Maze of the Week 45 Redux - Air Force Cadet Chapel (MOTW#161)

This is one of the first mazes I made in perspective view vs. flat. It inspired me to try new ways of making future mazes. I find the architecture of this building to be wonderful. I don’t think I captured it in my initial maze and so I wanted to go back and try to improve it. Here is my original post for reference:

Maze of the Week #45 - Air Force Cadet Chapel Maze

Here are the enhancements I made to improve the maze:

1. Re-oriented the maze. I lowered the chapel on the page to show more sky.

2. Added a wall. I added some minor wall detail to the bottom of the maze so the building was no longer floating.

3. Added horizon elements. I added ground in the horizon at the back of the chapel and I added a building in the background bottom right. I also added a sky !

4. Start Goal Changed. Switched from arrows to START and GOAL written out. It fits better and looks better. Then I also changed the positions of each in the maze.

5. New Maze. As I made the changes I realized I wanted to re-do the maze - so it is completely new. In order to so this I extended various panels to create more of a grid like structure on the roof to make the maze. I also increased the pathway size through walls to make them easier to navigate.

6. New colorations. I colored the side window panels dark navy and changed the pane decoration to grey from black and white before to more accurately reflect the chapel. Changed the railing color from black to grey. And, oh yeah, I colored the entire maze !

7. Added many new details. I added new detailed inner window on front right of the church (previously this was left out). I added 3 sets of doors in front (previously shown as only blocks). I added a second hand rail on the front steps - previously I only had one set. I changed the internal panels (on the rook) from curved ends to flat ends to better reflect the actual building structure

8. Added branding. Added my branding to the bottom right corner (there was none before)

9. Title changes. Changed the font of title, reduced the size of location and added USA, while changing the color from black to white.

10. Added Shadows. A building like this has many shadows that make it more interesting so I added some.

And here is the before and after:

When you see a picture of the Chapel the white building pops against the blue sky background. I think this new version captures this. I prefer the new version by a wide margin.

Some data: The new file is 283MB from 99MB.

I will be replacing the homepage with the new maze going forward. You can find the maze download there !

If you like this type of content check out all of my case studies:

A Collection of Maze Design Case Studies to Improve your Mazes

What I've Learned Making Mazes

Happy maze-ing !

10 of the Most Frequently asked Questions about Labyrinths, with Answers

Mazes and labyrinths are often confused, but they offer vastly different experiences. While I've previously tackled common maze questions ( 10 Frequently Asked Questions About Mazes with Answers), it's time to unravel the mysteries surrounding labyrinths. Here are 10 common labyrinth questions, with answers to guide you through their winding paths and calming purpose. But before we get to the questions, here is a brief summary to give labyrinths some historical context:

Labyrinths Through the Ages

Labyrinths have captivated humans for centuries, appearing in various forms across diverse cultures. Their origins remain shrouded in mystery, but evidence suggests they date back over 4,000 years.

  • Ancient Beginnings: Early examples of labyrinthine patterns have been discovered in numerous locations, including:

    • Crete: The legendary labyrinth of King Minos, said to house the fearsome Minotaur, is perhaps the most famous example from Greek mythology.

    • Ancient Rome: Romans incorporated labyrinth designs into mosaics and architecture.

    • Scandinavia: Stone carvings and petroglyphs featuring labyrinthine forms have been found throughout the region.

    • Native American Cultures: Labyrinths hold spiritual significance in many Native American traditions, such as the Tohono O'odham and Hopi tribes.

  • Medieval Resurgence: Labyrinths experienced a revival in the Middle Ages, often appearing in cathedrals and churches. These labyrinths were frequently used for symbolic pilgrimages or meditative practices.

10 of the most frequently asked questions about labyrinths, with answers:

What is a labyrinth ?

  • A labyrinth is a single, winding path that leads to a center point and back out again. Unlike a maze, there are no dead ends or choices to make. It's a unicursal path, meaning there's only one way to go.  

How is a labyrinth different from a maze?

  • Mazes are designed to be puzzles with branching paths, dead ends, and multiple solutions, while labyrinths have a single, non-branching path with no dead ends, meant to be meditative and contemplative, not challenging. You cannot get lost in a labyrinth if you continue following the path. For a fun look at this, check out my post, Is There a Difference Between a Maze and a Labyrinth ?

Square Labyrinth vs Square Maze

Square Labyrinth vs Square Maze

Why the continued confusion between mazes and labyrinths ?

  • Simply put, many languages use one word to describe both versions. The Romance languages are a good example of this. If you translate the word maze or labyrinth from English into Italian or Portuguese they are both labirinto, Spanish would be laberinto, and French is labyrinthe. Because of this you can find many hedge mazes around the world that are called labyrinths, furthering the confusion, like the Villa Pisani Labirinto (a beautiful hedge maze) , or in the opposite direction the Man in the Maze (a Native American labyrinth type).

  • The word maze is the newer word, with Germanic roots from the 15th Century. It likely comes from the Middle English word "mase," meaning "confusion" or "delusion".

What is the purpose of a labyrinth?

  • Labyrinths have been used for centuries for various purposes, including:

    • Spiritual practice: Walking a labyrinth can be a form of meditation, prayer, or contemplation.  

    • Personal reflection: The journey to the center and back can symbolize a journey of self-discovery or problem-solving.  

    • Stress reduction: The repetitive walking pattern can be calming and help to clear the mind.  

    • Creative inspiration: The labyrinth's design can spark new ideas and perspectives.  

How do I walk a labyrinth?

  • There's no right or wrong way. You can walk at your own pace, pausing for reflection as you wish. Some people walk with a specific intention or question in mind.  There are suggestions on how to approach a labyrinth, based on the experience you seek.

    Here are some labyrinth walking tips:

  • Set an intention for your walk, such as prayer, reflection, meditation, contemplation, or openness, so you can walk with purpose.

  • Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as you will be doing a lot of walking depending on the labyrinths size.

  • Take your time and enjoy the experience. There is no need to rush through a labyrinth.

  • Be respectful of other visitors. This includes not making noise and being respectful if walking with other people.

What are the different types of labyrinths?

  • There are many different labyrinth designs, but some of the most common include:

    • Classical: The oldest and most well-known, with seven circuits.  

    • Medieval: Often found in cathedrals, with 11 circuits.  

    • Contemporary: Modern designs with varying patterns and sizes.  

  • Less common types include:

    • Man in the Maze: A symbol from the Tohono O'Odham nation. Learn details about it here, or here, and here

    • Caerdroia Labyrinth: A type of Welsh turf maze based on the Cretan labyrinth design

    • Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth: Native American Labyrinth, the “Mother and Child” symbol.

Can I create my own labyrinth?

  • Yes! You can create a temporary labyrinth with materials like stones, candles, or even tape. There are also resources available for designing and building permanent labyrinths.  

  • If you want to draw a labyrinth on a piece of paper, I have that covered for many different types in my How to Draw a Labyrinth section of the website.


What are some resources for learning more about labyrinths?

  • The Labyrinth Society - ”The Labyrinth Society is a diverse community of labyrinth enthusiasts and we welcome all who create, use, and experience labyrinths.”

  • Veriditas - Can best be described by quoting their mission from their website “Veriditas is dedicated to inspiring personal and planetary change and renewal through the labyrinth experience. We accomplish our mission by training and supporting labyrinth facilitators around the world, and offering meaningful events that promote further understanding of the labyrinth as a tool for personal and community transformation.”

  • Lauren Artress website - For coaching, workshops and classes.

What are some good books about labyrinths ?

So, after learning all this information you might want to walk a labyrinth:

Where can I find a labyrinth to walk?

  • Worldwide Labyrinth Finder is the best site to find a labyrinth near you.

  • Labyrinths can be found in a variety of settings, including: Churches and cathedrals, parks and gardens, hospitals and retreat centers, schools and universities and even some private homes.

  • I have written a series of blog posts by state highlighting some of the best public labyrinths in the US.

You May Also like:

The different types of mazes and labyrinths

How Corn Mazes are Made - A Collection of Corn Maze Videos

The Louvre Maze, Santo Domingo Maze, Pro Football HOF Maze

Maze Comic Book Cover #56 - From Dawn til Tusk

Issue #56 in my comic book cover series is called From Dawn til Tusk and features a new maze of a Walrus. The background was made using starryai.

My comic book cover mazes can be found in 2 places:

Comic Book Cover Mazes - Year 1 (Issues #1-53)

Comic Book Cover Mazes - Year 2

Walrus Maze Comic Book

This the 3rd comic book in the yearly series. I hope you enjoy them !

To receive a book of my first year of comic book book mazes (Volume 1 with mazes #1-53) you can sign up for my book alerts - any time I launch a free maze book, or paid book (on Amazon), I will send you a note about the new book launch.

Maze of the Week 3 Redux - Museum of the North (MOTW#160)

You may not know this but I have an archive of old mazes that are unlinked from the website. If you don’t know what that means - it means there is no menu option to reach the archive. It includes old pages that were not very popular on the site but still had traffic and so I keep them around. If you click on a search that includes them you can reach the archive or if I give you the link like above. Today’s maze of the Museum of the North in Alaska is part of the archive. The maze is ok. But, as I have found out, people don’t care about mazes of buildings, signs and locations unless they are famous. So I think I did a good job on it, but even if I did a great job….eh. I decided to improve it anyway. It’s good practice. I enjoy the process. This post will be read more than the maze will be sought out. Here is the original post:

Maze of the Week #3 - The University of Alaska Museum of the North

So my MOTW#3 becomes the 3rd maze of the year again 3 years later and officially MOTW #160.

Here are the enhancements I made to improve the maze:

1. Changed the Start/Goal. I changed them from arrows to an internal written Start and Goal.

2. Changed the size. I reduced the height reduced from 8 inches to 5.5 to eliminate empty space, which reduced the lawn and the sky size as a result.

3. Changed the title. The title was reduced from 42 to 28 size, which allowed me to put the title on one line. Then I added the location below.

4. Added textures. I textured the lawn, the walkway/parking lot and the background trees.

5. Added shadows. I added shadows to the front building nook, on the left side of the building, and around/onto the front windows.

6. Fixed the windows. The window panels on the front of the building were fixed (were showing incorrectly in original maze). Minor, but it needed done.

7. Changed outlines. I switched front lawn outline to none (there is no longer a black border for the lawn) and the background trees to no outline. This makes them read more green than green with black outlines.

Let’s see the before and after:

I don’t know quite how to express this, but the end result was minimal changes, but it looks so much better. It looks the same…but at the same time…..not the same at all.

Some data: The new file is 471MB from 49MB.

I will be replacing the archive with the new maze going forward. You can find the maze download there (if you can find the archive) !

If you like this type of content check out all of my case studies:

A Collection of Maze Design Case Studies to Improve your Mazes

Happy maze-ing !