by WisCartography

Delavan Lake

About this Map

Next in this map series, I tackled another well-known southern Wisconsin body of water: Delavan Lake in Walworth County. I like how this one turned out!

I spent a lot of time adding local detail to the map because I wanted to capture more than simply the shape and depths of the lake. Golf courses, restaurants, pubs, parks, fish and bait shops, resorts, roads, boat ramps, and other access points are all part of the landscape surrounding Delavan Lake, and many of them are shown here. These are the kinds of details that help turn a lake map into a map of a place.

Of course, there’s plenty happening beneath the water as well. Detailed bathymetric contours reveal the lake’s underwater shape and changing depths, while illustrations show several of the fish species found in Delavan Lake, including favorites such as Smallmouth Bass and Muskellunge. Roads, shoreline development, landmarks, and other geographic features provide additional context around the water.

All of that information is set against the soft watercolor palette and subtle terrain shading I use throughout this lake map series. I want there to be plenty of information to explore without making the map feel technical or cluttered. As I like to say: This is art that informs.

This was designed from the beginning with framing in mind. The choice of mat and frame is really up to you, but personally, I think a dark walnut frame looks especially good with this one. It brings out some of the colors in the map and, appropriately enough, even seems to complement a couple of the more popular fish illustrated on it, particularly the Smallmouth Bass and Musky.

One of the things I enjoy about mapping a lake like Delavan is the sheer amount of local character around the shoreline. There’s the bathymetry and fishery, certainly, but also all those businesses, parks, roads, resorts, access points, and familiar destinations that people associate with spending time here.

I think the finished map strikes the balance I’m after with this series: detailed enough that you can stand in front of it and explore, but attractive enough that you don’t need to be a fisherman, boater, or map geek to enjoy having it on the wall. Although being a map geek certainly doesn’t hurt.