Free OpenStreetMap tile library: watercolor, black and white, terrain (maps.stamen.com)

Article summary

The article presents a free OpenStreetMap tile library offering various map styles, including watercolor, black and white, and terrain. The library is available at maps.stamen.com and provides high-contrast maps suitable for displaying colorful content. The maps are available in different flavors, such as standard toner, labels, lines, and background. The article also provides information on how to report problems and update the tile set.

Main themes

• OpenStreetMap
• map tiles
• cartography
• tile updating
• map design
• contrast and accessibility

What commenters say

• The Stamen maps haven't been updated for several years, which may limit their usefulness for certain applications. Some commenters find the low contrast in online maps, such as Google Maps, to be a problem, particularly for navigation and accessibility. Others argue that the low contrast is a deliberate design choice to prioritize navigation and foregrounded information over map details. The use of high-contrast maps can be beneficial for displaying data and content on top of the map. There are alternative map providers, such as OpenTopoMap, that offer high-contrast mapping. The process of updating a tile set can be complex and involves using tools like Tilemill and Postgres. Some commenters appreciate the aesthetic of certain map styles, such as the watercolor map, and are interested in learning how to create similar effects.