Introduction
In cartography, it is essential to properly structure the details incorporated into the drawing of maps. Any mislabeling, erroneous segmentation and data entry may ruin the perception of one’s reality and lead to bad decision-making or confusion among those who utilize the maps. Therefore, a good map should carefully consider every detail that it portrays. Simultaneously, it is essential to configure maps, the visual elements of which would assist the reader in comprehension of data and allow ethically acceptable and accurate delivery of information.
Map Design
Printing may drastically alter a map’s shape and holds potential financial danger for map publishers. The failure to account for the distortion consequences of reproduction can result in hundreds of published maps that appear nothing like the original illustrations (Monmonier, 2018). Anytime artwork is recorded, scanned, or reproduced on a printing plate, or ink is transmitted from the plate to the paper, map pictures might lose clarity (Monmonier, 2018). As a result, it is necessary to consider the printing medium of the map beforehand and ensure data compatibility. Otherwise, one may find themselves in an unexpected predicament where the printed results do not display any information.
Map design is the process that should thoroughly consider the data which should be integrated. In order to do that, each illustrated data set requires an approach with a minimum of visually contrasting elements. The contrast, in this case, is the tool that allows perceptual differentiation. The deprivation of visual contrast detracts from the map’s main points of attraction and complicates the differentiation between key and irrelevant data elements (Dent et al., 2009). However, maps with minimal contrast with their surroundings might easily be overlooked in the overall visual package (Dent et al., 2009). Contrast may be generated using a variety of techniques, including line, texture, value, detail, and color (Kraak & Ormeling, 2020). All of these elements could be used in a single design, but the outcome may be visual discord and tension, which could be just as unsatisfying as having no contrast at all (Dent et al., 2009). Therefore, balance is key to designing high-quality maps.
The contrast could also be achieved via the color choice of the cartographer. Color symbols may provide aesthetic appeal to a map while also providing necessary data contrast. Despite this, many mapmakers are overwhelmed by the intricacy and attractiveness of color. Consequently, innumerable maps in computer-graphics demos, corporate presentations, and media outlets demonstrate a broad misunderstanding of how color may assist or hinder a map (Monmonier, 2018). People unfamiliar with the proper use of color in cartography are readily impressed and may accept a mediocre map just because it is attractive (Monmonier, 2018). As a result, the necessity of balance and minimalization persists within this aspect of map design.
Ethics is another fragment of map design that is necessary to avoid negative consequences for the designer. It is essential to comprehend the way maps organize and communicate ideologies. Every map, in some way, reflects the political or ideological reality of the mapmaker (Newman, 2017). This might seem erroneous due to the modern reflection of political correctness. However, distortions in the maps are impossible to avoid due to the nature of the process, which requires transferring the design of spherical earth onto a flat surface (Holland, 2021). Consequently, the size and position of particular geographical objects would be made incorrectly. In this case, it is essential to represent everything with the same level of distortion to avoid any political dispute. An example of such map representation could be seen on the UN logo, which is centered around the north pole to avoid any misrepresentation and political interest that might deviate from the organization’s purposes (Holland, 2021). Therefore, a cartographer is required to carefully choose the perspective that will be visually attractive and remain politically neutral.
Another example where political neutrality should be considered is the illustration of disputed lands. The land is disputed in a situation where two or more countries claim ownership, and an international agreement cannot be achieved (Holland, 2021). For example, on the map, the Arunachal Pradesh region is a territory on which India and China claim to have their rights of ownership (Holland, 2021). In a theoretical scenario where a mapmaker decides to relay the ownership of the land to one of the countries, it is possible to incur some hate or a dangerous political position.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the process of map-making needs to pay close attention to several essential elements before printing. The first is the consideration of printing medium for the map that may incur financial losses for the publisher. The second is the observation of errors that may be related to the visual overloading of the map. The final aspect for consideration is the infringement of political issues due to the map designs that may reflect the negative ideology of the cartographer or erroneous portrayal of borders. The cartographer could make these errors in map design unintentionally and require close attention before print or digital publication.
References
Dent, B. D., Hodler, T. W., & Torguson, J. (2009). Cartography: Thematic map design. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Holland, R. (2021). The politics of mapping. The Bloomsbury Geographer.
Kraak, M. J., & Ormeling, F. (2020). Cartography: visualization of geospatial data. CRC Press.
Monmonier, M. S. (2018). How to lie with maps (3rd ed.). The University of Chicago Press.