Making Maps With GIS
Lecture 8 [based on Chapter 7]
(minor edits by Sharma UQ)
7 Making Maps with GIS
7.1 The Parts of a Map 203 7.2 Choosing a Map Type 206 7.3 Designing the Map 210
What is a map?
A graphic depiction of all or part of a geographic realm in which the real-world features have been replaced by symbols in their correct spatial location at a reduced scale.
power line
Map function in GIS
Storage Communication (temporary/permanent) Intermediate check of data Final report To be effective, must be correctly designed and constructed.
The Parts of a Map: Map Elements
Neat line Border
The United States of America
Title
Figure Legend Ground
Alaska Hawaii 0 4 04
Washington,D.C. National Capital 0 1 2 3 4 hundreds of kilometres Lambert Conformal Conic Projection Source: U.S. Dept. of State
Scale
Inset
Place name
North Arrow
Credits
The medium is the message
Paper Film Mylar Monitor Projection Broadcast TV THE DISPLAY IS PART OF THE SYMBOLIZATION
Cartographic Elements
Medium Figure Ground Reference information
Cartographic Elements (2)
Border Neatline Insets
Scale up Scale down
Metadata e.g. index Off-map references
Cartographic Elements (3)
Page coordinates Ground elements Graticule/Grid North arrow
Cartographic Elements (4)
Figure Point/Line/Area symbols Text Place Names Title
Cartographic Elements (5)
Reference Information Scale Projection(s) Sources (2) Credits Legend Reliability
Map impact
Distribution of Employment by State 1996 United States: Employment Distribution 1996 U.S. Employment: 1996 Distribution America at Work Where the Jobs are Today
Text: Selection and Placement
New York
CA
BM 232
POINT
LINE
NV
AREA
Figure 7.2 Some cartographic label placement conventions. Points: right and above preferred with no overlap. Lines: Following the direction of the line, curved if a river. Text should read up on the left of the map and down on the right. Areas: On a gently curved line following the shape of the figure and upright.
Choosing Elements
Map research Map compilation Worksheet Selection Placement Layout Tools in GIS not ideal
Choosing a Map Type
Cartographers have designed hundreds of map types: methods of cartographic representation. Not all GISs allow all types. Most have a set of basic types Depends heavily on the dimension of the data to be shown in the map figure.
Choosing the Wrong Type
Fairly common GIS error. Due to lack of knowledge about cartographic options. Can still have perfect symbolization. Possibility of misinformation Definite reduction in communication effectiveness.
Map Types: Point Data
Reference Topographic Dot Picture Symbol Graduated Symbol
Map Types: Line Data
Network Flow Isopleth Reference
Map Types: Area Data
Choropleth Area qualitative Stepped surface Hypsometric Dasymetric Reference
Map Types: Volume Data
[Isopleth, Stepped Surface, Hypsometric] Gridded fishnet Realistic perspective Hill-shaded Image map
Map Types: Time
Multiple views Animation
Moving map Fly through Fly by
Choosing Types
Check the data Continuous Discrete Accuracy & Precision Reliability Dimension (Point, Line, Area, Volume) Scale of Measurement (Nominal etc.) GIS capability May need to supplement GIS software
Data Scaling (Stevens)
Nominal (Name of a place) Ordinal (Small, med., large town) Interval (Arbitrary zero e.g. Sea Level) Ratio (Absolute zero e.g. dollars, densities)
Example: Choropleth Mapping
Data should be AREA (e.g. States) Data should not suffer from area effect. Population? Per capita Income? Elevation? Temperature? Boundaries unambiguous. Areas non-overlapping.
Classification
Equal Interval Natural groups N-tiles Equal or unequal? Logarithmic? Linear? Discontinuous? How many classes? Non-overlapping, distinctive groups.
The Need for Design
To appear professional and avoid errors, GIS maps should reflect cartographic knowledge about map design. A map has a visual grammar or structure that must be understood and used if the best map design is desired. Cartographic convention (e.g. forests should be green).
Map Design
A GIS map is designed in a process called the design loop. Good map design requires that map elements be placed in a balanced arrangement within the neat line.
The Design Loop
Create map layout (macro ?) Draw on screen (proof plot) Look/evaluate Edit macro Repeat until happy Make final plot
Graphic Editors
Graphic Editor Software
Vector Adobe Illustrator CorelDraw Freehand
Raster
PaintShop Pro, Photoshop CorelPaint Fractal Paint
Map Design (2)
Visual balance is affected by:
the "weight" of the symbols the visual hierarchy of the symbols and elements the location of the elements with respect to each other and the visual centre of the map.
Visual centre
5% of height 5% of height
Landscape
Portrait
Visual Layout
Title Here
Title Here
Eye expects (1) balance and (2) alignment
Symbol weight
Line weight Pattern Shading Hue
Colour and Map Design
Colour is a complex visual variable and in a GIS is specified by RGB or HSI values. Red, Green, Blue are additive primaries. Magenta, Cyan and Yellow are subtractive primaries. Saturation and Intensity map better onto values than hue.
Dimensions of Colour
HUE
INTENSITY
SATURATION
Simultaneous Contrast
Colour Primaries
Subtractive colour
Additive colour
Text placement
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
Path right P a t h D o w n
Santa Barbara
L a g o o n
Scale and Generalization
Smaller scale means fewer features. Smaller scale means smoother features. Smaller scale means combining features. Smaller scale means displacing features. Often scales are mixed or overgeneralized.
Map Design and GIS
When a GIS map is the result of a complex analytical or modelling process, good design is essential for understanding. The map is what distinguishes GIS as a different approach to the management of information, so extra care should be taken to improve the final maps that a GIS generates in a GIS task.