Cartography Week 1: Map Critique
This week I learned a brief history of cartography, and reviewed the basic design principles of mapmaking. I was tasked with finding two maps, one that I believed to be well-designed, and one poorly designed, and evaluating what makes a good map. My example of a well-designed map is this map of South Carolina wildlife management area game zones, I believe intended for people interested in hunting in that state. The purpose of the map is immediately clear from the title, and the layout is well balanced. All the essential map elements are present and easy to read. The placement of the map elements feels natural and works around the shape of the state of South Carolina. The map also contains the data source and date that the information is relevant. The colors and symbols used are effective, and successfully emphasize the game zones, and which respective counties they contain. I also like how the colors used are easy on the eyes and don’t interfere with the map’s ...