Quick Start Generate a map poster with just two required arguments: city and country.
python create_map_poster.py --city "Paris" --country "France"
This creates a poster with default settings:
Theme : terracotta (warm Mediterranean tones)Distance : 18,000 meters (18km radius)Size : 12” × 16” inchesResolution : 300 DPI (PNG format)
Basic Command Structure python create_map_poster.py --city < cit y > --country < countr y > [options]
Using uv (Recommended) If you’re using uv for dependency management:
uv run ./create_map_poster.py --city "Paris" --country "France"
The uv run prefix automatically manages the virtual environment and dependencies.
Required Arguments City name used for geocoding. The tool uses OpenStreetMap’s Nominatim service to find coordinates. Aliases : -cExamples : "New York", "Tokyo", "Barcelona"
Country name used for geocoding to disambiguate city names. Aliases : -CExamples : "USA", "Japan", "Spain"
Common Usage Patterns Simple Poster Generation # Default theme (terracotta) python create_map_poster.py -c "Paris" -C "France" # With a different theme python create_map_poster.py -c "New York" -C "USA" -t noir # Adjust map coverage area python create_map_poster.py -c "Venice" -C "Italy" -d 6000
Combine Theme and Distance # Manhattan grid with noir theme python create_map_poster.py -c "New York" -C "USA" -t noir -d 12000 # Venice canals with blueprint theme (smaller radius for detail) python create_map_poster.py -c "Venice" -C "Italy" -t blueprint -d 4000 # Tokyo sprawl with Japanese ink theme (larger radius) python create_map_poster.py -c "Tokyo" -C "Japan" -t japanese_ink -d 15000
Custom Dimensions Use custom dimensions to match specific print sizes or screen resolutions. All dimensions are in inches at 300 DPI.
# Square Instagram post (3.6" × 3.6" = 1080×1080px at 300 DPI) python create_map_poster.py -c "Paris" -C "France" -W 3.6 -H 3.6 # 4K desktop wallpaper (12.8" × 7.2" = 3840×2160px) python create_map_poster.py -c "Tokyo" -C "Japan" -W 12.8 -H 7.2 # A4 print size (8.3" × 11.7") python create_map_poster.py -c "Barcelona" -C "Spain" -W 8.3 -H 11.7
Discovering Themes List all available themes with descriptions:
python create_map_poster.py --list-themes
Output example: Available Themes: ------------------------------------------------------------ noir Noir Pure black background, white roads midnight_blue Midnight Blue Navy background with gold roads terracotta Terracotta Mediterranean warmth - burnt orange and clay tones on cream
Generate All Themes at Once python create_map_poster.py -c "Paris" -C "France" --all-themes
This creates separate posters for every theme in the themes/ directory.
Output Location Posters are saved to the posters/ directory with automatic timestamping:
posters/ ├── paris_terracotta_20260118_140807.png ├── paris_noir_20260118_141032.png └── tokyo_japanese_ink_20260118_142446.png
Filename format : {city}_{theme}_{YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS}.{format}Override Center Coordinates Manually specify exact coordinates instead of geocoding:
# Central Park, NYC (latitude and longitude) python create_map_poster.py -c "New York" -C "USA" -lat 40.776676 -long -73.971321 # Supports various coordinate formats python create_map_poster.py -c "London" -C "UK" -lat "51.5074° N" -long "0.1278° W"
When using --latitude and --longitude, both must be provided together. The geocoding service is bypassed completely.
Examples by City Type Grid Pattern Cities # Manhattan's famous grid python create_map_poster.py -c "New York" -C "USA" -t noir -d 12000 # Barcelona's Eixample district python create_map_poster.py -c "Barcelona" -C "Spain" -t warm_beige -d 8000
Waterfront Cities # San Francisco peninsula python create_map_poster.py -c "San Francisco" -C "USA" -t sunset -d 10000 # Sydney harbour python create_map_poster.py -c "Sydney" -C "Australia" -t ocean -d 12000
Historic/Organic Cities # Rome's ancient streets python create_map_poster.py -c "Rome" -C "Italy" -t warm_beige -d 8000 # Marrakech medina maze python create_map_poster.py -c "Marrakech" -C "Morocco" -t terracotta -d 5000
Canal Cities # Venice canal network (small radius for detail) python create_map_poster.py -c "Venice" -C "Italy" -t blueprint -d 4000 # Amsterdam concentric canals python create_map_poster.py -c "Amsterdam" -C "Netherlands" -t ocean -d 6000
Next Steps
Command Reference Complete list of all command-line flags and options
Resolution Guide Configure dimensions for Instagram, 4K, print, and more
Distance Guide Choose the right map radius for different city types
Themes Explore all available color themes
