Post on 14-Dec-2015
Geography 59Synthesizing ideas
Guides available on class siteMap Critique Exercise (in-class) Work on Lab 5 (if time remains)
June 7, 2007
Types of maps covered
● Reference Maps– Scientific publications (regions)– Navigation– Roadmaps
● Thematic Maps– Choropleth Map– Dasymetric Map– Dot Map– Proportional Symbol Maps
Reference Maps
● Day-to-day usage● Not data intensitive● May be produced in drawing programs● Best with reliable basemap (not a derived
basemap)● Sometimes it is hard to get a basemap● Case-by-case exceptions are ok.
Thematic Maps: Choropleth
Thematic Maps: Dasymetric
Thematic Maps: Dot Map
Dr. John Snow's Cholera Map (1854)Dot rep. disease occurrenceX rep water pump Above: Cropland harvested (1949)
Below: Cell phone tower placement
Thematic Maps: Proportional Symbol Maps
Thematic Maps: Flow Map
Illustratrates movement, flow, load – this shows telecommunication patterns
Map Elements - Review
● Neatline/Frameline – same or separate?● Title, Sub-title – Think about type placement.● Legend/Key to symbols – when is it important?● Scale – do you always need this?● Orientation (North Arrow)● Source of data (if needed)● Accompanying text – do you need it? Time?● Author, Date prepared
Map Element Hierarchy
IVOther important map elements
5
IIIMap feature: water4
II-IIIExplanatory information
3-4
IIMain feature: land2
ITitle, legend, labels, symbols
I
IThematic SymbolsI
Visual LevelObjectIntellectual Level
Map Symbols
● Pictographic (may be representative)– Medical Facilties – Restroom is shown by Man/Woman sign
Map Symbols
● Geometric Symbols– Circles, stars, other basic shapes– Not representational– May be varied in space (3D maps), location, size,
spacing, shade, texture to express different ideas● Symbols may be varied in size
– City size/categories– Proportional symbol maps – built-in variation
Map Aesthetics
Map Aesthetics
Maps should have “harmony” within themselves. An ugly map might be accurate, but is less likely to inspire confidence.
-- John K. Wright, a noted map critic
• “Harmony”
• Composition
• Clarity
Visual Elements• Balance among
elements - where is the center of the page
• Contrast among elements– Lines– Textures– Value– Color– Details
Reader’s Eye-Movement (that’s not their eye! Right-to-left languages are NOT included)
focus
field
fringe
Arrange elements accordingly
See course web site
● Tips on type placement (as per last week)● Tips on acheiving ● Tips on constrast (Illustrator how-to)● Figure-ground relationship - huh?
Figure-Ground relationship
● FIGURE: The part of the map to which we pay attention. The subject matter, the features to which viewers must notice
● GROUND: What is not figure is ground.
Example: City blocks are the figure
See examples provided earlier in the quarter (also available on the class site)
Colors
Basic ideas:● Representative colors● Data type (e.g. binary)● Sequential data (gradients)● Relate trend to color if possible (numbers)
Other thoughts on color
● Colorblind users– Use tools (ColorBrewer, on class site) to help
determine what colors are ok for colorblink users● Elderly users● Culturally sensitive colors (offensive, biased?)
Typefaces
–Placement of lettering• Try to achieve “harmony”: use minimal
variation in type, clean appearance
• Focus on legibility
Type rules: point features
Type rules: line features
● Avoid upside-down type
● Avoid stretching out too much
● Place text from bottom-to-top, but first try to place horizontally to ease reading
Type rules: use this when in doubt