Map Design

Dr. Hans van der Kwast & Jonne Kleijer

OpenCourseWare

ocw.unesco-ihe.org

Learning objectives

• After this course you will be able to:

• Design maps using GIS

• Choose the appropriate legends

• Choose the appropriate file type, resolution and compression method for maps

• Use the Styled Layer Descriptor (SLD) standard

Introduction

• Maps are an important output from GIS analysis.

• Hardcopy paper maps

• Presentations

• Web (static, dynamic)

3

Map making in GIS

Desktop GIS software:

• Map canvas for GIS analysis

• Map composer for Map design

4

Which map elements?

Mandatory:

• Title

• Legend

• Scalebar / Graticule

• North arrow

5

Optional:

• Acknowledgments

• Name of the map projection

• Logo

• Grid

6

Legend

• Real objects Map symbols

• Legend = Key to used symbols

• Intuitive colours and symbols

• Units (m)

• PROGRAM DEFAULTS ARE ALWAYS WRONG!

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Point symbology

8

Point symbology

9

Size vs Shape

Lines & Polygons

10

Lines Polygons

Lines & Polygons

• Pipeline (Water)

• Buildings

• Park/Forrest

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Continuous raster

• Ramps

12

Continuous raster

HOT COLD

BAD GOOD

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Continuous raster

What is high?

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Discrete raster

• Random colours

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North arrow

• Symbols shows map direction

• Rotated maps

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Scale

Words:

Ratio:

Scale bar:

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Inset / Overview map

To give detail to map

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To give

overview

Font

19

Map design

To begin with...

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Map design

21

Neat lines

• Make a map more neat

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Balance

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Formats

GIS map

Screen

VectorGIF

PNG

RasterJPG

PNG

PaperVector

EPS

SVG

PDF

Raster TIFF

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100 dpi

> 600 dpi

Examples

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How are styles stored?

• Raster and vector files don’t contain styles. They are storedin separate files:

• ArcGIS Layer file (.lyr)

• QGIS Layer Style File (.qml)

• These formats are not standards and therefore notcompatible

• The OGC standard for styling of GIS data: Styled LayerDescriptor (SLD)

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Styled Layer Descriptor (SLD)

• A Styled Layer Descriptor (SLD) is an XML schema specified by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) for describing the appearance of map layers (both vector and raster)

• SLDs are used in GeoServer to style WMS/WFS/WCS layers

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Create SLD files

1. Style layer in QGIS

• Vector:

−add style

−save style as .sld file

• Raster:

−add style

−use SLD4raster plugin to save style as .sld file or to directlyupload to GeoServer

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Add SLD to online layers

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