Free GPS Art Generator for Real Running & Cycling Routes

Draw My Loop is a free GPS art generator that turns a shape drawn on a map into a real running or cycling route, the kind of drawing that shows up on your Strava activity or Garmin Connect summary once the run is over. You pick a heart, a cat, the first initial of whoever you're proposing to, drop it over a neighborhood, and the editor snaps each curve onto roads from OpenStreetMap. Start drawing without an account; create a free account when you export GPX. Lenny Maughan has been plotting these by hand in San Francisco since 2015. Draw My Loop brings that planning workflow into a browser tab.

Create my first GPS art

Quick answer

GPS art means planning a route that draws a recognizable shape on the map once it is recorded with a GPS watch or phone.

With Draw My Loop, draw a shape, snap it to OpenStreetMap roads, then export a GPX file compatible with Strava, Garmin and Komoot.

Free GPS Art Generator Online

Drawing, road snapping and image download are free without an account. A free Draw My Loop account is required for GPX export, saving, publishing, importing and Auto-Fit. Use the visual editor to draw GPS routes, project shapes or type text on the map.

Whether you want to make GPS art for the first time or you're an experienced GPS art maker looking for a faster tool, Draw My Loop offers everything online: a 400+ shape library, freehand drawing, image projection, elevation profiles and GPX export.

What is GPS Art?

GPS art (also known as Strava art, running art or cycling art) is the creative practice of planning a route that traces a drawing on the map when recorded with a GPS device. Runners and cyclists worldwide create hearts, animals, words and complex illustrations that appear on their activity maps, visible to everyone on platforms like Strava and Garmin Connect.

The GPS art movement started in the early 2010s with athletes manually plotting routes point by point. Today, a GPS art generator like Draw My Loop reduces that manual work: draw or project a shape and let the algorithm fit it to real streets.

Best GPS Art Ideas to Try

Hearts & Stars

The classic starting point for easy GPS art: simple geometric shapes that are recognizable even on imperfect street grids. A heart typically covers 5-10 km and makes a perfect Valentine's Day run or symbolic gift route.

Animals & Characters

Cats, dogs, birds, dinosaurs: animal GPS art is the most impressive and viral category. They require neighborhoods with varied street patterns and typically span 15-30 km. These are among the best GPS art creations shared online.

Text & Messages

Write a name, birthday message or marriage proposal on the map. Each letter spans 1-3 km depending on size. Draw My Loop's text projection tool converts your words into a GPS route automatically, one of the easiest ways to make GPS art with a personal touch.

Logos & Custom Images

Advanced GPS artists import a logo or image into Draw My Loop and project it onto the street grid. The algorithm traces the outline following real roads. This technique produces the largest and most viral GPS art seen on social media.

Real GPS art examples

These public routes show what the generator can produce on real streets: shape, distance, city, activity and a route page with GPX export.

Circle. 2026. Mixed surfaces Gravel track - Nord

Anstaing, France

Cycling118.7 kmCircle

New York Rat — @routesbykento

New York, United States

Walking38.7 kmRat

Rhyno Run 🦏

Rio de Mouro, Portugal

Walking10.0 kmRhinoceros

Explore more public examples

How to Make GPS Art in 3 Easy Steps

Draw your shape

Choose from our shape library (hearts, stars, animals, letters) or draw freehand on the map. You can also project a custom logo, type text, or import any image to trace as a GPS route.

Snap to real roads

In one click, our snapping algorithm turns your drawing into a route designed to follow real streets and paths. Review the result, terrain and local access conditions before heading out, then adjust the size or position if needed.

Export and share

Create a free account to download your route as GPX. Import it into Strava, Garmin Connect, Komoot or send it to your GPS watch. Run, ride, and admire your GPS artwork on the map!

Why Use a GPS Art Generator?

Creative motivation

Turn every workout into a creative challenge. Drawing a heart, writing a name or tracing an animal on the map gives your training a unique purpose that keeps you motivated.

Simple and fast

No technical skills needed. Our visual GPS art maker and automatic road snapping let you create GPS art in minutes, not hours. Planning GPS art has never been this easy.

Free to create

Drawing, road snapping and image download are free without an account. Create a free Draw My Loop account when you are ready to export GPX, save, publish, import or use Auto-Fit.

Compatible with All GPS Platforms

Draw My Loop exports standard GPX files compatible with the major GPS apps and watches:

GPXStravaGarminKomootSuuntoCoros

Strava: Import via Routes > Create Route > Import GPX file
Garmin Connect: Send to your watch via Training > Courses > Import
Komoot: Import via Plan a Tour > Import File
Suunto, Coros, Apple Watch (via WorkOutDoors), Polar and all GPX-compatible GPS devices

GPS art for running vs cycling

The short version: running gives you smaller, more detailed GPS art; cycling gives you bigger and smoother lines. A typical running route for GPS art sits between 5 and 15 km, which is enough to fit in quite a lot of detail (whiskers on a cat, the serif on a letter, fingers on a hand) because at running pace a single 30-metre street still reads clearly on the Strava map. Cycling routes scale up to 40 km and beyond, and since the map zooms out as the track grows, the drawing has to carry at a lower resolution. That tends to favour bolder shapes: initials, animals in profile, large geometric figures.

There's a practical side too. Drawing on bike lanes or roads that a bike can actually follow narrows the network available to the router, which is why Draw My Loop has a routing profile toggle. Switch to cycling and the algorithm stops trying to send you up pedestrian stairs or through park paths. Switch to running and the whole network opens up. The shape you sketch doesn't change; the terrain the algorithm is willing to use does.

Top cities for GPS art

Most of the viral GPS art you've seen was run in a handful of cities, and the street grid is the reason. San Francisco is the unofficial capital: partly because of Lenny Maughan, partly because orthogonal blocks laid over hills produce natural curves the router loves. Paris, especially the 9th and 11th arrondissements, works well for faces: broad boulevards become straight lines, smaller rues handle the organic curves. New York is the easiest for a first draft: the Manhattan grid means a clean rectangular shape (a star, a bowl, a letter) nearly draws itself.

Tokyo rewards patience. Outside the big avenues the alleys twist in ways that suit drawings with irregular outlines. Amsterdam's canal ring is great for single-stroke shapes that need round edges. What the less-obvious cities have in common is an asymmetry the algorithm can exploit. A purely orthogonal grid (parts of Chicago, central Barcelona) is easy for simple shapes but boring for portraits. It's worth trying the same shape in two or three neighbourhoods before committing. Our [best cities for GPS art guide](/blog/best-cities-gps-art) goes deeper with specific street-level examples.

GPS Art vs Strava Art: What's the Difference?

GPS art and Strava art describe the same creative sport. "GPS art" is the general term for any drawing made with a GPS track, while "Strava art" specifically refers to artwork shared on the Strava platform. Draw My Loop works as both a GPS art generator and a Strava art generator. Its GPX files work with Strava, Garmin Connect, Komoot, Suunto and other GPX-compatible apps.

GPS Art Generator FAQ

What exactly is GPS art?

GPS art (also called Strava art, running art or cycling art) involves following a planned route so the recorded GPS track forms a drawing on the map. It's a creative athletic practice growing worldwide. All you need is a GPS art generator and a pair of running shoes.

Why use Draw My Loop for GPS art?

Draw My Loop combines an intuitive visual editor, automatic road snapping, a 400+ shape library and GPX export. Start drawing without an account; create a free account when you export GPX.

How long is a typical GPS art route?

Simple GPS art (heart, star) is typically 5 to 15 km, perfect for beginners. More complex shapes (animals, text) can reach 20 to 40 km. The size depends on the street density in your area.

Does GPS art work outside of big cities?

Yes! Draw My Loop uses OpenStreetMap data which covers the entire world. Rural areas offer fewer routing options but allow for large-scale GPS art creations.

Is this GPS art generator really free?

Yes. Drawing, the shape library, road snapping and image download are free without an account. A free account is required for GPX export. Auto-Fit is optional and uses paid credits for automatic shape optimization.

What GPS devices and apps work with GPS art?

Any device that can import GPX files: Garmin watches (Forerunner, Fenix, Enduro), Suunto, Coros, Apple Watch (via WorkOutDoors), Polar, and apps like Strava, Komoot and Garmin Connect.

How do I plan GPS art for a specific area?

Open the Draw My Loop Studio, navigate to your neighborhood on the map, choose or draw a shape, then resize and position it over the streets you want to use. The algorithm handles the routing.

Can I make GPS art on my phone?

Yes. Draw My Loop is a web-based GPS art tool that works on any device with a browser: desktop, tablet or phone. Create your route, export the GPX and import it into your favorite GPS app.