Animated Maps

Animated maps are increasingly useful tools in depicting geographic patterns over space and time. While static map series can also achieve this goal, it is not with the same effect. Animation actively illustrates change over time, showing readers where and when change has occurred in a quick succession that is easier for the eye to see and the mind to comprehend. Mark Harrower* in “A Look at the History and Future of Animated Maps” agrees that animation has redefined the role of the mapmaker and the map user. “(T)he role of the user has expanded in the last 60 years, from watching, to controlling playback, to controlling depcitions, and finally to authoring” (41). Harrower also argues that animated maps benefit geospatial exploration and understanding by offering a new, and arguably improved, way of conveying geographic information. Despite its benefits, animated mapping does have drawbacks worthy of concern. According to Harrower, animated maps lack the cartographic conventions that static maps have adopted over time, leaving modern cartographers with the task of determing when animated maps “are well suited and when their use is little more than ‘technological eye candy’.” Even so, animated maps are a great learning tool and an innovative vehicle for spatial information.

Check this link out for a great example of an animated map!
http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Anim/canv.html

*Harrower, Mark. (2004). A Look at the History and Future of Animated Maps. Cartographica. 39(3). 33-42.

Maps and the American Identity

The American identity is a conflagration of values, ideas, and social norms. This being the case, it is impossible to map the American identity comprehensively. Instead, maps can illustrate sub-genres of the American identity, including gender, ethnicity, and politics. Not one of these attributes defines the American identity, but collectively they represent something more meaningful in the American experience. For example, presidential elections reflect changing attitudes and values in the United States. Mapping presidential election returns is even more illustrative of differing opinions and values. Presidential election results for the 2004 election are illustrated below.

Blue states are those states that went for John Kerry, while red states represent those states that went for George W. Bush. The apparent locational differences indicate cultural differences and, more specifically, political values. Democratic candidates are often associated with social programs and pacifism; whereas, Republican candidates are frequently associated with the religious right and war hawks. The 2004 presidential election map indicates where these values are predominant. Interestingly, Kerry dominates in populous coastal regions of the United States, including California and New York. Bush dominated the Midwest and the South. The most apparent commonality between the Midwest and the deep South is religion. While generalizations can be made from the 2004 presidential map, it begs more important questions. For instance, is geography a contributing factor in how people think and vote? Alternatively, are values responsible for the geographic disparities? Or, perhaps it is both. The argument could be made that the dense population centers of the blue states invite more diversity, and subsequently, more liberal thought. Political maps are useful in identifying where certain ideas reside, but they often invite more critical questions.

Fact v. Fiction

The line between fact and fiction is blurred in the map “The World According to Dubya.” Normally, a map like this would instantly be perceived as a work of fiction, but its attributes (and more importantly, what we know about our president) suggest it might contain elements of truth. In any traditional geopolitical map of the world, Canada would be named Canada, not “Just like the United States….except for the French part of here,” and South America would be represented as South America, not “Uppity Democracies.” Considering these facts, it is important to remember that people are capable of representing what they perceive as true with maps. This means that even though a typical geopolitical map would contain different generalizations and different titles, Dubya’s map conveys what he believes the world to look like in fact. Personal interpretation is not unique in the map-making community. People make “mental maps” without even realizing it, and to a certain extent, these maps represent what those people perceive as fact. Similarly, Dubya’s map of the world, while not geopolitically or politically correct, contains elements, or distinguishing characteristics, that he believes to be true of those regions of the world. It is also important to note that the boundaries and borders established in geopolitical maps arguably do not exist in fact either. Geopolitical boundaries and borders are invisible and artificial; they are used to organize the world, and in some instances, without regard for the cultural makeup of the country or community they are delineating.

Good Map vs. Bad Map

Map design is an important part of the cartographic process; it can make or break the clarity or purpose of the proposed map. Good map design requires a cartographer to consider every aspect of map construction in order to achieve a product that is legible and appealing. In order to achieve this goal, there are certain elements that should always be kept in mind during the design process. First, good map design requires organization. A map that is unorganized is difficult to read and can affect the perceived meaning of the map. Organization also lends to a map’s aesthetic value, which is a primary aim in map design.

Map design also requires balance. A good map should utilize space in the best way possible, meaning that there should be little or no dead space and the map should not appear top heavy. Another important aspect of map design is clarity. The information on a map should not be obscured by its design; its purpose should be obvious to the average map viewer. To this end, the cartographer should always be wary of content, and more importantly, how it is transmitted through the map. Too much content can make a map confusing or complex. A map is intended to generalize, making simplicity an important goal in the design process. In terms of content, a map should also contain basic map elements, like a North arrow, a scale, a title, and a source statement. These are traditional marks of the trade and lend to a map’s overall credibility. Color and text usage are also significant in the design process. Traditional color schemes should be observed in order to avoid confusion (i.e. water is blue, forests are green), and excessive use of dark colors should be avoided. Map text should be limited to two or three fonts. More fonts than this can be distracting to the map viewer. Text should also utilize a logical hierarchy in order to indicate objects of importance.

Below is an example of “good” map design.



The map above abides by the basic elements of map design. It is both organized and balanced. The content flows from left to right, making its order easy for the audience to understand. The map design does not have excessive dead space or appear top heavy. Instead the weight of the larger image on the right is balanced by the three images on the left. The map’s intended purpose is also quite clear. The title is in a central location and written in a large font to indicate its importance. The map also utilizes a good range of colors. It uses a graduated color scheme in order convey percentage changes in the neighborhood. It uses black for high numbers, and lighter colors for lower numbers. This is a good map design strategy, because the meaning of light and dark colors is intuitive to the average map viewer.

The map on the left exemplifies poor map design. Not only is the map geographically inaccurate, it lacks a title specifying that the map is of the state of Nevada. It is missing essential map elements, like a North arrow, a key, and a title. The colors in this map are unappealing, and while it is safe to assume that the green areas represent forest areas or national parks, the map does not have a legend to verify that fact. The organization of this map is poor, in that, the map consumes the entire page, giving it an unprofessional quality.