Mantras: Joe Lertola's maps

When I was student I worked as staff at the Malofiej awards. I was amazed knowing face to face the big names of infographics. But a bigger surprise came when I saw that those big names were also amazed of knowing their own 'infographics idols'. There I met José Juan Gámez, then Art Director at Recoletos (Marca, Expansion...), but one of those years he was very glad because he could met Joe Lertola, the part of the Time Magazine trio with Ed Gabel and Joe Zeff. They were the big masters of the 3d when it was beginning.



Why am I telling this story? Because I've just rediscovered Joe Lertola when somebody (sorry don't remember who) sent me this link where Sarah Slobin interviewed him for his maps on a cartography serial. You better read it, but here you are some sentences. Taje a look to the maps if you thought that the cartography based on databases was invented by The New York Times...

"Time has a set of scrap books that contain a clipping of every map and graphic ever printed in the magazine. I was impressed by the design and craftsmanship of many of the older maps from the 40s, 50s and 60s. They had a way of painting airbrushed mountain ranges that was striking. That inspired me to work on adding dimension and depth to the maps I worked on."



"The main thing I try to do is present the graphic information as clearly as possible. Each graphic I work on is a fresh problem. I start by trying to get a clear idea of what information we are trying to present. Then I try to apply my sense of what will look good."