Map Composition & Module 8

1. Map Composition &Module 8 OR Making a Cool map

2. Steps to Creating a Map • Define the Purpose of the map • Audience? Professionals? Lay public? • How will map be used? • Restate into a design problem • Visualize the map • Design solution - arrangement of map’s image elements to facilitate communication • Sort of an outline • Graphic design esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

3. Map Elements used in design • Main map • Smaller scale inset maps showing location • Larger scale inset maps showing detail • Title of the map (usually prominent) • Subtitles • Legend • Scale • North Arrow esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

4. Map Elements used in design • Graticule • Various text (notes, metadata, etc.) • Borders and neatlines • Symbols • Place names and labels • Photographs, Graphics • Mapped and unmapped areas (white space) DEMO esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

5. The elements one-by-one • Title • Draws attention by virtue of its size (big!) • Focuses attention on primary purpose of content of map • Not always needed • Legend • Principle reference to symbology • MUST be there esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

6. The elements one-by-one • Scale • A MUST! • Types • graphic -- the scalebar • verbal -- 1” = 1 mile (watch this one) • a ratio 1/24,000 (this one too) • Because of ubiquitous nature of Xerox machines the graphic scale is a must, the others are optional esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

7. The elements one-by-one If nothing else these indicate …Accuracy! • Scale • A MUST! • Types • graphic -- the scalebar • verbal -- 1” = 1 mile (watch this one) • a ratio 1/24,000 (this one too) • Because of ubiquitous nature of Xerox machines the graphic scale is a must, the others are optional esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

8. The elements one-by-one • Credits • another, older, term for metadata • Some metadata can be placed on map • Data source • Statement of accuracy, both spatial and attribute • Date data collected, date map made • Your name, assignment # etc… esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

9. The elements one-by-one • Credits • another, older, term for metadata • Some metadata can be placed on map • Data source • Statement of accuracy, both spatial and attribute • Date data collected, date map made • Your name, assignment # etc… esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

10. The elements one-by-one • Mapped and unmapped areas • Objects, land, water, and other geographical features important to the purpose of the map • makes the composition a map rather than a diagram • The most prominent map element • Graticule & Grids • Graticule – geographic coordinates esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

11. The elements one-by-one • Borders and neatlines • Borders serve to restrain eye movement and focus attention on the map. A Border surrounds all the elements of a map. • A fill color can substitue for a border • Neatlines are: • finer than borders • drawn inside borders • mainly decoration • Used to highlight objects (like legends) and to help balance a map esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

12. Examples esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

13. Composition • You have all the data • You have the symbolization plan • Now you have to visualize the map • A creative process • Trial and error process • Where to put borders, neatlines • What style of borders, neatlines • Where does the legend go? • The title • And so on esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

14. Composition • How does the eye traverse the map • Balance of map – will it fall over? • Organization of map elements • Where is important stuff? • Division of space for interest • White space • Borders & neatlines • Text • Color esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

15. Movement of reader’s eye - upper left to lower right Field Focus esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

16. Visual center: 5% of total height aboveGeometric center -- Arrange content around this point Geometric center Composition: Planar Organization • Balance • visual impact of arrangement • is the map “heavy” at top, bottom, sides??? esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

17. Balance: Visual weight • Depends on location • obj weight increases with distance from center • obj at top are heavier than those at bottom • obj on right are heavier than those on left • Depends on size (Duh!) • Depends on color, interest, and isolation • Red>Blue, Bright>dark • complex > simple • isolated > groups • For Example … esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

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19. Which is better balanced? esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

20. Using Eye Movement Eye goes left to right Generally you want the reader to see the map BEFORE seeing the legend – can’t always do it esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

21. Unequal divisions of space more interesting than equal divisions esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

22. St. Louis too far from visual center, balance not bad, however • Hard to read name Better, but a heavy on right Balance with legend etc. esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

23. Location of St, Louis Legend -adf asdf adfafffdsf esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

24. Location of St, Louis Don’t really need since countries are labeled esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

25. Size / white space problems Is this a better balanced map? esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

26. Location of St, Louis Location of St, Louis Legend -adf asdf adfafffdsf Legend -adf asdf adfafffdsf Borders or Not • A dark fill works better than a light fill in establishing a border esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

27. Location of St, Louis Location of St, Louis Legend -adf asdf adfafffdsf Legend -adf asdf adfafffdsf Borders or Not • A dark fill works better than a light fill in establishing a border esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

28. Text • No more than two fonts • Serif text, Sans Serif text • In each use the following to define hierarchy • Normal. italic, bold, spacing, color • UPPER and lower case • ALL UPPER CASE IS HARD TO READ • No fancy fonts • Big print for important stuff • Little print for not so important stuff esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

29. Using Color • Color is complex and tricky • There are definite color preferences • There are definite color combination preferences • There are standard color codes (like for planning) • The map should NOT be garish! esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

30. So • Creating maps is a creating a document for a specific purpose -- to communicate something to the reader • It is an iterative process • There are some basic rules or guides that can be used – described above an in the on-line course module. esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

31. Summary of Guidelines • Map layout – where are the pieces going to go – major pieces – visual center – eye path – uneven juxtaposition of parts • The map area and what’s in it • Legend placement (usually to right of map) • Scale bar, North Arrow • Balance • White space • Map Title – Large – may not be needed esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

32. Summary of Guidelines • Credits (Metadata) usually present • For FOR357/557- Author’s name, Exercise #, & date! • Borders and neatlines. • Border around ALL map pieces or solid fill • Neatlines (or fill) around (in) various pieces • Color – tricky – but not garish! esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

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35. State & Cnty Highways Hydrology Lewis County Hydrology By Eustis B. Nifkin , Inc. Syracuse NY 10/10/05 esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

36. State & Cnty Highways Hydrology Lewis County Hydrology This map illustrates the a;dj;fa a;dljf a;dlfj aljdf a;sdf asdjf a;sdufdafdsf paseuef a;df;a ap[ef a;sduf asdfo aosdf [asdfi asdoif a[dsf [asdifdfi asdifd asdf By Eustis B. Nifkin , Inc. Syracuse NY 10/10/05 esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

37. Things I discovered • The next maps you see took several hours for the basic map • A really good map takes time • Turning on labels is ok but you have no control (or limited control) • Convert to annotation allows individual manipulation of the labels esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

38. The basic map as it appears in map view • Questions • Legend • Title • N arrow • Scale bar • Metadata • Neatlines • Lewis is a bad shape because of upper left esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

39. Making a map • The basic map w/ title and N arrow • Where’s the edge? • It was saved as Transparent esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

40. Making a map • The basic map w/ title and N arrow • Where’s the edge? • It was saved as Transparent esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

41. Making a map • Added more stuff but background is still transparent • Balance does not look too bad esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

42. Making a map • Oops! • Put in neatline around map • In properties set fill color to yellow • And where did the second scale come from? esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

43. Making a map • Oops! • Graphic problem • Clicked on yellow and got this • Clicked on “Send to back” and …… esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

44. Making a map • Better • But kind of garish • But • Balance good • Not too much yellow space for 8.5x11 esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

45. Making a map • Aaah • Better • Still don’t like the hole where the N arrow is • Could put a legend there but this map does not need a legend esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

46. Making a map • Here is another approach • Landscape • Harder to do because map has to be smaller • So • Added more text • Added a highway legend after classifying the highways • Ech esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

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49. But maybe this, a simple white or no fill is better after all esf Laboratory for Applied GIS

50. Booby Trap • When you make scale bar it is grayed out? • Why? • You didn’t set map and distance units • If there are no map units then ArcGIS has no idea what they are probably no metadata • If map units are m and you don’t want scale bar in meters then you have to set the distance units • Where? esf Laboratory for Applied GIS