M1 - Map Design and Typography

For our first week laboratory assignment, we focused on map design principles and typography to better communicate our map to our viewers/audience. We tackled on 5 principles: visual contrast, legibility, figure-ground organization, hierarchal organization and balance. These principles provides a system to better understand each important elements or contents in a map.

Map 1 is creating a recreation center map for Travis County in the City of Austin. I used a faint gray color for the base map (grayscale) so that the study area will be the center of focus. Then for the map elements I added, north bar, scale bar, legend, and a reference map. For the north bar and scale bar I used the simplest one so that it won’t grab too much attention on the main map. It satisfies the need for informing the viewer where the north is and the scale but not too much that it overflows the design. I also added a reference map that has the same color as the main map to show where Travis County is in the City of Austin. Then for the legend, I added a white background so that it will pop out from our base map. My text information about the author, creation date, projection, sources, and disclaimer info are below the map frame. I tend to put it below the map frame, so texts aren’t so overcrowded in the map frame itself, yet it serves its purpose on providing additional information.

5 Map Design Principles

• Visual Contrast – I used a light grayscale base map to utilize other daker colors in our study/focus area. That will help the map viewer to put their center of attention to the details at Travis County. Also, I used close to reality colors for the hydrology, golf courses, and major roads. Then I chose a picture marker symbology for the recreation centers instead of just a point to create a visual separation on our map focus. It isn’t too striking yet feels warm to the viewer’s perspective.

• Legibility – I used simple sans serif and serif fonts for the titles and labels. I did separate the main title   and a subtitle about the location. I tend to add a background for the title area to which I can use a white font so that it separates that from the text information and labels in the map (usually in gray or black color).

• Figure-Ground Organization – I made sure there is a separation between my base map and my study area so it’s easy to identify the center of attention. Then for the legends I used a much darker color compared to the study area (beige color) so the points of interest are easy to identify.

• Hierarchal Organization – I combined font size and color to separate meaningful map elements to others. It’s easy to identify on what the audience need to read first (title in white with blue background) and then lead them to the map and other information text below the map frame.

• Balance – I placed the study area at the center and other map elements at the side. I was told that the north arrow can be better placed at the top and then legends and scale bar are usually at the bottom. The reference map can either be at the top or bottom, but I placed it at the bottom since there’s still a lot of space.

Map 2 is about potential timber logging areas for 2 lease areas in Tongass National Forest in Alaska. The map is created for the timber company management for their report to show areas for harvest and timber value.

5 Map Design Principles

• Visual Contrast – I used a topographic base map as our theme is related to potential logging area. And then kept the same symbology colors for lease C and D, and the protected areas. The protected areas need to remain red to show that those areas are the ones to avoid. I also added the value (in $) labels just above the lease areas with the same background color to easily identify to which it belongs to. 

• Legibility – I kept the reference texts from the base map and then kept the same fonts as Map 1. Although I added a bit of note text under the legend in italic for additional information about the lease and protected areas stating why they are protected.

• Figure-Ground Organization – I made sure there is a separation between my base map and my study area. The color scheme is quite similar, but I used a darker color than its base and then remained the protected area at a striking red. 

• Hierarchal Organization – I combined font size and color to separate meaningful map elements to others. It’s easy to identify on what the audience need to read first (title in white with blue background) and then lead them to the map and other information text below the map frame. I placed the company logo above with the title in promotion for its audience (Timber Company Management).

• Balance – I placed the study area at bit to the right so that the other map elements can be placed on the left. It then brings a right balance to the map by bringing the attention to the study area and all other information are within the same space at the left. 

Map 3 is an overview map of San Francisco that introduces us to make use of different label placements.

Typography (text size, font, placements, effects, etc.)

• General – I used the populated place (capital) label scheme in ArcGIS Pro for San Francisco in all uppercase letters so that it brings focus to the San Francisco shoreline area. And then used the same label scheme but in normal case letters that isn’t too striking versus San Francisco yet still readable.

• Water Features – I used the water scheme label available in ArcGIS Pro and then curved the text a bit for San Francisco Bay.  This helped lessen the light blue space for our map. Then instead of overlaying the Lake Merced label I added an arrow so that it isn’t overlapping some of the features in the San Francisco shoreline area.

• Park Names – I used the point of interest label scheme for park names with halo different from the general names. Also, I made sure that they are smaller than the general names to provide hierarchal organization to it.

• Landmarks – I used the same label scheme as park names but used a yellow color and bold text for the name to bring hierarchy amongst park names as it is I higher point of interest in this map.

• Topographic Features – I used a similar POI (point of interest) label scheme with the park names but in a different color and halo. Park names are in gray halo and white text while topographic features are in gray text and white halo. I also increased the letter spacing as it represents a bit of a larger green area within San Miguel Hills and Twin Peaks. It helps to cover a large area while using a smaller font.

Map 4 and 5 shows the map of Mexico that combines both typography and design. It started with how to place simple river names and then ended with multiple map layers (capital, cities, state names). It helps us to create an hierarchal organization of labels according to prioritization in a map.

For the Rivers in Mexico map, I kept it simple on using the blue rivers color in the symbology options and then using the river label scheme with white halo on top of the river lines. I used the option river label placement where the text follows the waterway line. I also made sure to remove duplicate names as it tends to duplicate every certain distance. This can also be adjusted for other types of waterways that are usually longer or bigger in picture.

Then I added country names and writing a SQL code that excludes Mexico from other countries as it is our focus area. I made other countries in faint gray in sans serif font and Mexico in a boundary label scheme (black with white halo and serif font).

These maps are usually the hardest to design but I applied the same typography scheme we use for our organization based on UN map format. I made Mexico City using a star label in red with a darker POI label scheme compared to other cities. Then instead of using stars for other cities I kept it as points but in the same red color with POI label scheme 75% gray with white halo. The river labels are kept as in Map 4 and then I added boundary state names in Sans Serif to identify them differently with POIs. Lastly, to keep it from overcrowding I removed the Mexico country name as it already states in our title and boundaries colored differently from other neighboring countries. But I kept the neighboring country names as in Map 4.