artboard-1 (The first rendition of the map project)
I learned some interesting facts about Queens while making this project. While doing some research, I found out that Queens actually has its’ own flag. I decided that would be a perfect item to incorporate into my map. After my final product was completed, I also realized how unfamiliar I was with places in the eastern part of Queens. I live directly in the middle of all the five dots located mid-center. Most of the places I chose were near that area but several branched away. I have explored sites in eastern Queens, but none were memorable enough for me to include on my map. What I knew prior to the project was that Helvetica was a representative typeface of Queens. Helvetica is not connected to Queens, but it is so commonly used there so I had to include it. While placing the dots to represent my chosen points, I had an idea where they were, but I learned more of their exact placement through the use of Google Maps.
I really enjoy the fact that my map is a personal map of all the “popular” places in Queens where I spent time while growing up. I was happy that I included many minor details that were influenced by Queens culture such as the color scheme and the typefaces. For the color scheme, I chose to use the flag of Queens. I incorporated the four main colors of the flag which are blue, red, yellow, and white. I tried to utilize the colors that would be representative such as the blue background to resemble water. For the typefaces, I chose to use Helvetica as the main typeface. I did this because the borough of Queens is located in New York City which is the home of the subway system. Our subway system uses the font Helvetica which was inspired by Massimo Vignelli. I then included a layer that shows where the neighborhoods are located throughout Queens to add a known quality that would be seen on a map. The points I chose to use in my project are all places that do not come up when you search “Popular Places in Queens.” I wanted to choose places that are close to my heart and places where I have had some of the most fun and memorable times in my life.
Given more time, I would probably have tried to add one or two more points that were on the east side of Queens. I definitely could have thought of more, but they were not the first ones to pop into my head or ones that I’ve had a significant connection with. I think that would only have added points to the map and would have taken away from the personal connection. I also would have tried making Queens slightly smaller to create more negative space, but I don’t know if I would have stuck with that idea. The tightness of the points, lines, planes, and typography add to the congested and cluttered feel of Queens.
After receiving feedback along with a grade for this project, I decided to make some improvements. In order to unify the visual style of the map, I eliminated the use of image traced photographs and replaced them with actual digital illustrations that I created using the pen tool. Because I was no longer using an image, it was difficult for me to illustrate some of the pictures because of their intense detail and lack of a focus. To fix this issue, I changed the symbols I used to represent the locations. For example, instead of using a picture of the inside of Queens Center, I drew my own “Q” that is the Q associated with the typography used on the building of Queens Center. For Cherry Valley Deli & Grill, I used the cherries that are on the store awning instead of a sandwich. For Juniper Valley Park, I originally had a sign that read “Juniper Valley Park” with an engraved image of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation logo. To modify the picture, I just included my own digital illustration of the leaf that was on the sign as well as the logo of New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Some symbols were easier to create such as the ones for Gantry Plaza State Park, the Lemon Ice King of Corona, Eddie’s Sweet Shop, Forest Park, and Rockaway Beach. I definitely think that these symbols look better with the visual style of the map. I also changed the title of the map from “Local Spots in Queens, NYC” to “An Insider’s Guide to Queens, NYC.” In the feedback I received, my teacher explained that it’s difficult to understand why I chose the places I did without reading my case study. I feel that this title works better with the places I chose without having to include an explanation paragraph on the actual map. For the typography layer, I did slight modifications to the map, but not enough to make it my own. To solve this, I added a citation that gives credit to the original artist. I am even happier with my map now and I am glad that I put in more effort to revise it!
