EASY STEPS TO BETTER MAPSDESIGN CONSIDERATIONS AND POINTERS
FOR NOVICE CARTOGRAPHERS
MIKE FOSTERDEPT. OF URBAN STUDIES AND PLANNING
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYTUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013
OUTLINE
CARTOGRAPHIC DESIGNHIERARCHYFONTCOLOR
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
CARTOGRAPHIC DESIGN
WHAT IS THE MAP’S AGENDA?ELIMINATE CHARACTERISTICS NOTRELEVANT TO THE MAP AGENDAORCHESTRATE REMAINING ELEMENTSTO BEST CONVEY THE MAP AGENDA
before you make a map...
THREE OF THE FUNDAMENTALS
123
HIERARCHY
FONT
COLOR
1 HIERARCHY
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AROUND THEMAP, AND WHAT ARE THEIR RELATIVE IMPORTANCE?
IN ALL MAPS AND GRAPHICS, SOME ELEMENTS STAND OUT, SOME FALL TO THE BACK
INTELLECTUAL HIERARCHY
KRYGIER AND WOOD, 2011
1 HIERARCHYINTELLECTUAL HIERARCHYWHERE DOES YOUR EYE GO FIRST
KRYGIER AND WOOD, 2011
1 HIERARCHY
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AROUND THEMAP, AND WHAT ARE THEIR RELATIVE IMPORTANCE?
INTELLECTUAL HIERARCHY
OLSON AND BREWER, 1997
KRYGIER AND WOOD, 2011
1 HIERARCHYVISUAL HIERARCHY
CHOOSE YOUR VISUAL HEIRARCHY THAT REFLECTSTHE INTELLECTUAL HEIRARCHY
POINT, LINE, POLYGON, TEXT, COLOR, ETC.
KRYGIER AND WOOD, 2011
1 HIERARCHYVISUAL HIERARCHY
1 HIERARCHYESTABLISHMENT OF FIGURE/GROUND
EASILY DISTINGUISH BETWEEN MAIN MAP FIGUREAND BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1 HIERARCHYESTABLISHMENT OF FIGURE/GROUND
METHODS
1 HIERARCHYBERTIN’S VISUAL VARIABLES
HOW CAN I BEST DISPLAY THE DATA ON MY MAP?
2 FONTUSE OF FONT IS IMPORTANT
IN COMMUNICATING YOUR MESSAGEMOVE BEYOND ARIAL!
2 FONTUSE OF FONT IS IMPORTANT
IN COMMUNICATING YOUR MESSAGEMOVE BEYOND ARIAL!
BUT PLEASE DON‛T USE COMIC SANS!BE CREATIVE!
2 FONTCHOOSE NO MORE THAN 2-3 FONTS
ENCODE YOUR CARTOGRAPHICMESSAGES INTO THE FONT
AT LEAST ONE SERIF FONT,AND ONE SANS SERIF FONT
2 FONT
2 FONT
WAYS YOU CAN VARY A TYPEFACE
SIZESIZE SIZE
BOLDBOLD
ITALICSITALICS
T R A C K I N GTRACKING
LEADINGLEADING
LEADING
LEADING
COLOR COLOR COLOR
2 FONT
THE CARTOGRAPHIC STANDARDS
USE SANS SERIF FOR MANMADE OBJECTSITALICIZE FOR PARKS AND POINTS OF INTEREST
USE SERIF FOR NATURAL OBJECTSITALICIZE FOR BODIES OF WATER
2 FONT
HEDBERG MAPS, 2008
2 FONTRESOURCES
www.typebrewer.comwww.typecache.com
www.typographydeconstructed.com
3 COLOR
EFFECTIVE COLOR CHOICE IS IMPORTANT THE LESS YOU USE, THE BETTER.
RULE OF THUMB:USE NO MORE THAN 6-7 DISTINCTCOLORS IN ONE MAP(VARY LIGHTNESS AND SATURATION)
AVOID OVERLY SATURATED AND BOLDCOLORS.
SCHEMESSEQUENTIALDIVERGENT
CATEGORICALCHOOSE BASEDON YOUR DATA
3 COLOR
CHOOSE COLOR BASED ONMODE OF FINAL CARTOGRAPHIC PRODUCT
CMYK FOR PRINT
RGB OR HEX FOR SCREEN
3 COLOR
CONSIDERATIONS
IMPLICATION: COLOR CANNOT BE SELECTED OUTSIDE OF CONTEXT
SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST
VISUAL ACUITY ADVANCE AND RETREAT
SUCCESSIVE CONTRAST
KRYGIER, 2013
ADVANCE AND RETREAT
3 COLOR
CARTOGRAPHIC CONVENTIONSDIFFERENT COLORS HAVE CONVENTIONAL MEANINGS
BLUE: WATER, COOL, POSITIVE, SERENITY, MELANCHOLY, ETC.GREEN: VEGETATION, LOWLANDS, FORESTS, SPRING, ETC.RED: IMPORTANT, WARM, ACTION, LIFE, FIRE, DANGER, ETC.YELLOW/TAN: DRY, HOT, INTERMEDIATE, LACK OF VEG, ETC.ORANGE: ABUNDANCE, WARNING, HARVEST, FALL, ETC.BROWN: LAND, CONTOURS, DULL, ETC.PURPLE: DIGNITY, ROYALTY, RICH, SORROW, ETC.WHITE: PURITY, CLEAN, FAITH, ETC.BLACK: MYSTERY, STRENGTH, ETC.GRAY: QUIET, SOPHISTICATED, CONTROLLED, ETC.
KRYGIER, 2013
3 COLOR
CARTOGRAPHIC CONVENTIONS
2
2
2
71
53
169
169
53
2
35
35
73
2747
3
8
4
13
133
6
6
6
38
38
46
46
1
8465
65
65
73
73
37
23
61
61
33
1
210
200
200
371
194
210
6
7
7
5
169
169
53 135
16973
65
11
1
65
4
449
44
9
37
12
15
2
2
61
12
16
110
116
24
24
23
18
1691
1
12
53
5321771
4
Orr
Ely
Cook
Buhl
Bena
Warba
Tower
Remer
Emily
Effie
BoveyZemple
Wright
Winton
Nisswa
Mizpah
Marble
CuyunaTrommaldCrosby Barnum
Aurora
Arnold
Aitkin
Thomson
ScanlonProctor
Jenkins
Hibbing GilbertEveleth
Carlton
Calumet
Biwabik
Bigfork
Babbitt
Virginia
Tamarack
Riverton
Palisade
Northome
Nashwauk
McGregor
Leonidas
Keewatin
Deerwood
Cromwell
Chisholm
Wrenshall
Longville Hill City
Floodwood
Coleraine
Brookston
Boy River
Big Falls
Squaw Lake
Silver Bay
Moose LakeLake Shore
La Prairie
Hoyt Lakes
Hackensack
Deer River
Cross Lake
Beaver Bay
Two Harbors
Meadowlands
FiftyLakes
Federal Dam
Pequot Lakes
KettleRiver
Grand Rapids
Breezy Point
MountainIron
Iron Junction
ManhattanBeach
Cloquet
CARLTONAITKIN
CROW WING
CASS
ITASCA
KOOCHICHING
ST. LOUIS
LAKE
Hermantown
SavannaStateForest
Fond du LacState Forest
Chippewa National Forest
Superior National Forest
George WashingtonState Forest
LeechLake
GullLake
Lake
WomanLake
MabelLake
PokegamaLake
DeerLake
SwanLake
LakeW innibigoshish
Big SandyLake
LakeMinnewawa
RiceLake
Mississ ipp i R iver
M
ississ
ipp i
R.
Island LakeRes.
Fish LakeRes.
W ild Rice LakeRes.
KoochichingState Forest
Pine IslandState Forest
Cloquet ValleyState Forest
Superior National Forest
Superior National Forest
Bounda ry WatersCanoe Area WildernessBounda ry Waters
Canoe Area Wilderness
WhitefaceRes.
IndianLake
SeagullLake
SawbillLake
SnowbankLake
BasswoodLake
Knife Lake
InsulaLake
SilverIsland
Lake
L a ke
S
up e rior
White IronLake
BurntsideLake
LakeLa Croix
VermillionLake
NettLake
PelicanLake
BowstringLake
SturgeonLake
Big RiceLake
SandLake
DeerLake
IslandLake
Duluth Int’lAirport
Chisholm-Hibbing Airport
Sand PointLake
BirchLakeBear Head
Lake
RoundLake
SevenBeaverLake
GreenwoodLake
Bois ForteIndian Reservation
Leech LakeIndian Reservation
Fond du LacIndian Reservation
Duluth
Tofte
Embarrass
NettLake
French River
Knife River
Isabella
Duluth
Michael Foster, University o
>50,000
10,000 – 49,999
5,000 – 9,999
1,000 – 4,999
0 – 999
Hibbing
Moose Lake
Lutsen
Lege
Virginia
Towns and Cities
3 COLOR
COLORBLIND USERS
MAPS OFTEN ENCODE IN COLOR, BE AWARE!
RED -> BLUE OR YELLOW -> BLUE ARE GENERALLY SAFERED -> GREEN IS BAD!
TEST PRINTING YOUR MAP IN GREYSCALE TO SEE IF YOU CAN STILLSEE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR MAPPED CONTENT
COLORBLIND USERS
3 COLOR
MORE CARTOGRAPHIC CONVENTIONSBostonBack Bay
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston HarborCharles River
ATLANTIC OCEAN
NEW ENGLANDUNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Wild Rice Lake
Logan Int’l AirportLeech LakeIndian Reservation
Savanna State ForestSUPERIOR NATIONAL FORESTBoundary WatersCanoe Area Wilderness
Beaver PointCAPE COD
ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONSCITIES, NEIGHBORHOODS, STATES
ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONSCITIES, NEIGHBORHOODS, STATES
WATER FEATURESRIVERS, LAKES, OCEANS
MANMADE FEATURESPOINTS OF INTEREST
NATURAL FEATURESPOINTS OF INTEREST
COMBINING FONT AND COLOR
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
THIS TEN STEP WORKFLOW WILL ALLOWFOR FULL CONTROL OVER YOUR MAP IN
ADOBE ILLUSTRATORCREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
1. Using File > Page and Print Setup, set Page Layout (Portrait, Letter Size)
2. Using Data Frame Properties, set page margins and layout
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
1. Add Data to the Layout, determine extent that covers full subject area
2. Set projection, scale, and any other map parameters
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
1. Bookmarks > Create Bookmark
2. Name it “export extent”, this will be what you export from from now on
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
1. Open Attribute Table > Select by Attributes ... Select Road Types
2. Right click on layer > Selection > Create Layer from Selected Features
3. Logically name layer “Highways, Primary Roads, etc.”, repeat
http://www.mass.gov/anf/research-and-tech/it-serv-and-support/application-serv/o�ce-of-geographic-information-massgis/datalayers/eotroads.html
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
1. Adobe will rasterize all e�ects (transparencies, etc.)
2. Remove them, we will add them back in the Graphics Software
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
1. Place your basic map elements (scale, north arrow, graticule)
2. These will transfer to Adobe as vectors we can modify
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
1. Turn o� all Raster - Export Vector to AI format
2. Turn o� all Vector - Export Raster to image format
REMEMBER: SET YOUR COLORTO CMYK FOR PRINT, AND
VECTORIZE MARKERS
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
1. Open up your �le in Adobe Illustrator
2. Remove the Clipping Masks and Ungroup all your objects
3. Place all rasters on new layer
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
1. Stylize your layers, incorporating cartographic principles
2. Label freely, and remember to keep your �le organized
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
REMOVEEFFECTS
1. If you need an additional layer, return to ArcGIS
2. Export from your bookmarked export extent, save as secondary AI �le
ARCGIS TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSET LAYOUT
EXPORT
COMPILE INAI
ADD LAYERSAS NEEDED
ADD GRIDS/SCALE/LABELS
STYLIZE
ADD DATA/PARAMETERS
CREATEBOOKMARK
SEPARATELAYERS
REMOVEEFFECTS