How to Make GPS Art
The complete step-by-step tutorial for making your first GPS art. From idea to finished route in 60 minutes.
Open the PlannerWhat You Need
Making GPS art needs almost nothing. Three items and you are ready.
A smartphone or GPS watch
Any phone with GPS works. Apple Watch, Garmin, Coros, Polar, and Suunto watches all work too. The Motera app on iPhone is free and integrates with the GPS art planner.
A GPS art planner (free)
The Motera GPS art planner is free, browser-based, and requires no signup. You sketch your shape on a real map and export the route as a GPX file.
Running shoes and time
A simple GPS art route takes 30 to 60 minutes. Comfortable shoes are enough. No special gear needed.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Pick your idea
Start simple. A heart, a square, a single letter. Save complex animals and words for your second or third run. Match the idea to your fitness level (3 km for beginners, 10 km for confident runners).
Find a suitable area
Look at your city map. Grid neighborhoods are great for shapes with right angles. Diagonal streets work for X, V, and K letters. Cul-de-sacs and parks help with curves and round shapes.
Plan the route on a map
Open the Motera GPS art planner. Sketch your shape by clicking waypoints on the map. The tool snaps the line to real streets and updates the distance as you go.
Test the route in your head
Look at the route on the map. Does it look like the shape you intended? If not, drag the waypoints around until it does. Better to fix it now than during the run.
Export the GPX file
Click export. The planner downloads a GPX file. Load it into your watch (Garmin Connect, Apple Health, Coros, etc.) or your phone running app.
Run the route
Head out and start the activity in your app. Follow the route on your watch or phone. Most apps show a turn-by-turn arrow so you do not get lost. Run at any pace, GPS art does not care about speed.
Use pen lifts when needed
For shapes with disconnected strokes (the gap between two letters, the dot on an "i"), pause GPS, walk to the next start point, then resume GPS.
Upload and screenshot
After the run, upload your activity to Strava (or wherever you track runs). Open the activity, screenshot the map, and share the result.
10 Pro Tips From Experienced GPS Artists
Start bigger than you think. Small shapes get lost on a Strava map.
Run in open areas, not narrow streets with tall buildings (GPS drift ruins art).
Avoid running under heavy tree cover, dense canopy blocks GPS signal.
Charge your watch fully before complex routes. Cold weather drains GPS batteries.
Save the GPX file in two places (your watch and your phone) as a backup.
Practice the first 500 meters of the route before your final attempt.
Run early in the morning when streets are quiet and your focus is sharper.
Tell a friend your route in case you get lost. Safety first.
Carry a phone for navigation even if you have a watch loaded with the route.
Take a screenshot the moment you finish, before any sync issues happen.
Your First GPS Art in 60 Minutes
Want to make your first GPS art today? Here is the 60-minute quick start: 5 minutes to open the planner and pick a heart shape, 10 minutes to sketch it on your neighborhood map, 5 minutes to export and load the GPX, 30 minutes to run a 3 km heart, 5 minutes to upload to Strava and screenshot, 5 minutes to share. Done.
Start Your First RunOpen the Free GPS Art Planner
Plan your first GPS art route on a real city map in 5 minutes. Free, no signup, exports GPX for any device.
Open the GPS Art Planner
MoteraFrequently Asked Questions
What do I need to make GPS art?
Three things: a smartphone or GPS watch, a planning tool (the Motera GPS art planner is free), and a pair of running shoes. That is it. No special apps, no fees, no signup.
How long does it take to make my first GPS art?
About 60 to 90 minutes total. 10 minutes to pick an idea, 15 to 30 minutes to plan the route in a tool, 30 to 60 minutes to run it, then 5 minutes to upload and share.
Do I have to run the entire route in one go?
For best results, yes. Modern GPS apps record continuously, so a single uninterrupted activity gives you the cleanest art. For very long routes (10+ km), you can pause and resume but try to keep it as one activity.
How do I make sharp angles in my GPS art?
Sharp angles need sharp turns on real streets. Cities with grid layouts (NYC, Chicago) are perfect for 90-degree corners. For sharper or unusual angles, look for diagonal streets, parking lot corners, or cul-de-sacs.
What is a "pen lift" in GPS art?
A pen lift is when you pause your GPS recording so the trace does not draw a line during a connecting walk. You pause GPS, walk to the next section, then resume. It lets you draw separate strokes (like the dot on an "i" or the gaps in a snowflake).
Why does my GPS art not look like the shape I planned?
Three common reasons: GPS drift in narrow streets or under tree cover, missed turns mid-run, or planned the route too small to be readable. Solutions: run in open areas, follow your watch arrow carefully, plan bigger.
How do I share GPS art on social media?
Take a screenshot of your activity map (Strava, Garmin Connect, etc.). Post the screenshot to Instagram, Twitter, or share directly from Strava. Use hashtags #gpsart #stravaart #runart for discovery.
Can I make GPS art without a watch?
Yes. Your phone has a GPS chip that works just as well. Use a phone running app like the Motera app, Strava, or Nike Run Club. The accuracy is the same as a watch.
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