Module 4 Lab: Cartographic Design


This week, we were asked to create a map that employed features that provide the maximum amount of legibility and clarity. Using Gestalt principles of perpetual organization, I was able to create a map that highlighted schools in Washington D.C. and separated them by elementary, middle, and high schools.

  • Contrast: I used contrast to differentiate the schools by color and size
  • Visual Hierarchy: To implement visual hierarchy in my map, I ensured that the focal area, Ward 7, was the main point of the map by making it a lighter color than its surroundings and its features more prominent than those in other areas. Next, I made the title, subtitle, and legend the second most important features on the map by their locations, colors, and size. The scale and north arrow, data source, and frame and neatlines are the next most-relevant features, respectively.
  • Figure-ground Relationship: To establish this, I made Ward 7 lighter than the other features on the map to make it appear closer to the user. I also added an outline and drop shadow.
  • Balance: I tried to evenly space out my map essential elements while maintaining that Ward 7 is the focal point. I received my critique for last week's map that my legend may be too large after I submitted this map, but hopefully this one is a more adequate size since it includes less elements. 
To complete this lab, I first created a base idea in ArcMaps and imported it as a JPEG into AI. I had several issues this week due to ArcMap running slowly and not working like it was supposed to. I knew how to reach the objective I wanted to with my map, but I believe excess time spent on working around these issues took away from my final map design. For example, when I added labels to my clipped layer, all of the labels appeared again. Additionally, when I put a label on the river, the text was very distorted and difficult to read. I had to edit it multiple times to make it presentable. 




While this lab turned out to be the most difficult I have done this semester, it was not because of requirement, but because of software issues that will unavoidably occur during any computer-based process. I will point out a discrepancy between the instructions and the rubric that I mentioned in my process summary: While the instructions say it is optional to only include the school symbols in the legend, the rubric says that only the school symbols should be included in the legend. That is why my legend is so far up. I had already made all of my edits in AI before I recognized it and did my best damage control by covering it up with a rectangle.




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