Designed Maps: A Sourcebook for GIS Users

by Cynthia A. Brewer

This sequel to the highly successful Designing Maps, offers a graphics-intensive presentation of published maps, providing cartographic examples that GIS users can then adapt for their own needs. Each chapter characterizes a common design decision and includes a demonstration map, which is annotated with specific information needed to reproduce the design, such as text fonts, sizes and styles; line weights, colors, and patterns; marker symbol fonts, sizes, and colors; and fill colors and patterns. Visual hierarchies and the purpose of each map are considered with the audience in mind, drawing a clear connection between intent and design. The book also includes a valuable task index that explains what ArcGIS 9 tools to use for desired cartographic effects. From experienced cartographers to those who make GIS maps only occasionally, all GIS users will find this book to be an indispensable resource.

Genres: Reference, Geography

170 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2008

About the author

Cynthia A. Brewer is a professor in the Department of Geography at The Pennsylvania State University. She has M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in geography with emphasis in cartography from Michigan State University. Her research interests are in map design, color theory applications in cartography, multiscale and multirepresentation cartography, hypothesis generation in visualization, choropleth classification for maps in series, and atlas mapping. Dr. Brewer is a consultant to Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI), doing cartographic critique of ArcGIS 9.0 and multiscale map design, and to the Population Division of the U.S. Census Bureau, where she planned and produced a diversity atlas of the 2000 Census and did design and analysis consulting for the comprehensive second atlas. She is currently chair of the U.S. National Committee to the International Cartographic Association, was president of the North American Cartographic Information Society in 1998-1999, and has been a member of the Editorial Board of Cartography and Geographic Information Science since 2000. She is the author of Designing Better Maps: A Guide for GIS Users, ESRI Press, 2005.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book provides a portfolio of example maps organized by intended use (reference, navigation, etc.). The author also provides one or two paragraphs of text to accompany each map -- describing the map's characteristics and what make it a good example for cartographers.

However, the book reads more like a coffee table picture book than a real reference tool for people hoping to make maps. It lacks an index, and the table of contents only lists the example maps by their geographical area -- if you want to refer back to any particular map, you have to either remember what city it showed or flip through the book page by page. The author clearly thought through why each map would make a good example, but this isn't well-presented in the book's organization / user-friendliness.

I'd recommend borrowing this from a friend and photocopying the Arc tips at the very end. It's a nice book to look through but not worth $40 in my opinion.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little vague in how to go about certain processes. But, good for skimming through the get some ideas for prettier map design.