Behind the Scenes: 3D Wood Maps in the Making at TC Custom Engraving
Every 3D wood map starts as a piece of wood and a digital map, but the finished piece takes time, precision, and several stages of work to come together.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at several 3D wood maps currently being made at TC Custom Engraving. Some are shown finished and ready in their handmade black frames, while others are still going through the engraving and framing process.
Seven Finished 16×24 3D Wood Maps
Seven of the maps featured in these photos are 16×24 inches and have been completed with handmade black frames.
Seascape Golf Club 3D Wood Map
The Seascape Golf Club 3D wood map showcases the layout of the course in a layered wood design. Golf course maps are a unique part of our 3D wood map collection and make distinctive gifts for golfers, tournament participants, and anyone with a connection to a particular course.
Pebble Beach Golf Links 3D Wood Map
The Pebble Beach Golf Links 3D wood map is another 16×24 golf course map, shown finished in a black frame. The layered design highlights the course layout while giving the finished piece a clean, dimensional appearance.
Leavenworth Washington 3D Wood Map
The Leavenworth Washington 3D wood map is a geographic map designed to capture the area in a dimensional wood format. At 16×24 inches, the larger format provides room for additional geographic detail while creating a substantial wall piece.
San Francisco 3D Wood Map
The San Francisco 3D wood map is also 16×24 and features engraved geographic details throughout the design. One of the photos provides an angled close-up view, showing the layers and engraved details more clearly.
The angled view is a good example of how much detail can be seen from different perspectives. Rather than simply looking like a flat map, the layered construction gives the piece depth and dimension.
Five More Maps in the Finishing Process
Not every map is photographed after it has been framed. Some of the maps shown here are still being completed, giving a look at what the maps look like before they are ready for display.
These five maps are Capitola, Oahu, Pasatiempo Golf Club, Scotts Valley, and Reno, Nevada.
The maps may appear without frames in these photos because they are still moving through the finishing and framing process. Framing is one of the final steps before a map is ready to be displayed.
From Digital Map to Finished Wood Art
Creating a 3D wood map involves more than simply cutting the outline of a location.
The geographic information has to be prepared and converted into layers that can be cut, engraved, and assembled. Roads, waterways, coastlines, course layouts, and other geographic details can then be incorporated into the design depending on the type of map being created.
Once the individual layers have been cut and engraved, they are assembled to create the dimensional effect. The map can then be finished and placed into a handmade frame.
For larger maps such as these 16×24 pieces, the additional space allows for more geographic detail while creating a larger statement piece for a wall.
Maps From California and Beyond
One of the things I enjoy most about making these maps is the variety of locations people choose.
This group alone includes California locations such as San Francisco, Capitola, Scotts Valley, Seascape Golf Club, and Pasatiempo Golf Club, along with maps of Reno, Nevada, Oahu, and Leavenworth, Washington.
Whether it's a favorite golf course, hometown, vacation destination, or a place with special meaning, a 3D wood map provides a different way to display that location.
Looking for a Custom 3D Wood Map?
TC Custom Engraving creates handcrafted 3D wood maps of locations and golf courses, with custom sizes and framing options available depending on the project.
If you have a location in mind that isn't currently shown in the store, you can contact TC Custom Engraving to discuss creating a custom map.
Each map is individually made and finished in our workshop in Santa Cruz, California, and shipped throughout the United States.
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