Hand-Drawn Overlays

Warren Manning was one of the first ones to create sets of maps that showed specific land qualities at the same scale, which today is considered a form of overlay. Overlaying is a term we as students know all too well, but as to what method we use in this modern-day that can be very different. Hand-drawn maps are becoming increasingly not practiced with each year of students. Ian Mcharg invented map overlays as a way to inform connections within the land more easily. Today this method and process has been the main fuel for land planning and design. In some cases you find professors who encourage students to retain the old practice of hand- drawing to have some in depth relationship with the work. It is believed that the connection one makes with your hand and eyes creates an inside link to the information and you as a designer. Although the amount of precision and speed that one can have in creating computer drawn maps is astonishing. Every day you get new software or updates that help you find information faster and perform task easier.