Raisz’s physiographic method of landform mapping

Abstract

Maps are powerful modes of communication between scientists and novices. Cartographer Erwin Raisz understood just how powerful maps could be for visualizing the broad landscape. His physiographic method of landscape representation merged pictorial representation with large-scale cartography to generate some of the most vivid images of the physical landscape in the early part of the 20th century. Today, despite our ability to represent the landscape with increasingly realistic representations, there is a fondness for those traditional style line drawings. Thus, it is important to take time and reflect on the impact of Raisz’s physiographic map on modern terrain representation. Here we look at Raisz’s own body of work and his influence on modern cartographers, and finally we look at non-photorealistic representation’s potential for replicating early line drawing methods like Raisz’s.

Mapping landscape spaces: Methods for understanding spatial-visual characteristics in landscape design

“…Important means for 3D landscapes are sketches, photographs, photomontages, and virtual landscape techniques, such as landscape modelling, virtual reality, and 3D display based on GIS (e.g. Ervin, 2001;Punia and Pandey, 2006;Bianchetti, 2017;Lin et al, 2018;Bruns and Chamberlain, 2019). This eye-level landscape evaluation tools not only can provide spatial attributes and visual organizations of static landscapes (e.g.…”

“…With the development of digital technology, digital visual representations are becoming more widely used in the field of landscape research and design such as photomontages, computer models, 2D and 3D photorealistic visualizations, as well as real time interactive presentations, and virtual reality (VR) environments (e.g. Ervin, 2001;Dinkov and Vatseva, 2016;Bianchetti, 2017;Lin et al, 2018;Bruns and Chamberlain, 2019). They are widely used to help mimic existing or proposed landscapes, and assess or predict environmental/landscape change.…”

Mapping Landscape Spaces

“…3D landscapes are often represented with sketches, photographs, photomontages, and virtual landscape techniques, such as landscape modelling, virtual reality, and 3D displays based on GIS (e.g. Ervin, 2001;Punia & Pandey, 2006;Bianchetti, 2017;Lin et al, 2018;Bruns & Chamberlain, 2019). These eye-level landscape evaluation tools not only provide spatial attributes and visual organisations of static landscapes (e.g.…”

“…With the development of digital technology, digital visual representations are becoming more widely used in the field of landscape research and design such as photomontages, computer models, 2D and 3D photorealistic visualisations, as well as real time interactive presentations, and virtual reality (VR) environments (e.g. Ervin, 2001;Dinkov & Vatseva, 2016;Bianchetti, 2017;Lin et al, 2018;Bruns & Chamberlain, 2019). They are widely used to help mimic existing or proposed landscapes and to assess or predict environmental/ landscape change.…”

“…With the growth of visual landscape research and modern technology, more digital ways for understanding and representing landscape space are invented, such as photomontages, computer models, 2D and 3D photorealistic visualisations, and virtual reality (VR) environments (e.g., Cantrell & Michaels, 2010;Cureton, 2016;Walliss & Rahmann, 2016;Bianchetti, 2017;Lin et al, 2018;Bruns & Chamberlain, 2019). They are essential means to present three-dimensional spatial characteristics of the landscape and mimic the existing, or future landscape scenarios in the design process.…”