gridpaper

In 1794, the patenting and sale of printed graph paper with a rectangular coordinate grid demonstrated the increasing use of Cartesian coordinates.

During the 18th century, map-makers began to depict more than just geographical position on maps, leading to the invention of new graphic forms such as isolines and contours and the use of thematic mapping for physical quantities.

At the end of the century, attempts were made to use thematic mapping for geologic, economic, and medical data. Abstract graphs and graphs of functions were also introduced, along with early statistical theory and the collection of empirical data. As more data was collected, new visual forms were created to display it, and technological innovations such as colour printing and lithography facilitated the reproduction of data images. However, these new forms were mostly found in publications with limited circulation.