Map Composition

1
Map Composition
2
The Cartographic Process
3
Making Good Maps

• Is a creative process to show the maps purpose
  or objective
• Map maker must develop skills to best demostrate
  spatial data and their relationships well
• Good maps communicate bad maps only confuse

4
Seven components in making good maps

• Purpose
• Reality
• Data
• Map Scale
• Audience
• Media (paper, digital etc.)
• Limitations (size of paper, screen resolution,
  color or black and white etc.)

5

• Map design must consider the following
• issues for effective communication
• Clarity and Legibility
• Clearly delineated symbols
• Readable sizes
• Proper spacing between elements
• Hierarchical Structure
• Differentiate between broad classes or types
• Within class variations expressed by symbol
  size or pattern
• Across class variation expressed by symbol type
  or color
• Figure and Ground
• Distinguish foreground from background
• Emphasize major features

6

• Map design must consider the following
• issues for effective communication
• Color and Pattern
• Use color and pattern to distinguish symbols
• Use conventions (blue water, green
  vegetation)
• Visual Contrast and Balance
• Achieve symbol contrast through sharpness
• Ensure proper balance with relative symbol
  weight
• Balance map components in space
• Typography
• Clear, simple text style
• Hierarchical structure using capitals, size or
  font
• Proper text placement

7
All Good Maps Should Have

• 1. Map Body
• 2. Inset or Overview Map
• 3. Title and Subtitles
• 4. Legend defining all symbols
• 5. Scale Bar or text
• 6. Direction Indicator
• 7. Map Metadata

8
Conclusion

• Map composition is a creative and technical
  process
• Anyone can make a map, but good map making
  requires expert knowledge in the fields of
  geodesy, graphic design, typography, computer
  technology, databases, statistics etc.
• Excellent maps are the product of many hours of
  labor that at the highest level are art
  outlasting the currency of the data
• The goal of all cartographers is to produce
  excellent maps and utimately a superior map
  (unfortunately true cartographers are becoming
  rare).