In this module, I was instructed to create a map of Florida including essential map elements and proper labels for included features. Vector data was provided from the U.S. Department of Commerce and National Institute of Standards and Technology and included the state capital. major cities, counties, lake and swampland, and rivers in in the state of Florida. All data was added to map in ArcGIS Pro and the following processes were completed in said software.
The exercise focused mainly on adding and manipulating labels for provided features to adhere to essential map standards as well as promote adequate cartographic design. Cities were labeled in an interesting fashion and in such a way that was new to me. By creating different label classes based on unique values in symbology & SQL queries, I was able to edit and manipulate labels for features of different classes within the same layer. This was based on whether the city was a populated place or a county seat and is a very useful tool for establishing hierarchy in a map. I also was instructed on best practices for both moving labels as well as fitting strategies to further increase map clarity. This was achieved through the creation of annotation. Annotation, put simply, creates a layer for the labels on your map. It allows one to edit and have full control every aspect of the labels one desires and portrays. I used the process of annotation to only display the labels of swamp and lake land for Okefenokee Swamp and the Everglades, as instructed. I also was able to move and place said labels as I saw fit. Having an entire pane dedicated to the editing of these labels is a vital tool for quick and easy map organization.
Below is the final map I created. I was instructed to use creative liberty to change any feature I was instructed to put on the map as long as certain features were included (state capital, cities, rivers, and the two swamp and lake features I spoke of previously).
The customizations I made to the
map are as follows:
- Themed point symbols for cities: I wanted to distinguish hierarchy between the point symbols indicating different cities on the map. I used custom “city hall” points for county seat cities, pin symbols for populated, and a prominent capital symbol for the state capital. I also sized them intermediate, smallest, and largest respectively to establish relative importance. They are all within a red color scheme, unlike any other feature, to indicate the same feature type.
- I colored counties a light green to indicate that they are land, and the light and subtle color allows prominent features to stand out more and labels to read more clearly. Similarly, lakes and swamps are a blue/green turquoise color to indicate a mix of land and water area, while also standing out from the less prominent and not labeled county land.
- I used a different font style for swamps and lakes opposed to rivers, yet kept it close enough, to subtly indicate a difference in feature type while still grouping them together.
Comments
Post a Comment