Mapping Principles: Making Your Map Look Good! 2006 MAGIC Symposium Kansas City, Mo April 23-27, 2006

1. Mapping Principles:Making Your Map Look Good!2006 MAGIC SymposiumKansas City, MoApril 23-27, 2006 Micah CutlerGIS CoordinatorHarrison CountyLogan, Iowa

2. Overview • Elements of a Map • Map Design Considerations • Map Symbols • Principles of Color • Text Placement

3. Beginning the Design Process When making a map, consider the following questions: • What elements need to be included on a map? • How should those elements look? • How should they be arranged?

4. TALDOGS T - Title A - Author L - Legend D - Date O - Orientation G - Grid S - Scale This acronym will help you remember what to include on a map. Source: South Carolina Geographic Alliance

5. TALDOGS T = Title • On a cadastral or road map, it is most likely the name of the county or area. • On a thematic map, such as house values, it should include the name of the area and the main subject of the map. Ex: Eagle Ridge Subdivision 2003 Parcel Land Values

6. TALDOGS A = Author • The organization or person who made the map. • This also include the source of the data if it is different that the person who created it. Examples: Prepared by: Harrison County GIS 712-644-1324 gis@harrisoncountyia.org Data compiled by the Harrison County Assessor’s Office. Prepared by: Harrison County GIS 712-644-1324 gis@harrisoncountyia.org

7. TALDOGS L = Legend • Explains the symbols used on the map. • Clear and easily readable. • Symbols should try and be the same size as they are on the map. Examples:

8. TALDOGS D = Date • Always include when the map was created or the date of the original data. • I include a printed date and the date of the aerial photography, if appears on the map. Examples: Printed: 8 JUNE 2004 Digital Orthophotography flown on March 1, 2000. IMPORTANT NOTICE All data posted is certified as of January 1, 2003

9. TALDOGS O = Orientation • Generally maps are drawn with North towards the top of the map and South towards the bottom. • Very localized maps such as those for shopping malls or parks are often oriented around the main point of entry. • Include a north arrow, even if it seems obvious – there are a lot of poor map readers out there! Examples:

10. TALDOGS G = Grid • This is the most difficult at the county level. • Includes latitude/longitude; A-1, B-3 type grid, etc. • My personal opinion: the township and range/section boundaries provide a location grid. • Many software programs will automatically put on a latitude/longitude grid. • A “location map” (overview map) also works well.

11. TALDOGS Overview Map • The overview map helps the map reader know where in the county he or she is examining.

12. TALDOGS S = Scale • A map's scale is a ratio that relates a unit of measure on a map to some number of the same units of measure on the earth's surface.

13. TALDOGS S = Scale • The larger the number, the smaller the scale. • A map of an area 100 miles long by 100 miles wide drawn at a scale of 1:63,360 would be more than 8 feet square. To make the map a more convenient size, either the scale used or the area covered must be reduced.

14. Disclaimers • It’s always a good idea to include a disclaimer on your map. This one should look familiar: • The Data is provided “as is” without warranty or any representation of accuracy, timeliness or completeness. The burden for determining accuracy, completeness, timeliness , merchantability and fitness for or the appropriateness for use rests solely on the requester. Harrison County makes nor warranties, express or implied, as to the use of the Data. There are no implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The requester acknowledges and accepts the limitations of the Data, including the fact that the Data is dynamic and is in a constant state of maintenance, correction and update.

15. Putting it Together • Now that you know what should go on a map, it’s time to arrange the individual elements. • This is like decorating, there are some general “rules”, but it all comes down to personal taste.

16. Map Aesthetics “The quality of a map is also in part an aesthetic matter. Maps should have harmony within themselves. An ugly map, with crude colors, careless line work, and disagreeable, poorly arranged lettering may be intrinsically as accurate as a beautiful map, but it is less likely to inspire confidence.” -John K. Wright, “Map Makers Are Human,” Geographical Review 32 (1944); 527-44.

17. 5 Principles of Map Design • CONCEPT BEFORE COMPILATION - Once concept is understood, no design or content feature will be included which does not fit it. • HIERARCHY WITH HARMONY - Important things must look important, and the most important thing should look the most important. Harmony is subliminal. • SIMPLICITY FROM SACRIFICE – It’s not what you put in that makes a great map but what you take out. The map design stage is complete when you can take nothing else out. • MAXIMUM INFORMATION AT MINIMUM COST - How much information can be gained from this map, at a glance. • ENGAGE THE EMOTION TO ENGAGE THE UNDERSTANDING - Only when the reader engages the emotion, the desire, will they be receptive to the map's message. We are not just prettying maps up. The philosophy is simple, beauty (aesthetics) focuses the attention. Focusing the attention is the purpose of map design! - Society of Cartographers

18. So What is a Good Map? • To really focus, you need to ask yourself these questions: • What is the goal of the map? • Who will read the map? • Where will the map be used? • What data is available for the composition of the map? • What resources are available in terms of both time and equipment?

19. Map Composition Good map composition should: • Stress the purpose of the map. • Direct the map reader’s attention. • Coordinate the base and thematic elements of the map. • Maintain good cartographic conventions (TALDOGS). • COMMUNICATE.

20. Simplify or Detail? … depends on the scale and size of the final product.

21. Design Considerations • Visual Balance – use the natural shape of your county or region. • Look for “white space” that allows for text placement.

22. Figure and Ground Organization • People tend to organize the visual field into: • Figures – important objects • Grounds – things less important • Use contrast distinguish important from unimportant parts.

23. Contrast • Lines – labels, borders, neatlines, political boundaries, symbols, etc. • Line character – type and color • Line weight – thickness • Texture or pattern • Color • Visual acuity (measures the size threshold at which the eye can distinguish or read) • Don’t want symbols and text too small or too big

24. Text Contrast • Masking text and symbols works well for giving “importance” and clarity. • Notice the text “Woodbine” and road names.

25. Contrast • The shading for water along the coastline provides nice contrast to the land. • Also notice that the text label for the water is italicized.

26. Hierarchy • Contrast, shading, color, and text masking are all techniques used to create hierarchy. • The focus or most important part of the map “jumps” out at you first.

27. Map Symbols • Take time to research commonly-used symbols and conventions. • Use line weights and colors to make your symbols stand out.

28. Map Symbols in ESRI Software • ESRI software comes with tons of symbols for lines, points, and polygons. • Often these symbols can be modified slightly to get the exact look you are after.

29. Why Use Color? • Color simplifies and clarifies, as well as unifies various map elements. • Color affects the general perceptibility of the map. • Color elicits subjective reactions to the map. People respond to colors; it creates mood.

30. Color Wheel • Many believe that providing complementary colors in a composition establishes stability. • Complementary colors are opposite on the color wheel.

31. Color Balance • Use color balance so that dominant colors occupying large areas do not overpower the remainder of the map. • Since areas are fixed in geography, only choice of color is possible when planning balance. • Remember – what is pleasant to one map reader may not be pleasant to another.

32. Map Lettering • Map lettering should be viewed first as a functional symbol, only secondarily as an aesthetic object. • Need to consider: • Selection of lettering type • Placement on map

33. Choosing Text Style • When considering text styles, keep the following points in mind: • Legibility of individual letters (don’t want to confuse c and e or i and j). • Avoid extremely bold forms. • Don’t use decorative typefaces – too difficult to read. This would not be a good choice. Neither would this.

34. Point Label Placement • Chart at the right shows the preferred order of text placement around a point. • Text should be horizontal if possible. • Town names should be located on the side of the river on which the town is located.

35. Examples of Point Label Placements

36. Linear Feature Label Placement • Linear features: rivers, streams, roads, railroads, paths, airlines, etc. • Repeat as often as necessary to facilitate its identification. • Ideal location is along a horizontal stretch. • Prefer italicized labels for hydrology features.

37. Labeling vs. Annotation • Annotation – MUCH higher time investment, but can be used repeatedly • Labeling – useful when printing one-use maps at many different scales

38. Areal Features Label Placement • Ideally, put the label entirely inside the polygon feature. • Don’t hyphenate names. • If lettering is not horizontal, make sure it deviates significantly, so that its placement won’t look like a mistake. • Never position text so that parts are upside down.

39. Areal Features Label Placement

40. Title and Legend Text • Titles are generally most important – largest type size. • May position title or title boxes overlapping other features. • Legend materials medium – reflect their position in the hierarchy. • Map sources, notes, etc. in the smallest type size.

41. Title Placement

42. What I’d like you to remember… • TALDOGS • Know your audience/purpose • Examine “good maps” and adopt/ adapt similar colors, layouts, etc. • Good map design takes practice and lots of revisions • Map design is subjective – but we know ugly maps when we see them

43. Questions? Comments? Opinions?Thank you! Micah CutlerGIS Coordinator Harrison County, Iowa 712-644-1324 gis@harrisoncountyia.org This presentation can be found at http://igic.gis.iastate.edu/resources/aboutGIS/ Keywords: cartography, presentation