Portfolio – Sarah Bell Maps

You can find a more complete portfolio at Behance.net/sarahbellmaps This page includes some selected mapping and data-viz projects by Sarah Bell. It’s April 2023, and I’m just beginning to rebuild this website. Please check back soon, or email sarahbellmaps@gmail.com for mapmaking inquires.

After effects cover for animated map of Columbia River Basin

Columbia River Basin map with dams mapped

Globe focused on pacific northwest region

Cartography/Animation

Columbia River Basin animated map

An exploration of After Effects and the Columbia River Basin. View the video here. Read about this map’s progress here.

section of map near Denali Peak in Alaska, USA

Cartography/Map-making

Denali Map

Previewing a small section of this map in the gorgeous glaciated state of Alaska. Read more about this map here.

Preview of High Alpine on a mock-up magazine cover

High Alpine graphic design of snowy mountainous cabin

Preview of all characters in the High Alpine typeface

Preview of some characters in the High Alpine typeface

Fonts/Typography

High Alpine (Serif)

I had so much fun making this serif typeface. I named it High Alpine, in part because of its perceptive height. You can download the font here.

Fonts/Typography

BellTopo Sans

I designed this font to be styled like antique USGS maps and similar maps of the late-1800s and early 1900s. I named it BellTopo Sans. Download this font here.

Volcanoes and tectonic boundaries of the Juan De Fuca and Gorda plates, map

Volcanoes and tectonic boundaries of the Juan De Fuca and Gorda plates, map by Sarah Bell

Cartography/Map-making

Volcanoes & Tectonic Boundaries Map

This map shows the tectonic boundaries and volcanoes of the Juan de Fuca and Gorda plate subduction. To learn how I made this map, visit here.

Art deco map monochrome inland northwest washington

Art deco map full color inland northwest washington

Art deco map halftone pattern monochrome

The Kalakala art deco era ferry graphic design element on art deco monochrome map

Cartography/Map-making

Art Deco Style Map: Northwest Washington

This map was inspired by art deco era posters. I integrated the Kalakala, an art deco era Washington state ferry. Read more about this map here.

Tri-tone halftone pattern map of western washington

Cartography/Map-making

Tri-tone Mid-Century inspired Map

My inspiration for this map comes from a c.1950 map that I bought at an antique store. The bright tri-tone color palette makes it easy to read a lot of dense delicious map detail. Read more about this map here.

Climbing areas within 3 hours of Vancouver BC map

rock climbing areas within 3 hours of vancouver bc map

Cartography/Map-making

Vancouver, B.C.’s Nearest Rock Climbing

This 12 x 13.5 inch monochrome map shows rock climbing areas within a one-, two-, and three-hour drive of Canada’s beautiful west coast metropolis, Vancouver, British Columbia. To differentiate between crags and climbing areas within and outside the three-hour zone, the crags outside the zone have been visually subdued. The drive time polygons also all use the same hue, differentiating in opacity. Read about how I made this map here.

Cartography/Map-making

Red River Gorge Climbing Area

I created Red River Gorge Geological Area map to highlight this Kentucky gem. This map follows traditional recreation map standars that I discuss here. Each point symbol was custom-made for this map. I chose a soft-yet-clear color palatte to accenuate the point locations and roads.

Cartography/Map-making

Equidistant Conic Trading Card

My contribution to the map projection trading card collection, headed by Daniel Huffman. My projection was Equidistant conic. I chose to accentuate the “cone” of the conic with some shadow rendering that is typically not included in these types of projection graphics. Read more about this map and watch the video here.

National Donut Day map showing top 31 donut shops in the US

vector artwork designed to look like a grease stain on wax paper left by a donut

1950s diner table surface designed in vector artwork

Vector graphic design to look like map on wax paper

Cartography/Map-making

National Donut Day graphic design map

I mapped Thrillist’s “The 31 Best Donut Ships in America.” The design is inspired by 1950s diners, and includes a lot of graphic design elements. Read about how I made this map here.

geologic composition of British columbia map

Cartography/Map-making/Dataviz

Geology Rock Class: British Columbia

The greater geologic rock classes of British Columbia, Canada. View a layer-by-layer video of this map here.

Cartography/Map-making/Fantasy Map

Kystfjell

A fantasy map made with real geographic data. Read a little more here.