MapToPoster: Create Minimalist City Posters in Python

January 19, 2026

Category: Practical Open Source Projects

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Python OpenSource GIS MapPoster OpenStreetMap

MapToPoster: Create Minimalist City Posters in Python

If you’ve ever wanted to produce a clean, artistic map of your favourite city, MapToPoster is the tool for you. It’s a pure‑Python open‑source project that stitches OpenStreetMap (OSM) data into a polished poster using Matplotlib. Whether you’re a hobby cartographer, a designer looking for a unique background, or a data scientist needing a visual aid, this repository gives you everything right out of the box.

1. What MapToPoster Gives You

Feature	Description
Zero‑config generation	A single CLI call produces a PNG of the city centred on your chosen radius.
18 ready‑made themes	From the classic noir to the futuristic neon‑cyberpunk, each theme adjusts background, road colours, and gradients automatically.
Customisable theme JSON	Create your own theme by editing the `themes/{name}.json` file—control every color channel.
Flexible distance	Choose a radius from 4 km (city centre) to 20 km (full city) depending on the scale you need.
Portable	The code depends only on well‑maintained libraries: `osmnx`, `networkx`, and `matplotlib`. All you need is Python 3.9+.
MIT licence	Free to use, modify, and redistribute.

2. Quick Start

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/originalankur/maptoposter.git
cd maptoposter

Create a virtual environment (recommended)

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate   # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

Install dependencies
```
pip install -r requirements.txt
```

Generate a poster

python create_map_poster.py -c "Barcelona" -C "Spain" -t warm_beige -d 8000

Result: posters/barcelona_warm_beige_20260108_172924.png is created.

You can replace the arguments with any city/country pair and theme name. Run python create_map_poster.py --list-themes to see all available options.

3. Themes at a Glance

Theme	Style	Ideal Use Case
`feature_based`	Classic black & white with road hierarchy	Text‑heavy map legends
`gradient_roads`	Smooth gradient roads	Scientific visualisation
`noir`	Pure black background, white roads	Poster art for film/website
`midnight_blue`	Navy background, gold roads	Night‑time city mood
`blueprint`	Architectural blueprint	Architectural projects
`neon_cyberpunk`	Dark with electric pink/cyan	Futuristic game backgrounds
`warm_beige`	Sepia tones	Vintage city mood
`pastel_dream`	Soft pastels	Light‑hearted wedding invites
`japanese_ink`	Minimalist ink wash	Cultural pieces
`forest`	Deep greens	Nature‑focused themes
`ocean`	Blues & teals	Coastal city layouts
`terracotta`	Mediterranean warmth	Warm travel posters
`sunset`	Warm oranges	Sunset city art
`autumn`	Burnt reds	Fall season themes
`copper_patina`	Oxidised copper	Industrial or vintage aesthetics
`monochrome_blue`	Single blue family	Corporate branding

4. Extending MapToPoster

4.1 Adding a New Theme

Create a JSON file in themes/. Example my_fantasy.json:

{
  "name": "Fantasy",
  "description": "A whimsical map theme",
  "bg": "#111111",
  "text": "#AAFFAA",
  "gradient_color": "#22AA22",
  "water": "#004400",
  "parks": "#006600",
  "road_motorway": "#FF0044",
  "road_primary": "#FF8844",
  "road_secondary": "#FFCC44",
  "road_tertiary": "#FFF444",
  "road_residential": "#999999",
  "road_default": "#666666"
}

Run the poster generator with -t fantasy.

4.2 Adding a New Map Layer

To insert railways before roads:

# In create_map_poster.py after parks fetch
try:
    railways = ox.features_from_point(point, tags={"railway": "rail"}, dist=dist)
except Exception:
    railways = None
if railways is not None and not railways.empty:
    railways.plot(ax=ax, color=THEME["railway"], linewidth=0.5, zorder=2.5)

Make sure you define the railway colour in your theme JSON.

5. Performance Considerations

Distance limits: Large radii slow down data download from OSM. Keep -d ≤ 20 km for quick runs.
Caching: OSMnx automatically caches OSM data locally. Running the same city again will be noticeably faster.
Network type: drive is default; switch to walk or bike for lighter data.
DPI: Default 300 dpi; lower to 150 dpi for rapid previews.

6. Why Use MapToPoster?

Zero‑overhead: No sign‑ups or API keys required; all data is pulled directly from OSM.
Creative control: Themes are modular; designers can tweak colours, gradients, and typography.
Reproducible: The script is deterministic—given the same inputs it will render the same image every time.
Community‑driven: With almost 5 k stars and 394 forks, the project has active community support.

7. Getting Started Today

Fork the repository or clone it locally.
Explore the existing themes and run a few examples.
Build your own poster and share it on social media or embed it in a blog post.
Contribute: Open an issue if you find a bug or suggest a new theme, or submit a pull request with enhancements.

MapToPoster turns a city’s street network into a visual narrative. Whether you’re creating travel guides, background art, or academic illustrations, this project gives you a rapid, scalable, and beautiful way to produce map posters—all powered by open‑source technology.

Happy mapping!

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