordinaire,
FBCart.S | DVD Maps
Tel 07990 580357
www.dvdmaps.co.uk
ROELIEN THERON
Managing Editor | Struik Travel and Heritage
Tel +27 (0)21 460 5400
www.randomstruik.co.za
KRISTOF VAN DEN BRANDEN
Managing Director | La Mosca
Tel +32 478 88 30 13
www.lamosca.be
GORDON CHEERS
Managing Director | Millennium House
Tel (612) 9817 4971
www.millenniumhouse.com.au
contactablereferences
1985 – 1999 education
2000 – 2002 Office Secretary & PA at an advertising agency
2002 – 2004 Digital Cartographer at Struik Publishers Special Projects
2004 – 2005 Research Editor at Struik Publishers Mapstudio
2005 6-month gap break in UK
mid-2005 – 2007 Assistant Events Coordinator & Internal Communications Officer at Sanlam Investments
Lamosca The Target mapsSouth Africa by Road mapsBeautiful Kenya mapPaths to Pints mapsSanlam corporate brochureDorling Kindersley mapsBradt Travel Guide mapsMillennium House Earth PlatinumPGUK Yellow pages maps
2012 RATE: ZAR 160.00
Highlights
2006 - now Freelance Cartographer & Graphic Designer at Oremantis.com
NameLiezel Bohdanowicz
DOB05031979
Tel+27 (0)21 9031678
Mobile+27 (0)79 194 0163
LocationCape Town, South Africa
Born and raised in Cape Town, I began my creative
studies at school where I enrolled in an art academy
in the afternoons. Here I studied art history, textile
and fibre art design for 4 years. I wanted to become
a Textile Designer. Between 1997 and 1998, I studied
Textile Design at the local technikon for a further 2
years. I was yearning for work experience and quite
honestly, I had had enough of fabric. I did however
pick up photoshop and professional design practice
skills while on the diploma course. I wanted to
change my career and decided against another 2
years at college. As a stepping stone, while
deciding on the perfect career direction, I enrolled
at a college where I studied the intricacies of
becoming a really good secretary. I was fortunate
enough to find a job at an advertising agency where
I learnt valuable skills about the admin behind the
creative industry. During my time at the ad agency,
I enrolled in a web design course, evening classes.
I learnt how to design a web site and web-friendly graphics. Towards the end of 2002,
I applied for a junior map editing position at Struik Publishers, Special Projects
department. The department worked on exclusive projects contracted by Struik’s sister
company - Lovell Johns UK.
When I applied for this job, I had no idea about the passionate and totally obsessive
relationship I would develop with maps. After only two days on the new job I knew that
my true career calling was standing right in front of me. I worked hard, training on the
job, staying late to practice what I had learnt about mapping everyday. I worked at an
internet cafe some nights to supplement my income - as we all know, a junior map
editor must be penny wise.
In 2004, I moved internally to the major map publishing department in the country -
Mapstudio. The position was titled Research Editor, but really it was a Quality Assurance
position where I would check both the content and the cartographic styling of the maps.
I enjoyed this, but I missed making maps.
At the beginning of 2005, I had the chance to travel to the UK for 6 months. It’s a long
story, but it gave me a kick start into getting ideas together to run my own mapping
and design freelance business. Upon returning in mid-2005, I had to find work quickly
and so applied for a position at an investment company. It was a creative position
where I designed brochures, internal communication letters, promotional gifts, updated
the company’s website, letterheads, business cards and even had the chance to design
a recipe book for a staff year-end gift. Nice job but I never lost sight of my goal - making
maps.
During my time at the investment company I contacted Lovell Johns UK and informed
them that I was available for possible freelance work. I had always had a good working
relationship with David McCutcheon, the project manager at Lovell Johns at the time.
He was happy to have me on board. I created maps every day, when I returned home
from my day job. This taught me fearlessness of an all-nighter. There were plenty of
these. The same year I won bids on mapping projects advertised at getafreelancer.com.
Locally, I had two more clients added to my list and by mid-2007, my freelancing was
too busy to continue with a day job. I went completely solo and have worked on
innovative, exciting and groundbreaking projects ever since. I use a pc but I am mac
literate and should a project require additional software, machine or OS, I am willing to
purchase.
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ABOUT ME
MILLENNIUM HOUSE
RANDOM HOUSE STRUIK
LA MOSCA THE TARGET
LOVELL JOHNS UK
DVDMAPS
OTHER WORK
REFERENCES
timeline
Portfolio contents
01
1 2 3 4 5
1996LA ROCHELLE GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL MATRIC
English, Afrikaans, Art History, Fibre Art, Textile Design,Typing, Needlework
1997 – 1999TEXTILE DESIGN - CAPE TECHNIKON
Photoshop classes on Mac platformDesign practice and principles
Screenprinting
1999COMPUTER APPLICATION CAREER DIPLOMA
All Microsoft office applications at an advanced levelSecretarial and reception etiquette
2001WEB DESIGN – DAKOTA TRAINING
Dreamweaver 4 UltraDevFireworks 4
Flash 5 Design and ActionscriptSilverfish e-commerce
Html
2002SPECIALIZED TRAINING FROM LOVELL JOHNS UK FOR
ARCMAP, ILLUSTRATOR AND FREEHANDLearning how to gazetteer & digitise to create the foundation
of a map & to complete the process thereafter
2003CARTO101
1-week Carto101 company sponsored course withS. Jansen from Land Affairs: Surveys and Mapping
to learn the principles behind Cartography
Oremantis was born on my return from the UK.
I wanted to register a website to showcase my
map design skills and had to establish a web
presence.
The idea behind the Oremantis logo:
ORE relates to roads, buildings, man-made
structures. MANTIS is used for the bright
green displayed in a praying mantis insect
to signify nature.
These words join to form a balance and
combination between nature and industry. One
can therefore compare these elements to roads
over landscapes, parks in cities, buildings - all
depicted and used in mapping.
who is
education
find me on
02
Publisher: Gordon Cheers
“An outstanding milestone in publishing at 6ft x 4.5ft (1.8m x 1.4m), this exquisite book is unsurpassed in size, quality, and detail.
A showcase of the craftsmanship of more than 100 international cartographers, geographers and photographers.
Specifications Total collection limited to thirty-one individually
numbered copies
6 feet × 4.5 feet (1.8m × 1.4m)
Earth Platinum ISBN 978-1-921811-11-1
128 pages, portrait
More than 45 pages of the finest contemporary
maps
Cost $100,000 USD
Once in a lifetime, the opportunity comes along to acquire something truly exquisite and unique—a piece of history, a rare collectible, a masterpiece... EARTH Platinum Edition is such an acquisition. With only 31 individually numbered copies of this immense, limited edition atlas available, this beautifully presented book will be sought after by fine institutions and discerning collectors. Superb cartography is displayed on the massive pages when opened: each spread measures a breathtaking 6 feet x 9 feet (1.8m x 2.7m), presenting an unsurpassed view of the world. Every step required to produce this exclusive atlas has challenged existing processes, and the exacting standards of quality and presentation expected by Millennium House have contributed to the development of improved techniques and demanded the finest craftsmanship.EARTH Platinum Edition is destined to become a prized reference and a focal point of the world's major libraries and repositories.”http://www.millenniumhouse.com.au/title-earth-plat.html
“This particular map shows your passion for cartography and any praise given to you is well earned. It has been a true pleasure to have you work on this project, without your skills it would not have been possible in the short time we had left to complete this incredibleproject.”- Craig MacAlpine, Geographx
(a general comment about my work)
A rather amusing, yet very flattering, note from
Gordon:
“We would like to do the whole book with you. Sadly we don’t have the time. You don’t have a twin?”- Gordon Cheers, Managing Director at
Millennium House
before after
EARTH Platinum Edition The World's Largest Atlas
a snippet from the imprint
03
I was part of both the clean-up and corrections team during the Earth Platinum project.The clean-up team are primarily tasked with turning a computer-generated product into something worthwhile. They look at label placement and also the labels that Maplex has placed as opposed to unplaced.
The maps went through the following processes before the clean-up phase:
1. Type labels and symbology for each map are extracted, projected and exported from the central geodatabase using Maplex and imported into an Illustrator page template. 2. A number of scripts are run for character and symbol replacements3. The marginalia and the linework are added4. A projected raster scan of an earlier MH map is then added to provide a base reference for clean-up team > This is where I stepped in for clean-up5. Following clean-up, the scanned raster is removed and replaced with the proper raster relief map (created at Geographx)6. Checks are run and a 1st draft pdf is created which goes back to Millennium House, where the editors mark it up for corrections.
7. The marked-up pdf goes, together with the Illustrator file, to those charged with implementing corrections. The cartographer corrects the Illustrator file and notes anything he/she finds that needs to be brought to the MH editor’s attention. > This is where I stepped in for corrections8. This editing/correction process will go through at least 2 iterations.9. The files then go back to Geographx for last minute checks on formatting, colour profiles etc. All the Gaz_IDs are exported so that the Gazette can be created. A press quality file is created and sent off for final proofing and printing.
before after
04
Supply 1 outline map, 1 locator map, 29 chapter maps and update 12 town plans
Convert original data from Freehand to Illustrator
Tweak the map design to compliment the rest of the guide
Implement a visually attractive way to display an English and Afrikaans version of a map label
Add POI’s mentioned in each chapter, where they are not in the original file
Use clipping masks and relevant cropping required for DPS maps such as the Garden Route
in the news
The brief
05
South Africa by RoadA Regional Guide“South Africa by Road: A Regional Guide is more than a mere travel guide; it is a comprehensive handbook to the country, giving insight into the many national treasures that line our highways and byways – from vibrant cities to charmingcountry towns and one-horse dorps steeped in history. The ultimate companion for any road trip, it offers sound advice on the best routes, and contains all that holidaymakers need to know when planning their next vacation.
Full-colour photographs and an interestingmix of side panels will inspire travellers totake to the tarred and gravel roads of South Africa, and explore the many absorbing nooks and crannies of our extraordinarily diverse country. Each chapter gives an overview of a region’s climate, flora and fauna, and history and heritage, and highlights the most noteworthy places. Ideas for what to do in each location are outlined, as are key activities, routes and trails.
From hot-air ballooning to white-water rafting, 4x4 trails to strolls in the countryside, spelunking to visiting museums, and festivals to architecture,there is something for everyone. Customised full-colour maps in each of the 29 chapters show national, secondary and dirt roads, toll roads, passes, gamereserves, national parks and nature reserves, as well as places of interest to help you plan your journey. A separate46-page road guide and 12 town plans complete the useful cartographic section.”http://www.randomstruik.co.za/title-page.php
?titleID=3162&imprintID=1
“Liezel,Thank you for all the time and energy you put into SABR.
The maps look amazing, and trulymake this book a cut above the rest.”
- Struik Travel and Heritage |
Random House Struik
06
“Kenya – The Beautiful guides the reader on a journey through each of the country's distinctive regions, following in the footsteps of the travellers who have gone before in search of the beautiful land.”http://www.randomstruik.co.za/title-page.php?titleID=1169&imprintID=1
Country map: 230mm (h) x 220 mm (w),
full-colour
Electronic files and fonts of base map supplied
Texture map to be dropped in
Show all park boundaries and names
Additional parks and marine reserves to be
added
Add labels for geographic features
"YOU ARE A MAGICIAN! The map is beautiful and your work is brilliant!"- Roelien Theron, Managing Editor
Struik Travel and Heritage | Random House Struik
(on ‘Kenya - The Beautiful’ map)
Kenya - The BeautifulThe brief
07
Book size is A5 portrait
Base maps supplied by NGI
Base maps to be grayscale, 70% b/w
and 300dpi
Ensure base maps are supplied with
a straight orientation
Maps to be done in Illustrator
Map spec and font supplied on a
template
Font is chalkboard bold 7pt
Add scale bar and north symbol
Create parking, POI, gradient and
directional symbols
Use the base map, hand drawn routes
from the authors’ notes and supplied
spec to create and supply the final
maps
“The most detailed coverage yet of the many paths that crisscross the Cape Peninsula, this book describes 72 trails that traverse Table Mountain, the rocky headlands of Cape Point, and the mountains, ridges, beaches and forests of Constantia and the villages that hug the peninsular coastline. Best of all, however, there’s a chapter presenting 33 favoured watering holes where weary hikers can wet their whistles after they have worked up a sweat.
Besides a detailed description, each trail features a concise route summary, contour map , and GPS coordinates for the start and end points. A handy overview presents the distance, duration, difficulty, exposure and gradient of each route; colour photographs and varied fact panels on local flora, fauna, geology and history add lively interest. The carefully selected pubs have been rated according to atmosphere, value and quality of food, and useful icons illustrate where there are views or sports viewing facilities.
Mountain safety and emergency rescue advice and tips on hiking gear and what to pack are also included. This practical guide, written by veteran hiker Tony Burton, is a must-have for novice and experienced hikers as well as casual ramblers. Even teetotallers will not want to be without their copy.”http://www.randomstruik.co.za/title-page.php?titleID=4658&imprintID=1
“Thanks for the great work you've done on this title. I know it's been demanding but we could not have done it without your massive contribution.”- Roelien Theron, Managing Editor,
Struik Travel and Heritage | Random House Struik(on the ‘Paths to Pubs’ maps)
The brief
Paths to Pubs:A Guide to Hikes and Pints in the Cape Peninsula
08
“The Target is an exciting chase game that is unique in the world. You will be playing a video game with the city as the setting. A dangerous gangster has just escaped from prison. A client will give him money for every crime he commits. Three policemen are sent to catch him, before he has managed to collect € 1,000,000. The gangster has to steal (virtual) objects that are located all over the city to be able to commit the crimes: a knife, a rope ladder, explosives, etc. Every time he steals an object or commits a crime, however, the gangster leaves a trail for the police teams. Thanks to the satellites, the police teams are able to localize the gangster every 6 minutes. They can also check continuously how far away they are from the gangster. But the gangster knows how to intercept the satellite signals and is given the same information as the players on his screen... and he has a few special defences to shake off any police pursuit, like the mines or the bullet-proof vest. Will the police succeed in disabling the gangster before he has achieved his goal?”http://www.lamoscagames.com/en/the-target
“We are very happy with the maps you have made for us over the past few years! Thanks again for all the beautiful and accurate maps you have made. You are always ready to produce a last minute map and deliver on time.”- Kristof Van Den Branden, owner of La Mosca
I met Kristof, owner of La Mosca, in 2006 via Getafreelancer.com.
I won a bid on a project and we have been working together ever
since. It’s a wonderful and exciting way to play a city game and I
commend him for his originality and use of combining mapping and
technology. To-date, I have created 170 cards and 330 customized
maps for La Mosca, The Target city game.©La Mosca
above: Bercy 720x720 The Target game map
below: Versailles 720x720 The Target game map below: Disney World 720x720 The Target game map
La Mosca The Target
09
Design a map spec to fit in with the
La Mosca brand
Create a sliceable grid over the map
that will not have any text running over
the edges so that it can be displayed
on a standard GPS-enabled cellular
device screen (120px per slice)
Research and collect information from
various reference sources on the
internet so that the map is nearest to
actual structures on the ground
Source and fit street names and other
applicable labels
For the laminated cards, create a back
to back card design that can be
printed by La Mosca and accompany
the player during the game
Add symbols to the map
Front image supplied by La Mosca
below: Multilingual Hong Kong 720x720 The Target game map
above: Card design for The Target game map
The brief - maps
The brief - cards
10
above: examples of the editor overlays supplied for updates
1st stage map tidy
Restyle data
Extend south of map
Apply overlay edits
Add tunnels and intersections
Hill shading added by
Lovell Johns
before
The brief - DK maps
after
11
Organise layers and data
Import a .tiff base
Tidy all linework
Tidy all text
Maintain indexing features
Organise layers and data
Tidy all linework
Tidy all text
Add symbols
Restyle data where required
Tidy all linework
Tidy all text
Maintain indexing features
Since 2002, I have had the opportunity to be an employee and a sub-contractor to Lovell Johns, UK. Clients and titles range from AA and Philip’s street atlases, PGUK, Dorling Kindersley and many more.
I received in-house on-the-job training from my manager - Carl Germishuys (Cape Town), Clare Varney (UK) and David McCutcheon (UK) during a two year period within the department.
below: a map from one of the many Philip’s street guides I worked on in 2003
My favourite part of mapping is most definately any
first stage map tidy, restyling of data & placing labelsThe brief - Philip’s Navigator Atlas
The brief - InterContinental Hotels Group
The brief - Philip’s Street guides
12
Origination of 65 maps using base maps from http://www.flosm.de
(credit given to OSM)
Maps: Regional, DPS and SPS
Restyle map
Add all labels
Add building shapes and POI’s from editorial notes supplied and other
research sources
Apply round joins to all linework
Tidy motorway centrelines & simplify
Clean up major junctions
Improve town name positioning
Review spacing of road numbers
Name every road/street that the route
follows. Use Leader lines where required
Reposition the bus stops over the new
route
Add the timing info for each bus stop
Review position of motorway junction
numbers
Reinstate unplaced labels where required
The bus routes need to exactly follow
the data
In 2009, David McCutcheon, ex-Production Manager at Lovell Johns, went solo with his mapping career. I owe most of my skills and mapping know-how to David and I consider him to be my map mentor.I partnered up with David and we continue to create many beautiful maps together. We do however have the freedom to find and work on our own projects.
above: Bath PGUK SPS map
“When I first traveled to South Africa in a training role, I came across a young woman with a talent for making maps and more impressively, playing pool. Little did I know this would be the start of a professional relationship spanning over 10 years. I have a long list of Cartographers who I can call upon when needed and Liezel is top of that list. With an eye for detail, an inquiring mind and quick to learn, she has matured into an accomplished Cartographer. However, I'm not sure how her pool is these days.”- David McCutcheon, Cartographer, FBCart.S
owner of DVDMaps
The brief - PGUK maps
The brief - Green Bus maps
13
Convert Freehand to Illustrator
Create a layer structure and relayer the data
Change the map number, date and the map title.
Replace symbols
Reunite fragmented text
Restyle the scale bar and all pattern fills
Be sure to work in Overprint preview mode
Use the hand-drawn notes on the scans provided
to originate a new map using reference sources
Use the key document containing points of interest
mentioned in the chapters to add them to the maps
Make sure to adhere to the styling on the Bradt stylesheet
Use the appropriate frame size and type of map, eg.
regional/town plan etc
The brief - Bradt conversionsThe brief - Bradt new maps
14
Design a brochure that can be emailed to, or printed
for, our clients
Design a logo
Originate a brand spec
Design various in-house corporate brochures to
be used by staff members as handbooks, at
conferences and workshops.
Honour the Sanlam brand while at the same time,
making the handbooks and brochures fun and
interesting to use.
The brief - Lazarsigns brochure
The brief - Sanlam brochures
15
DAVID McCUTCHEON
Cartographer extraordinaire,
FBCart.S | DVD Maps
Tel 07990 580357
www.dvdmaps.co.uk
ROELIEN THERON
Managing Editor | Struik Travel and Heritage
Tel +27 (0)21 460 5400
www.randomstruik.co.za
KRISTOF VAN DEN BRANDEN
Managing Director | La Mosca
Tel +32 478 88 30 13
www.lamosca.be
GORDON CHEERS
Managing Director | Millennium House
Tel (612) 9817 4971
www.millenniumhouse.com.au
contactablereferences
16