Portfolio – Sarah Bell Maps

Please note that this is not my professional portfolio, but rather a display of my personal side projects. For my GIScience, data design, and technical skills portfolio, please contact me at sarahbellmaps@gmail.com.You can find a more of my passion projects Behance.net/sarahbellmaps

interactive map showing voter turnout in the usa for 2024

D3js/Interactive Dataviz

US Voter Turnout 2024

Despite extensive mobilization efforts, only six states saw an increase in voter turnout rates in 2024, while all others experienced declines. This interactive visualization toggles between two perspectives—changes in voter turnout from 2020 to 2024 and each state’s variance from the national average—transforming static election data into an engaging, dynamic experience. View the interactive version here. You can also visit the static version here.

3D Mapping/Motion Graphics Animation

3D Map Flyover

I used ArcGIS Pro 3D mapping, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe After Effects, and music and narration editing via Camtasia to create this animated flyover map of the fabulous Index, Washington rock climbing area. View on YouTube here.

Animated John Snow cholera death map made with Adobe After Effects and ArcGIS Pro and Adobe Illustrator

Cartography/Motion Graphics Animation

Animated Thematic Map with After Effects

I created this map for a thematic mapping talk at the Esri UC. My workflow for this map was ArcGIS Pro, Maps for Adobe, and Adobe Illustrator – then animating in Adobe After Effects. You can view the 1 min. 45 sec. map on YouTube here.

Choropleth map recreated animated with Adobe After Effects

Cartography/Animation

Animated Thematic Map with After Effects

My workflow for this map was ArcGIS Pro, Maps for Adobe, and Adobe Illustrator – then animating in Adobe After Effects. You can view the 1 minute map on YouTube here.

Cartography

National Parks & 30×30

I created these maps and this mock-up magazine layout for a cartography presentation to demo mapping technology. You can read more about this map creation here.

After effects cover for animated map of Columbia River Basin

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

High Alpine graphic design of snowy mountainous cabin

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.

hillshade map with sample of typeface throughout — Sample of BellTopo Sans on a hillshade I drew. Manually drawn. Digitally “distressed.”

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 by Sarah Bell

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

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.

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

Art deco map halftone pattern monochrome

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

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.

vector artwork designed to look like a grease stain on wax paper left by a donut — Vector graphic design to look like grease spot left by donut on wax paper

Vector graphic design to look like map on wax paper — Vector graphic design to look like grease spot left by donut 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.