week 05: design

introduction to geospatial humanities •  CLS-0125 • tufts university • prof. ian spangler

which one of these

do you prefer?

map 1

map 2

map 3

map 2

neatline around map leaves breathing room

clear title

legend is left-aligned with other features

inset maps clarify without distracting

“visual center” (~5° above “cartesian” center) of image contains meaningful information

in general there is empty space between features, giving everything room to breathe

is this map perfect?

​

is this map perfect?

no, it is not perfect

it helps highlight that people tend to agree on what kinds of designs look better

... but, you shouldn’t assume that “better” design is universal

map design &�elements of the map

goals of map design

from Judith Tyner’s Principles of Map Design, pub. 2010

clarity

emphasize important points; eliminate what doesn’t enhance message.

order

logic of the map. is there clutter? how is it oriented (X or Y axis)?

balance

place weight at optical center of map (5% above Cartesian center).

contrast

how are you utilizing difference? bright/dark, thick/thin, heavy/light.

unity

how are you building your map elements into a cohesive purpose?

harmony

how are the elements of your map working together visually?

COBCUH

clarity

emphasize important points; eliminate what doesn’t enhance message.

order

logic of the map. is there clutter? how is it oriented (X or Y axis)?

balance

place weight at optical center of map (5% above Cartesian center).

contrast

how are you utilizing difference? bright/dark, thick/thin, heavy/light.

unity

how are you building your map elements into a cohesive purpose?

harmony

how are the elements of your map working together visually?

COBCUH

just kidding, terrible acronym, don’t use this it isn’t a thing

clarity

emphasize important points; eliminate what doesn’t enhance message.

order

logic of the map. is there clutter? how is it oriented (X or Y axis)?

balance

place weight at optical center of map (5% above Cartesian center).

contrast

how are you utilizing difference? bright/dark, thick/thin, heavy/light.

unity

how are you building your map elements into a cohesive purpose?

harmony

how are the elements of your map working together visually?

elements of the map

some common elements of a map

graticule (lines of latitude and longitude)

extent indicators

explanatory notes

source note

publisher credit and copyright notice

author credit

neatline

additional graphics (photos, graphs)

main map

smaller-scale location map

inset maps showing detail

insets of locations outside main map

title

subtitles

legends

scale indicators

orientation indicators

elements of the map

some of these are more important than others

graticule (lines of latitude and longitude)

extent indicators

explanatory notes

source note

publisher credit and copyright notice

author credit

neatline

additional graphics (photos, graphs)

main map

smaller-scale location map

inset maps showing detail

insets of locations outside main map

title

subtitles

legends

scale indicators

orientation indicators

elements of the map

and few of them are always required

graticule (lines of latitude and longitude)

extent indicators

explanatory notes

source note

publisher credit and copyright notice

author credit

neatline

additional graphics (photos, graphs)

main map

smaller-scale location map

inset maps showing detail

insets of locations outside main map

title

subtitles

legends

scale indicators

orientation indicators

case study: the north arrow

put a north arrow on it, by John Nelson

case study: the north arrow

put a north arrow on it, by John Nelson

a north arrow should…

• be a considered addition, not a dogmatic reflex
• compliment the map’s visual design.
• probably be a lot smaller and simpler than you might think
• graticules (latitude/longitude grid) can often replace a north arrow, and they look cool
• consider making your own branded SVG or PNG north arrow

case study: the north arrow

put a north arrow on it, by John Nelson

🚫 maybe no north arrow 🚫

• global maps generally don’t need a north arrow.
• maps whose north orientation varies considerably across the layout should not have a north arrow.
• the need for a north arrow decreases with the audience’s familiarity with the area.

case study: the north arrow

put a north arrow on it, by John Nelson

✅ maybe yes north arrow ✅

• maps with an unconventional rotation angle should have a north arrow.
• the benefit of a north arrow increases with scale (as you zoom in).

intellectual &�visual hierarchy

intellectual hierarchy

from axismaps

what are the most important features of your map?

​

1. primary information (e.g., your argument)�

2. secondary information (that helps you understand primary info)�

3. tertiary information (that helps you understand secondary info)

​

figure this out before you make a map

intellectual hierarchy

sample intellectual hierarchy for both static and interactive maps; from gistbok

the intellectual hierarchy that you define will translate into a

visual hierarchy

that you design

visual hierarchy

old woman or young woman?

visual hierarchy

from axismaps

organization of design such that some things seem more important, and others less so

visual hierarchy

from axismaps

unless you want to create an optical illusion, show a clear distinction between the figure and the ground

visual hierarchy

from axismaps

this is called the figure-ground relationship

this map of new york city in 1895 cleverly uses figure-ground to make a political argument

visual hierarchy

Pianta Grande di Roma (1748), by Giovanni Battista Nolli

visual hierarchy

from the figure ground diagram

visual hierarchy

from the figure ground diagram

“The one is almost all white, the other almost all black; the one an accumulation of solids in largely unmanipulated void, the other an accumulation of voids in largely unmanipulated solid; and, in both cases, the fundamental ground promotes an entirely different category of figure – in the one object, in the other space.”

​

— Colin Rowe

​

visual hierarchy

the map on the top uses color choices (e.g., darker fonts, blue water) to create figure-ground effects through contrast�

from axismaps

visual hierarchy

comparison of the same map, designed differently; from gistbok

fonts, letters, and labels

mere timetables, or a�“rhetoric of neutrality?”

Usually reserved for natural features

Implies tradition, dignity, and solidity

Italics indicate motion such as in a river

Usually reserved for human-made features

Implies newness, precision, authority

Italics indicate motion such as on a road

serif

sans serif

Avoid using MORE than two typefaces

​

Watch out for over-bolding and SHOUTING

​

consider font size discipline

​

don’t underline 😁

the only difference between these two maps is the font. some considerations:�

• the typeface must be legible in small sizes
• typeface should be narrow
• different styles and weights of the typeface must be clearly differentiated
• individual letters should appear different from one another

labeling

from cartography & visualization

labeling

from cartography & visualization

you can see the intellectual hierarchy present in the visual hierarchy, through things like size, placement, and weight

titles

color

color theory

albert munsell’s color sphere,

from 99% invisible

three dimensions of color�

• hue
• saturation
• value

color theory

munsell’s color sphere highlights the three dimensions of color�

• hue = basic color (red, green)
• saturation (chroma) = purity
• value = lightness

color theory

munsell’s color sphere highlights the three dimensions of color�

• hue
• saturation
• value

color theory

hue = pure color (e.g., color in the colloquial sense)

color theory

value = lightness, or how close a hue appears to a pure white object

color theory

saturation = brilliance and intensity of the hue

color theory

color & culture

color & culture

green and blue are often associated with land and water, respectively - so reversing them can confuse

​

color & culture

green and blue are often associated with land and water, respectively - so reversing them can confuse

color & culture

pal teleki’s ethnographic “red map” of Hungary, showing population of ethnic Magyars in red (1922)

color & culture

huang qianren’s 1811 “blue map” of the world

color & culture

star chart from the adler planetarium collection

color & culture

star chart from the adler planetarium collection

​

“Prussian blue as a colorant was first created in Europe in the early 18th century. It was introduced and exported to Japan by the Dutch in the 1760s and into China by the British in the 1790s. By the second decade of the nineteenth century, it was obviously being manufactured in China in enough quantity to supply the needs of the blue map printers. The blue maps represent the first large scale use of Prussian blue in East Asia. While the large-scale local production of the colorant in China, as demonstrated by the popularity of the blue maps in Japan, likely launched the “blue revolution” of Japanese print artists, who sourced their Prussian blue from China, that began in the 1830s.”

​

color schemes

our two primary schemes are qualitative and quantitative

there are two main types of color-based maps you’ll encounter:

qualitative maps show difference of type

quantitative maps show difference of magnitude

​

qualitative schemes

color schemes for qualitative maps should not be “ramped” - that is, they shouldn’t visually suggest magnitude

qualitative schemes

color schemes for qualitative maps should not be “ramped” - that is, they shouldn’t visually suggest magnitude

​

from Making Maps (2016)

qualitative schemes

zoning maps are a great example of categorical mapping: each color represents a category, or zone (e.g., residential, business, industrial)

​

from reddit (2013)

quantitative schemes

color schemes for quantitative maps should imply either�

• a clear zero value, or
• a clear midpoint value

quantitative schemes

options for color schemes include sequential and divergent

​

these often produce ratio or choropleth maps

sequential choropleth map

divergent choropleth map

sequential color scheme

divergent color scheme

symbolization

symbol libraries

national park service map symbols

symbol libraries

from boston harbor islands map

symbol libraries

united states geological survey map symbols

symbol libraries

from usgs topoview

symbol libraries

sanborn map company reference, key, and legend

symbol libraries

sanborn map company reference, key, and legend

symbol libraries

Maki icon set by Mapbox

symbol libraries

Meghan Kelly’s “gallery of possibilities” for different kinds of icons, from a feminist icon design workshop

symbol libraries

Meghan Kelly’s “gallery of possibilities” for different kinds of icons, from a feminist icon design workshop

symbol libraries

Meghan Kelly’s “gallery of possibilities” for different kinds of icons, from a feminist icon design workshop

symbol libraries

Amber Bosse and Katherine Hankins’ research on cartographic efficacy

symbol libraries

Amber Bosse and Katherine Hankins’ research on cartographic efficacy

some good (free) general

resources for map design

gallery

how are these maps following or disobeying “best principles” in order to convey meaning?

consider why these maps look good

or, well - whether they look good

and whether they communicate their argument well

and whether it’s easy to grasp what the argument is

2. assignment 02 - WITCHCRAFT!