Christa's GIS Archive

We're nearing the finish line of the Cartography course. It always shocks me how fast it goes, but here we are at Module 6 on Isarithmic Mapping. Isarithmic mapping is all about depicting 3D spatial data in a 2D space. In this lab, we focused on continuous and hypsometric maps of Washington state's annual precipitation from 1981 to 2010. Continuous tone maps emphasize smooth color gradations to represent the data, while hypsometric tints are more distinct, with clear groupings of data range values. Because of this, hypsometric is technically less precise than continuous in depicting the data since it represents values in ranges. So, depending on the size of the area you wish to cover and your mapping needs, continuous tone or hypsometric tint may be better suited. For instance, if I needed a general, easily readable map of trends, I'd rely on hypsometric maps. However, if I needed precise pixel values, I'd stick to continuous-tone maps for data fidelity. As you can see...

Cheers to Module 5! We are going more in-depth with choropleth, graduated symbol, and proportional symbol mapping across European countries, focusing on population density and wine consumption. We first set up the country polygons to represent population density. I had settled on using Natural Breaks (Jenks) because I liked how it grouped classes naturally into similar values while maximizing the differences between classes. I also settled on 5 classes, as choropleth mapping suggested 5 to 8 classes. As for wine consumption, I used graduated symbols for my symbology because I did not like how proportional symbols could scale symbols to the variation in values, which would be hard to gauge in such a varied dataset. Classifying wine consumption with graduated symbols in 5 classes -- using Natural Breaks again -- ended up being my go-to for this case. I chose a nice neutral color scheme for the population density, using yellow-brown, because I wanted a solid base for whatever my wine cons...

Class is in session... Data Classification, that is! This week focused on different methods of classifying data and how they can affect how data is portrayed on a map and the messages that come across, depending on the use of one classification method over another. My current work doesn't require me to think deeply about data classification to this degree, so this week challenged me and my brain to keep up. However, this was a great refresher on data classification in general. For the lab, we are located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, this time around. Specifically, we are interested in the elderly population (over 65 years old) across different Miami-Dade census tracts. The four main data classification methods we had to implement in our maps were: Natural Breaks (Jenks), Quantile, Equal Interval, and Standard Deviation. I was able to wrap my brain around them by thinking of each like so... Natural Breaks (Jenks) - Be natural. You accept the data as it is, so to speak. You let the...

I'm back from vacation and was itching to start on my layout for this module, because this week's lab is on Cartographic Design. With Cartographic Design, we were heavily advised to keep Gestalt Design Principles in mind, including visual hierarchy, contrast, figure-ground, and visual balance. If one doesn't keep these principles at the core of map-making, then there's a high chance the message you're trying to send will be lost or misinterpreted. Ward 7's Public Schools. We focused on the elementary, middle, and high schools in Washington, D.C.'s Ward 7, with other environmental features, like parks, waterways, and roads, accentuating it. As you can see from the map above, we had to create a map of the public schools located in Ward 7. Due to the awkward shape of Ward 7's polygon/boundary, it was a testament to my confidence when placing my map elements. I moved my elements around so much, slightly tweaking them here and there, that I resorted to scribb...

I'm coming to the realization that I'm becoming more of a GIS/map nerd than I thought I'd ever be. I think a large part of it comes down to my perfectionism, to a fault; however, I also want to believe it's because I long for a creative outlet, especially when I'm stuck making a certain type of map at work. They're not bad maps by any means, but there's a certain formula and structure to them that doesn't allow for much experimentation, which speaking of experimentation... It was so nice to finally get my grubby GIS hands on more creative map-making again! This week's module focused on typography, which made us consider the importance of labels and how we stylize, set, and size them can affect the legibility of features. The lab walked us through the process of building a solid foundation for a map layout that focuses on the major features throughout Florida. These features were rivers, swamps/marshes, cities, and counties. One of my first assignment...

Module 1 covered a brief introduction to Cartography, its history, and map design principles. I grew up Catholic, so hearing about the 20 Tufteisms instantly made me think of this being the Cartographer's 20 Commandments. Haha! Anyways, this week's lab required students to find 2 maps, one deemed well-designed and the other poorly designed, and critique them. I spun around several ideas in my head. At first, I really did want to do a map from my childhood, like something in a video game; however, I couldn't find a decent enough example that I wanted to go through with. The map I chose, which is well-designed, is one that I see quite frequently when I want to go on a nice stroll. And that is Cascades Park in Tallahassee, Florida. Cascades Park in Tallahassee, FL. It features all the points of interest that visitors can visit, as well as amenities, parking, and additional information such as hours of operation and rules. The Cascades Park map above is quite beautiful! I love ...