Week 7 - Proportional Symbols

In this lab, I created a proportional circle map. The idea was to create a map to show wine consumption in Europe for 2005.  The data used, is provided by the Wine Institute (http://www.wineinstitute.org/ and is cited as the data source on the map. Specifically, Table 5.1 World Wine Consumption is the data source.  The link for the data is http://www.wineinstitute.org/files/WorldWine%20ConsumptionbyVolume.pdf .  The European wine consumption data was already in an Excel® file so that made that part much easier. Germany was missing so I added that from the source mentioned above. Note that the data is in thousands of Hectoliters per year and was annotated on the legend.

Below are UWF map requirements:

• Create your proportional symbol map by utilizing the conventional mathematical scaling (Square Root) method for determining the sizes of circles.

• Use Excel to calculate circle size
• Use ArcMap to create the base map
• Use Adobe Illustrator to complete the map
• Make sure you include all required map elements are clearly evident

Now I think I will go have a nice glass of Merlot.

Module 6 - Cloropleth Maps

In this lab, the requirement was to producing two population change maps of the United States of America using census data. The maps illustrate the percentage change in population of each state for the period of April 1, 1990 to April 1st, 2000.

We had to decide what data values to use for the choropleth maps as well  as the artistic properties needed in order to convey the appropriate information.

Included below are the map requirements:



1)  Two choropleth maps
2)  Notice that Alaska and Hawaii are included though the scales were changed.
3)  ArcMap was to produce the maps showing changes in population at the state level,
4)  Adobe Illustrator CS4 was to adjust the state map to create the regional map using calculations done in Excel.
5)  Both maps were touched up in Illustrator.

Module 5 - Percent Hispanic Population In South Florida w/ Illustrator

Conceptually, this was a very straight forward lab.  It did create the emphasis on map design.  But this took me so much time.  But I am finally almost satisfied with the result.  I still need to add a couple things that I think will make the map product pop a little better. 

So did I get to this map.

Frame and Neat  Line

These are minimized to define the extent and nothing more.

Mapped Area

This was chosen for us so we did not have much choice there.  However, we had a broad license to create the map product you see here.

Color Scheme

In this type of map, color range should track population.  In this case the lightest color corresponds with lowest population density.  Similarly, the darkest color denotes the highest population density.

I found a color I liked then used a corresponding color scheme. It seemed to work so I left it that way.

       Challenge - I could not figure out how to link the legend to the counties so I had to tint each box in the legend and each corresponding county.  I need to go back and replay the flash demo on google since there must me an easier to accomplish this task.
 

Map element positions

The map is intentionally "bottom heavy" since there have been several studies that show people are more comfortable with this approach than "top heavy".  The speculation for this is that people are visually aware of gravity and that is why this approach is better.

       Challenge.  Moving, resizing, rescaling... pretty much everything in Adobe Illustrator.  There is a lot to learn in a short time.

Font Size

Font sizes are varied based on peceived importance.  Like so much of this process, even this can be somewhat subjective.

Week 4 - The Middle Florida Keys

This was an interesting lab.  For my own convenience, I down loaded the 30 day free license from Adobe. 

The objective was to present the data in a cohesive, well-organized map that emphasizes good map design and organization.  Like many others in my class, I had much to learn with Adobe Illustrator as a new tool.  Fortunately, Adobe has several video tutorials that really shortened my learning curve.  I thank the Trisha for pointing some of them out. 

I learned so many new tricks doing this lab.  My two favorites are the Point_Text_Scaling and the text that automatically travels along an existing line.  These were really slick.  Many of the other functions were actually quite similar to the less robust functions found in Microsoft products.

It is interesting to look at the cartographic components and compare them with the professional products from organizations like the USGS and NGA.  As a result of this course, I am gaining more repect for that aspect of map construction.