Author Topic: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom  (Read 22437 times)

Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« on: 17 December, 2018, 09:58:27 pm »
This was one of those projects that seemed like a good idea when I started it.  You see, our spare bedroom needed painting.  And it just so happened the room is pretty much square, with two angled ceilings.  Almost quite half-sphere shaped, if one is inclined to look at it that way.  And previously I had ambitions to paint a world map on a big wall once we owned our own house.  As good ideas flow, 2+2 -> 10, yes?

So let me present, a little bit of Swavesey Hemisphere:
DSC_0033 by Tom, on Flickr

You might note at this point that the map is not immediately recognisable.  Why is that, for it is projected (moderately carefully) onto the hemisphere?  You see, the concept is that we are looking at the sphere but happen to be inside it, rather than outside.  So in the centre of the ceiling is Swavesey - directly overhead inbetween the two ceiling lights:



And the rest of the world is painted on the whole of the ceiling & walls in the direction it is in reality.  So Africa is to the South of us.  Asia is to the East of us, and is thus painted on the part of the room to the East of Swavesey.  You are looking at a half a globe, but looking from the inside rather than the outside.  The boundary of the map at floor level is those bits of the world at 90 degrees from us here in Swavesey.  A sort of equator at 10,000km from us.  Only half of the real equator is on this map (though unmarked).

For a slightly more wide-field picture, I took this one as a composite after finishing the old world.  Couple of years ago.  So the arctic isn't done yet in this one:


The arctic now looks more like below.  Year-round ice cover in solid white, summer ice in pretend icebergs.  Based on maxima and minima from 2015, when I was sketching out that bit.  North pole labelled, again in the correct direction for the actual North pole, and proportionate distance from us:



Minimal key included below.  My decision to do the height-contouring was partly responsible for the whole damn project taking, um, five years or so to do in spare time.  But I kind of liked the effect once I'd got started, so it seemed a shame to stop.



Obligatory mildly confusing compass rose at 0N, 0W:



Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #1 on: 17 December, 2018, 10:05:35 pm »
That is nuttly crazily cool and wonderful and I want to stay in your spare room.  :thumbsup:

By the way, where is Swavesey?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #2 on: 17 December, 2018, 10:09:53 pm »
Ah, village near Cambridge.  I don't normally give out location here, but figured since it's painted on the wall it seems a pity to blur it out!  Nothing special about it other than that is where the room is physically.

Is best experienced lying down on the bed in the middle of the room and looking up around the ceiling, yes.

Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #3 on: 17 December, 2018, 10:12:32 pm »
Most excellent !
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #4 on: 17 December, 2018, 10:16:12 pm »
POTD!

Pingu

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Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #5 on: 17 December, 2018, 10:22:05 pm »
 :thumbsup:

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
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Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #6 on: 17 December, 2018, 10:26:47 pm »
Love it!

Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #7 on: 17 December, 2018, 10:27:41 pm »
Fantastic !!

I'd love to hear how an estate agent would describe this.
Rust never sleeps

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #8 on: 17 December, 2018, 10:39:07 pm »
I'd love to hear how an estate agent would describe this.

"Spacious fantasy - possibly Game of Thrones - map themed nth bedroom."

But more likely they'd take one look at it and recommend you paint over it in magnolia.  Philistines.

Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #9 on: 17 December, 2018, 10:50:47 pm »
Brilliant !

Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #10 on: 17 December, 2018, 11:20:26 pm »
 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Respect.

Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #11 on: 17 December, 2018, 11:28:09 pm »
That's wonderful, Tom.

Basil

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Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #12 on: 17 December, 2018, 11:28:59 pm »
Wow.  Tom, you are my hero.  That is just wonderful.
I'm tempted. 

As a young stude (sorry, I was never an oaf), I painted my room as the sky at midnight on 21 Dec as seen from my bed.  Only rough and nothing like the attention you have paid to your work.
Well done.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Kim

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Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #13 on: 17 December, 2018, 11:32:15 pm »
As a young stude (sorry, I was never an oaf), I painted my room as the sky at midnight on 21 Dec as seen from my bed.

That one's been on my long term to-do list in case I ever find myself owning a ceiling ever since the first time I worked with UV paint.

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #14 on: 17 December, 2018, 11:52:58 pm »
As a young stude (sorry, I was never an oaf), I painted my room as the sky at midnight on 21 Dec as seen from my bed.

That one's been on my long term to-do list in case I ever find myself owning a ceiling ever since the first time I worked with UV paint.

Probably a lot easier today with all those apps and stuff these days.  Imagine the early '70s boy lying with a protactor on his nose, judging " ok, that's about 2 inches left and half an inch down from that mould patch".

Come on Kim.  I'm expecting something where a different lighting state reveals different seasons.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Kim

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Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #15 on: 17 December, 2018, 11:54:57 pm »
With today's technology you could probably do something really unsporting like burying individually addressable LEDs just below the surface of the plasterboard.  Of course, that would probably mean dealing with the mould issue first.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #16 on: 18 December, 2018, 07:41:30 am »
Good work, tom. Love it.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #17 on: 18 December, 2018, 07:43:18 am »
Fantastic!  I wish I had your determination.

When we moved in here the floor on the landing was bare chipboard.  I wanted to paint a plunging view of the hall on it but herself voted parquet.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

nicknack

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Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #18 on: 18 December, 2018, 07:49:23 am »
Nerdtastic!
When I was somewhat younger (>50 years ago) I papered my bedroom walls with National Geographic maps. I'd have loved this. Well... still would.
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Andrij

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Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #19 on: 18 December, 2018, 08:48:16 am »
Wow!  :thumbsup:
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #20 on: 18 December, 2018, 08:55:56 am »
Absolutely fantastic  :thumbsup:

Jaded

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Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #21 on: 18 December, 2018, 09:00:18 am »
Maptastic!
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #22 on: 18 December, 2018, 09:58:36 am »
But more likely they'd take one look at it and recommend you paint over it in magnolia.  Philistines.

I have a fear of this at some point also.  Fortunately, the thin black and blue acrylic edges are not flat, so the bugger will not die that easily.   ;D

Beardy

  • Shedist
Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #23 on: 18 December, 2018, 10:25:11 am »
With today's technology you could probably do something really unsporting like burying individually addressable LEDs just below the surface of the plasterboard.  Of course, that would probably mean dealing with the mould issue first.
It would be easier to buy a planetarium projector which would have the added bounds of you being able to do it now, and for you to take it with you if you need to move to another rented property
For every complex problem in the world, there is a simple and easily understood solution that’s wrong.

Beardy

  • Shedist
Re: Cartography in the Spare Bedroom
« Reply #24 on: 18 December, 2018, 10:26:56 am »
But more likely they'd take one look at it and recommend you paint over it in magnolia.  Philistines.

I have a fear of this at some point also.  Fortunately, the thin black and blue acrylic edges are not flat, so the bugger will not die that easily.   ;D
ah it not die for many many years. It’s superb.
For every complex problem in the world, there is a simple and easily understood solution that’s wrong.