A handsome pronghorn

Alex McPhee

Pronghorn Maps

2nd edition out now!

Sask.Store Freelance Hire

30 Day Map Challenge

It's on!

Every November, the cartographic community braces itself for the grueling 30 Day Map Challenge.

As a freelancer, I really enjoy the opportunity to test my skills. These are my daily submissions from past years.

2021

A map of the rural population of Canada's prairie provinces, circa 1906.

A map of the rural population of Canada's prairie provinces, circa 1906.

1. Points

A map of the railway crossing at Peace River, Alberta.

A map of the railway crossing at Peace River, Alberta.

2. Lines

A map of the nearest National Park of Canada to any point in the country.

A map of the nearest National Park of Canada to any point in the country.

3. Polygons

A hexagonally binned map of Canada's population density.

A hexagonally binned map of Canada's population density.

4. Hexagons

A map of Inuvik's elevated utility corridors.

A map of Inuvik's elevated utility corridors.

5. OpenStreetMap

A map of the 1987 New Brunswick Liberal landslide.

A map of the 1987 New Brunswick Liberal landslide.

6. Red

A map of the 2019 Prince Edward Island provincial election, and its impressive Green performance.

A map of the 2019 Prince Edward Island provincial election, and its impressive Green performance.

7. Green

A map of the 1982 Alberta provincial election, a Conservative landslide.

A map of the 1982 Alberta provincial election, a Conservative landslide.

8. Blue

An uncoloured map showing the 2021 Canadian election with shapes and patterns.

An uncoloured map showing the 2021 Canadian election with shapes and patterns.

9. Monochrome

A map of night lights in Alberta.

A map of night lights in Alberta.

10. Raster

A map of grain elevators and sightlines at their historical peak in Saskatchewan.

A map of grain elevators and sightlines at their historical peak in Saskatchewan.

11. 3D

A map of the centres of population for every census ethnicity in Canada.

A map of the centres of population for every census ethnicity in Canada.

12. Population

A map of every Hutterite colony in North America.

A map of every Hutterite colony in North America.

13. Natural Earth

An interactive map of New Columbia, a fictional country.

An interactive map of New Columbia, a fictional country.

14. Map with a new tool

A handmade paper map of the highest point in every province.

A handmade paper map of the highest point in every province.

15. Map made without using a computer

A map showing the smallest circle that encloses 50% of Canada's population.

A map showing the smallest circle that encloses 50% of Canada's population.

16. Urban/rural

A map showing First Nations settlement lands in Yukon.

A map showing First Nations settlement lands in Yukon.

17. Land

A map showing Reindeer Lake, Canada.

A map showing Reindeer Lake, Canada.

18. Water

A map showing the territorial waters of the Commonwealth realms.

A map showing the territorial waters of the Commonwealth realms.

19. Island(s)

A map showing the shifting centre of population for each age group in Canada.

A map showing the shifting centre of population for each age group in Canada.

20. Movement

A map showing the Sumas Lake basin in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia.

A map showing the Sumas Lake basin in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia.

21. Elevation

A map showing the results of the boundary plebiscites in the Northwest Territories.

A map showing the results of the boundary plebiscites in the Northwest Territories.

22. Boundaries

A map showing the population density and borders of Central Asia.

A map showing the population density and borders of Central Asia.

23. GHSL

A map showing the 1991 election results in Saskatchewan.

A map showing the 1991 election results in Saskatchewan.

24. Historical map

An interactive map of New Columbia, a fictional country.

An interactive map of New Columbia, a fictional country.

25. Interactive map

A map showing median household income in Canada.

A map showing median household income in Canada.

26. Choropleth map

A map showing annual temperature in Canada.

A map showing annual temperature in Canada.

27. Heatmap

A map showing the elevation differences of the geoid, which is the shape of the Earth if it were all covered by water.

A map showing the elevation differences of the geoid, which is the shape of the Earth if it were all covered by water.

28. The Earth is not flat

A map showing Canada's 2021 election, if people who didn't vote were counted as a political party.

A map showing Canada's 2021 election, if people who didn't vote were counted as a political party.

29. Null

The sales volume of Alex's Alberta wall map in 2021.

The sales volume of Alex's Alberta wall map in 2021.

30. Metamapping day

2020

All of these images can be right-clicked and opened in a new tab.

A map of population centres in Saskatchewan.

A map of population centres in Saskatchewan.

1. Points

A map of population centres and railways in Saskatchewan.

A map of population centres and railways in Saskatchewan.

2. Lines

A map of informal cultural regions in Saskatchewan.

A map of informal cultural regions in Saskatchewan.

3. Polygons

A hexagonally binned population map of Canada.

A hexagonally binned population map of Canada.

4. Hexagons

A map of flax production in Saskatchewan.

A map of flax production in Saskatchewan.

5. Blue

A map of the Red River Valley.

A map of the Red River Valley.

6. Red

A map of how many beer can deposits are needed to purchase a house.

A map of how many beer can deposits are needed to purchase a house.

7. Green

A map of canola acreage in Western Canada.

A map of canola acreage in Western Canada.

8. Yellow

A dot-matrix style map of Val Marie and its surroundings.

A dot-matrix style map of Val Marie and its surroundings.

9. Monochrome

A statistical map of the measurement error in the United States Public Land Survey System.

A statistical map of the measurement error in the United States Public Land Survey System.

10. Grid

A map of the viewshed from the roof of Val Marie's grain elevator.

A map of the viewshed from the roof of Val Marie's grain elevator.

11. 3D

A map showing the municipalities and election results of a fictional county.

A map showing the municipalities and election results of a fictional county.

12. Map not made with GIS software

A map of tree species prevalence in Alberta.

A map of tree species prevalence in Alberta.

13. Raster

A map of new farms cleared in Mackenzie County since 1990.

A map of new farms cleared in Mackenzie County since 1990.

14. Climate change

A map of community populations in Nunavut.

A map of community populations in Nunavut.

15. Connections

A map of Saskatchewan's island forests.

A map of Saskatchewan's island forests.

16. Island(s)

A map of historical country school districts in Alberta.

A map of historical country school districts in Alberta.

17. Historical map

A diagram of Alex's favourite land cover colour scheme.

A diagram of Alex's favourite land cover colour scheme.

18. Landuse

A map of roads in Alberta that Alex has personally driven.

A map of roads in Alberta that Alex has personally driven.

19. NULL

A map of Canada's Indigenous population.

A map of Canada's Indigenous population.

20. Population

A map of temporal water coverage in the Peace-Athabasca Delta.

A map of temporal water coverage in the Peace-Athabasca Delta.

21. Water

A map of air service to the Canadian Territories as of November 2020.

A map of air service to the Canadian Territories as of November 2020.

22. Movement

A map of the malapportioned ward boundaries in Mackenzie County, Alberta.

A map of the malapportioned ward boundaries in Mackenzie County, Alberta.

23. Boundaries

A map of landforms and elevation in Saskatchewan.

A map of landforms and elevation in Saskatchewan.

24. Elevation

A map of covid rates in Western Canada, November 24, 2020.

A map of covid rates in Western Canada, November 24, 2020.

25. COVID-19

A map of the Rural Municipality of Auvergne No. 76.

A map of the Rural Municipality of Auvergne No. 76.

26. Map with a new tool

A diagram of Alex's first vote in a Canadian federal election.

A diagram of Alex's first vote in a Canadian federal election.

27. Big or small data

A cartogram of white and Indigenous population in the Northwest Territories.

A cartogram of white and Indigenous population in the Northwest Territories.

28. Non-geographic map

A map of populated places in New Zealand.

A map of populated places in New Zealand.

29. Globe

A map of the Peace River Country.

A map of the Peace River Country.

30. A map