Hi all,
I’m creating a new cartography workshop for the Stanford Geospatial Center and was hoping to get some feedback on the general outline as well as ideas for techniques or topics I may be overlooking.
First let me describe what the general scope of the workshop is. We have a 3 hour window for instruction. This workshop will be split into two broad sections: first hour will be a short lecture/discussion of the general concepts of cartographic design in GIS, and the remaining two hours will be a series of short labs that walk students through practical tools and methods for creating and editing maps.
The main focus in the labs will be on exposing students to basic tools and workflows for improving map design and breaking away from system defaults as well as showing them alternate methods for visualizing their data other than through a standard map layout. Most of the work will be done in ArcGIS because we are an Esri campus and most researchers here will already be working in Arc. I will extend that with some basic exposure to other software like Terrain Sculptor, Photo Shop, and Adobe Illustrator.
I’m pasting below the major headings for the discussion portion as well as the major topics and techniques covered in each lab. I probably can't fit all of this into 3 hours so may need to trim or prep more steps in advance. What I’m looking for here is feedback on what’s being covered and any suggestions for other simple tools and tips for basic improvements to GIS map making for your typical academic researcher (who may not be all that interested in cartography but needs to make better maps).
Discussion (1 hour):
Map Roles in GIS
Why design matters?
Design comparison: pirate map example
Purpose and audience
Design comparison: earthquake shaking maps
Visual Hierarchy
Label game
Labeling maps
Design for simplicity
Make smart color choices
Reduce color dependency
Visual Variables
15 minute review
Labs (2 hours):
Basic Layout:
Setting up a basic visual hierarchy by adjusting the default symbology in ArcGIS.
Setting the map background to a custom color.
Working with labels in the Maplex label engine.
Converting labels to annotation for manual positioning.
Playing with feature symbology for points (vary by color or size).
Creating a density surface from point data, smooth results in properties menu, drop out background color.
Set up custom map layout.
Insert locator in layout with extent indicator.
Add splined text to layout with Drawing toolbar.
Add area masking with polygon overlay and transparency.
Create a 3d spike map from density surface and import image to ArcMap layout.
Layout export options.
Small Multiples and Time Series Layout
Create and save a custom color ramp in symbology tab.
Set uniform legend symbology and classifications for multiyear datasets.
Set a custom page and data frame size.
Use multiple data frames for time series data.
Use align tools to adjust layout elements.
Export individual data frames to images and create animated GIF.
Space Time Cube:
Build a 3d representation of time data in ArcScene.
Export an interactive WebScene.
Working beyond ArcGIS
Build a hill shade in ArcGIS.
Generalize the hill shade through Terrain Sculptor.
Export ArcGIS map to AI (export separate raster and vector layers).
Recombine exported layers in AI.
Adjust AI placed raster layer in Photo Shop (median and blur filters).
Composite detailed and general hills shades in PS.
Use transparency tools in AI for improved vector over raster overlays.
Fine tune text, legend, and line editing in AI.
أكثر...
I’m creating a new cartography workshop for the Stanford Geospatial Center and was hoping to get some feedback on the general outline as well as ideas for techniques or topics I may be overlooking.
First let me describe what the general scope of the workshop is. We have a 3 hour window for instruction. This workshop will be split into two broad sections: first hour will be a short lecture/discussion of the general concepts of cartographic design in GIS, and the remaining two hours will be a series of short labs that walk students through practical tools and methods for creating and editing maps.
The main focus in the labs will be on exposing students to basic tools and workflows for improving map design and breaking away from system defaults as well as showing them alternate methods for visualizing their data other than through a standard map layout. Most of the work will be done in ArcGIS because we are an Esri campus and most researchers here will already be working in Arc. I will extend that with some basic exposure to other software like Terrain Sculptor, Photo Shop, and Adobe Illustrator.
I’m pasting below the major headings for the discussion portion as well as the major topics and techniques covered in each lab. I probably can't fit all of this into 3 hours so may need to trim or prep more steps in advance. What I’m looking for here is feedback on what’s being covered and any suggestions for other simple tools and tips for basic improvements to GIS map making for your typical academic researcher (who may not be all that interested in cartography but needs to make better maps).
Discussion (1 hour):
Map Roles in GIS
Why design matters?
Design comparison: pirate map example
Purpose and audience
Design comparison: earthquake shaking maps
Visual Hierarchy
Label game
Labeling maps
Design for simplicity
Make smart color choices
Reduce color dependency
Visual Variables
15 minute review
Labs (2 hours):
Basic Layout:
Setting up a basic visual hierarchy by adjusting the default symbology in ArcGIS.
Setting the map background to a custom color.
Working with labels in the Maplex label engine.
Converting labels to annotation for manual positioning.
Playing with feature symbology for points (vary by color or size).
Creating a density surface from point data, smooth results in properties menu, drop out background color.
Set up custom map layout.
Insert locator in layout with extent indicator.
Add splined text to layout with Drawing toolbar.
Add area masking with polygon overlay and transparency.
Create a 3d spike map from density surface and import image to ArcMap layout.
Layout export options.
Small Multiples and Time Series Layout
Create and save a custom color ramp in symbology tab.
Set uniform legend symbology and classifications for multiyear datasets.
Set a custom page and data frame size.
Use multiple data frames for time series data.
Use align tools to adjust layout elements.
Export individual data frames to images and create animated GIF.
Space Time Cube:
Build a 3d representation of time data in ArcScene.
Export an interactive WebScene.
Working beyond ArcGIS
Build a hill shade in ArcGIS.
Generalize the hill shade through Terrain Sculptor.
Export ArcGIS map to AI (export separate raster and vector layers).
Recombine exported layers in AI.
Adjust AI placed raster layer in Photo Shop (median and blur filters).
Composite detailed and general hills shades in PS.
Use transparency tools in AI for improved vector over raster overlays.
Fine tune text, legend, and line editing in AI.
أكثر...