Cartography

Lecturer: Ms. Aneeqa Abrar  
Email: aneeqa.abrar@ist.edu.pk
Table of Content
The Design Process
Cartographic Design
Map Composition
Gestalt Principles in Map Design
The Design Process
Map Communication Model
List of the basic steps involved in
communicating geographic
information
The design process can be distilled
into a list of procedures
These procedures are iterative, and need
to be repeated until the map is complete
These procedures will sometimes need
to be executed simultaneously, or out of
the prescribed order
Cartographic Design
Design is a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function of a system before it is
built or made
Map design has scientific and artistic rules
Artistic rules such as:
selection of colours
symbology
labelling (format and position)
arrangement of overall layout
(plus data selection, projection, scale, etc)
Subtle changes in design (e.g. weight of a label font for particular objects) can yield big
changes in how the map is read
Use (and mis-use) the power of design
An ineffective communicator An effective communicator
A map can have a particular design, but design
in this sense is only the end result of the design
process
Cartographic design involves
Conceptualization of the map
Visualization of the map
Construction of the map
Cartographic design is driven by two goals
To create a map that appropriately serves the
map user and the map’s intended use
To create a map that communicates
efficiently, with simplicity and clarity
Cartographic Design is directed by rules, guidelines, and conventions, but is
relatively unstructured
A single, optimal solution to a given mapping problem generally does not exist
Several acceptable solutions are possible
Good design is simply the best solution among many, given a set of constraints
imposed by the problem
Map Composition
The way in which maps are visually
structured to communicate certain
information to the user
Every map is an exercise in selective
emphasis and clarity
The art of selecting, transforming, and
portraying information on a map involves
the delicate balance of anticipating and
answering reasonable questions related to
your subject, while not overwhelming your
reader's attention with needless detail, or
forcing the reader to work in order to figure
out what your map is intended to
communicate
Map composition serves to
Organise the source material into a coherent
whole to facilitate communication, to develop
an intellectual and a visual structure
Stress the purpose of the map
Direct the map reader’s attention
Develop an aesthetic approach for the map
Maintain cartographic conventions consistent
with good standards
Coordinate the base and the thematic elements
of the map
Map elements that are sensitive to context:
Title: Text in legend or labels may give information that you can remove from the title.
Careful with publications!
Projection: Some projections are implicit with the coordinate system (Universal
Transverse Mercator Coordinate System)
Cartographer: May be the name of a person or corporate identity
Date of Production: May vary if map is continually reproduced
Elements that are used selectively to assist effective communication:
Neat lines
Inset maps

Map Elements
The map title describes the content or the topic of the map
It should be displayed furthermore the area and the related time period
Design:
Short, clear, not in complete sentences
Title should be not longer than two lines
Right-side-, left side or centred
Big, clear fonts, maybe bold
Seldom underlined by font colour

“Inhabitants density of European the Year 2014”

Title
Map legend is the key for understanding
the map content
The legend consists of the entire map
layout, must be a unity with form and
content of the map
All in the map used map symbols
should be explained
Legends should be adapted to level of
details in the map
Size and colour design of the legend
should correspond to the map in the
presentation
Legends should be arranged in blocks
or in rows considering the content
related components of the
representation (logical arrangements)
Map symbols and explanations should
be arranged in a space saving way
The space which is designated for the
legend should be used optimized
Legend
The scale can be numerical in form of a mathematic expression or also a graphical
representation of a typical distance example

The north arrow gives an orientation to the map

If the north of the map is aligned to the north of the paper, the north arrow becomes
redundant
Especially needed, if a map is not orientated in direction north

Scale and North Direction

Gestalt Principles in Map Design
Gestalt is a theory of visual perception developed in the 1920s
German word meaning “form” or “shape”
Gestalt is critically important in map design since maps are compositions of many
smaller elements that combine to form a bigger picture
Different elements of a map interact in relation to each other using various principles
of map design
These principles are not applied in isolation but are used in harmony to help
cartographers convey geographic information
Visual hierarchy is the graphical implementation of a ranked order of map elements such
that the most important elements have the greatest visual prominence
More important map elements (title, legend, etc.) are graphically emphasized, and less
important elements (bar scale, data source, etc.) are deemphasized

Visual Hierarchy
 Most Important
Thematic symbols and type labels

Title, subtitle, and legend

Base information (boundaries, roads,

etc.)

Scale and north arrow

Data source and notes

Frame and neat lines

Least Important
An effective visual hierarchy
Attracts the map user’s eyes to the most important aspects of the map first, and to less
important aspects later
Results in a map that clearly reflects the relative importance of symbols and map
elements
Results in maps that are easier to interpret, and are more attractive
Contrast adds interest to a map by providing graphical variety
It can be used to differentiate features (qualitative)
Or to imply their relative importance or magnitude (quantitative)
Can be achieved through manipulation of the visual variables

Contrast
Inappropriate Contrast Appropriate Contrast
The organization of map elements and available space, resulting in visual harmony
and equilibrium
The map elements in a well-designed map tend to complement one another
Those in a poorly-designed map appear to compete for space, resulting in visual
disharmony
Before attempting to achieve balance, the initial available space needs to be
identified

Balance
Identify the initial available space
Initial available space is defined by the
frame line
Place larger map elements
Mapped area is as large as possible and is
visually centred (horizontally and vertically)
Title is placed at top centre
Re-evaluate available space and place
Map elements that are intermediate in size,
such as the legend
Legend is visually centred within larger
portion of available space
The smallest map elements, such as the data
source and bar scale, are visually centred
within appropriate areas of available space
The addition of each map element alters the pre-existing balance and available space
Map elements typically need to be rearranged several times to achieve good balance
Certain individuals are intrinsically better at judging balance, but experience
improves one’s skills
Evaluating balance
Does the map look left-heavy, right-heavy, top-heavy, bottom-heavy?
Do certain areas appear cramped or barren?
Are map elements competing for space?
Are too many “heavy” objects concentrated in one area?
Thank You!