Designing Maps to Maximize Impact

Transcription

1 Designing Maps to Maximize Impact Kim Sowder Indiana Geological Survey Workshop Indiana GIS Conference March 7, 2006 Topics to be Covered Designing for purpose and medium Layout planning and linking to map purpose Fonts, colors, and other endless choices Exporting Design - What to Consider Audience Resolution Distance Color Thematic representation 1

2 Audience Who are they? How much time do they have to look at it? What is their level of expertise? Could the viewer have physical limitations? How will they be viewing it? Will someone be there to explain it? 2

3 Resolution and Viewing Distance What products do You create? Relative Resolution Computer monitors are typically 72 or 96 dpi Television is lower res than computer monitors Laserprinters can be dpi Offset presses can reproduce up to 12,000 dpi More is not necessarily better Color Test on final display media if possible Color is not WYSIWYG between monitors and output devices What happens if it gets photocopied? 3

4 Color In Depth RGB CMYK HSV Black-and-white Color ramping Color blindness RGB Projected light Additive Values Color system on monitors and human eye CMYK Inks Subtractive Values Used for offset printing Predictable results 4

5 HSV Color-based Values Commonly used by artists More about Color Select colors to emphasize your data Grayscale Limit single-color ramps Using multiple-color ramps Color blindness 5

6 Sequential Diverging Qualitative 6

7 More about Color Select colors to emphasize your data Grayscale Limit single-color ramps Using multiple-color ramps Color blindness More about Color Select colors to emphasize your data Grayscale Limits of single-color ramps Using multiple-color ramps Color blindness 7

8 More about Color Select colors to emphasize your data Grayscale Limit single-color ramps Using multiple-color ramps Color blindness 8

9 More about Color Select colors to emphasize your data Grayscale Limit single-color ramps Using multiple-color ramps Color blindness Red-blue Red-purple Orange-blue Orange-purple Brown-blue Brown-purple yellow-blue Yellow-purple Yellow-gray Blue-gray 9

10 From Designing Better Maps by Cynthia A. Brewer Fonts Serif - Sans Serif Free vs. Licensed How many is too many? m m 10

11 Fonts Serif - Sans Serif Free vs. Licensed How many is too many? Fonts Serif - Sans Serif Free vs. Licensed How many is too many? Maps Maps Maps Maps Maps Maps Maps Maps Text Size Angled or curved Halos and shadows Callouts size does matter 14pt size does matter 16 pt size does matter 18 pt size does matter 20 pt size does matter 24 pt size does matter 28 pt size does matter 32 pt size does matter - 9pt size does matter -10pt size does matter 12pt 11

12 Text Size Angled or curved Halos and shadows Callouts Text Indianapolis Indianapolis Size Angled or curved Halos and shadows Callouts Indianapolis Indianapolis 12

13 Text Size Angled or curved Halos and shadows Callouts Magnitude

14 Text Placement Placement Tips Don t rotate labels beyond 90 degrees Break lines for labels Place labels on the same side Move labels if possible to avoid other lines Place line labels above linear features 14

15 Text Is Our Friend Helps categorize features Helps establish visual hierarchies Make the Layout Fit the Purpose Visual hierarchy of elements Special effects Projections Thematic representation 15

16 Make the Layout Fit the Purpose Visual hierarchy of elements Special effects Projections Thematic representation 16

17 Make the Layout Fit the Purpose Visual hierarchy of elements Special effects Projections Thematic representation 17

18 Make the Layout Fit the Purpose Visual hierarchy of elements Special effects Projections Thematic representation Thematic Representation Is the data clear? Would another method work better? Take advantage of GIS 18

19 118,638 65,669 19

20 BREAK! Layout Empty spaces Supporting elements Proximity Experiment Margins 20

21 Layout Empty spaces Supporting elements Proximity Experiment Margins 21

22 Layout Empty spaces Supporting elements Proximity Experiment Margins 22

23 Layout Empty spaces Supporting elements Proximity Experiment Margins Layout Empty spaces Supporting elements Proximity Experiment Margins 23

24 How do you know when it s Just Right? Web Generally the least detailed Low resolution Use fairly large text sizes Use heavier line weights Monitors can change appearance of color Keep explanations simple Scale bars are large in size Test, test, test! 24

25 MultiMap.com Yahoo! Maps PowerPoint Generally not highly detailed Text sizes onscreen minimum 14pt. Use heavier line weights Projectors can wash out colors Keep explanations simple Supporting elements - large enough to be legible 25

26 Poster Can be fairly detailed maps Text sizes minimum 14pt. Use line weights mm and above Explanations can be detailed but limited Select colors that can be distinguished from a distance Supporting elements arranged for clarity 26

27 Publication Highly detailed maps Text sizes minimum 6pt. Line weights can be as fine as inches Explanations can be very detailed Colors should be selected for final output Supporting elements arranged for clarity 27

28 Exporting Quality File size Editability Exporting Exporting - Raster Pixel-based Stores an image of the map Editable only at the pixel level Options on resolution (dpi) 28

29 Exporting - Raster Pixel-based Stores an image of the map Editable only at the pixel level Options on resolution (dpi) 96 dpi 29

30 400 dpi File extension.bmp.eps.gif.jpeg.jpg.png.tiff.tif Raster / vector raster raster / vector raster raster raster raster Proper name Windows Bitmap Encapsulated PostScript Graphics Interchange Format Joint Photographic Experts Group Portable Network Graphics Tagged Image File Format Description Commonly used by Microsoft Windows programs, and the Windows operating system itself. Lossless compression can be specified, but some programs use only uncompressed files. A PostScript file that describes a small vector graphic, as opposed to a whole page or set of pages. GIF is used extensively on the web. Supports only 255 colors per frame, so requires lossy quantization for full-color photos (dithering. JPEG is used extensively for photos and other continuous tone images on the web. Uses lossy compression by trying to equalize eight by eight pixel blocks; the quality can vary greatly depending on the compression settings. PNG is an image format with lossless compression, offering bit depths from 1 to 48. It was mainly designed to replace the use of GIF on the web. TIFF is used extensively for traditional print graphics. Lossy and lossless compression available, but many programs only support a subset of available options. Exporting - Vector Separate objects Stored as mathematical algorithms Editable Degree of editability varies 30

31 File extension Raster / vector Proper name Description.ai vector Adobe Illustrator Document Vector format for Adobe Illustrator..emf vector Windows Enhanced Metafile A enhanced version of Windows Metafile. Supported in Windows NT and later..svg.svgz vector Scalable Vector Graphics An XML based vector graphics format, as defined by the World Wide Web Consortium for use in web browsers..eps raster / vector Encapsulated PostScript A PostScript file that describes a small vector graphic, as opposed to a whole page or set of pages..pdf raster / vector Portable Document Format A page description language (loosely based on Postscript, but not a programming language), which allows for files containing multiple pages and links. Works with Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe ebook Reader, or third-party compatible software. From Designing Better Maps by Cynthia A. Brewer 31

32 Templates ArcGIS recognizes templates Create your own Saves time Streamlines layout Provides expected results 32

33 Random Thoughts Look at what others do good AND bad Research existing standards Boomers References Designing Better Maps A Guide for GIS Users by Cynthia A. Brewer (ESRI Press) USGS Style Guide (version 1.4) Elements of Cartography (Sixth Ed.) by Arthur H. Robinson, Joel L. Morrison, Phillip C. Muehrcke, A. Jon Kimerling, and Stephen C. Guptill (John Wiley and Sons, Inc.) Public review draft: digital cartographic standard for geologic map symbolization by US Geological Survey, Open-file Report < 33

34 Kim Sowder Indiana Geological Survey 34