mapmaking patterns

Homogenous surfaces are rare in nature. It’s more common to find a textured surface. A lake’s surface generally appears rippled by wind and human action or tinted by sun glare. An ocean appears roughened by waves, wind and currents.

Use parallel lines as fill for water features. Originally, this pattern helped line drawings convey tonal differences, allowing cartographers to establish a middle ground to the depth of their black and white maps. But the pattern also maps to the way people think about water features, particularly lakes and shorelines. Lines that fill the interior convey the sense of ripples. Lines that disappear with distance from shore convey waves and are better to represent large water bodies, like oceans or very large lakes.