Painting Maps like an artist
Over the past few months, I’ve been working into one of AI’s classic problems: route optimization. It’s been quite some time since I last engaged this issue, and during my search for tools, I stumbled upon a particularly interesting discovery: the OSMNX library.
The OSMNX library is a powerful tool that allows you to download spatial geometries and construct, project, visualize, and analyze street networks using OpenStreetMap’s API. What stood out to me about OSMNX was its simplicity and flexibility, which transform tasks that used to be cumbersome into surprisingly straightforward ones. Whether you’re plotting routes, analyzing the layout of a city, or simply painting maps for fun, OSMNX opens up a world of possibilities with just a few lines of code. It’s akin to having a map of the world at your fingertips, ready to be explored and manipulated in any way imaginable.
Additionally, I discovered a more creative use of this library, inspired by the article “The Intersection of Geocoding and Art with Open Street Map and NetworkX”. This piece discusses creating beautiful visualizations from information on streets, buildings, and places of interest — an approach that really captivated my interest.
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Starting this creative project, I knew I wasn’t great at art, but I really enjoyed playing with colors and making my maps look vibrant. Even though I’m not a pro, I had a lot of fun. I’m excited to show you some of my work, even if it’s just beginner’s art:
Lastly, I want to share a visualization of where I live. I shared it a few months ago with a very good friend. We often discussed these kinds of topics, and I thought he would appreciate seeing it. As always, showing his usual interest and enthusiasm for my ideas, he immediately contributed more ideas with great energy. It’s one of the last memories I have of him, and it’s very precious to me.
Thanks for all the moments we shared.
Sempre endavant.
