Take an orange and draw something on it — say, a human face. Now carefully remove the peel, trying to keep it in one piece, and flatten it against your kitchen table. You'll see that in making a two-dimensional object out of a round one, something has to give. Either the face gets distorted and looks all 'mushed out,' or in flattening the peel, it breaks into segments, dividing the face as well into several parts. A cartographer chooses between a series of those kind of lesser-of-two-evils alternatives.


Robinson (1989) in Chicago Tribune; As cited in: Myrna Oliver (2004) "Arthur H. Robinson, 89; Cartographer Hailed for Map's Elliptical Design: Obituaries" in: Los Angeles Times. November 17, 2004

Arthur H. Robinson Quotes

Take an orange and draw something on it — say, a human face. Now carefully remove the peel, trying to keep it in one piece, and flatten it against...

Take an orange and draw something on it — say, a human face. Now carefully remove the peel, trying to keep it in one piece, and flatten it against...

Take an orange and draw something on it — say, a human face. Now carefully remove the peel, trying to keep it in one piece, and flatten it against...

Take an orange and draw something on it — say, a human face. Now carefully remove the peel, trying to keep it in one piece, and flatten it against...