Map Annotation

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Geographical Data Presentation

• Map Annotation
• by
• Alastair Pearson

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Type Faces and Cartographic Design

• Robinson (1950) writes
• No matter how well designed a map might be
  in other respects, it fails if the lettering it
  depends upon for the transmission of its
  information is treated improperly.

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Introduction

• part of overall design process
• names figures
• reinforces classification hierarchy of features
• type face important in overall effect on map
  legibility

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Guidelines

• Few available
• little attention in most texts
• text familiar in newspapers and books - perhaps
  contempt
• Withycombe (1929) proposed principles
• good harmony of style
• legibility
• selection of suitable font for reproduction

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General principles

• I) The importance can be expressed by the size
• II) The nature of the feature can be reflected in
  the style e.g Ye Olde Oak Tree
• III) Location is provided by placement
• IV) Extent is suggested by s p a c i n g

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Characteristics of type

• Letter forms
• Roman alphabet - 2 distinct forms
• CAPITAL (UPPER-CASE)
• lower-case

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D a g d
Characteristics of typographic
letter forms
Ascender line
Capital line
Mean line
Base line
Counter
Descender line
Loop
Bowl
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Letter forms (cont.)

• Shapes proportions controlled bydescender
  line mean line ascender line capital line
• letters arranged on base line
• Shapes of bowls, loops and counters are slightly
  different in different styles

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• Orientation
• upright letter forms - Roman
• slanting letter forms - Italic
• Classification of type styles
• how letters are formed and terminated and their
  relative proportions
• three main types

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• Serif
• small extensions that terminate strokes
• always vary in thickness and proportions of
  strokes
• Sans-serif
• No extended terminations
• little or no variation in stroke thickness
• Slab serif
• even stroke thickness of serif face

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Type Size

• Typographic point measurement
• 72point 1inch
• refers to size of metal piece for printing
• 72 point text is smaller than 1 inch

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Some suggestions

• Typeface selection
• Use a clear/clean typeface e.g. Helvetica or
  Ariel
• Sans-serif fonts print cleaner than serifed fonts
• Sans-serif fonts can be printed at a smaller size
  and remain legible

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• Type size
• vary size according to feature importance
• form a classification of type size based on
  sensible criteria
• only use 3 or 4 classes at most (depends on
  amount of text)

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Classifying text purpose

• Designative text
• Narrative Place Names
• Descriptive e.g. scenic route or ruined
• Functional e.g. Mountain Rescue Post
• Regulatory Legal, admin. or political

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N E W P O R T P A R I S H
(Regulatory)
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• Analytical
• Confirmative Confirms symbol meaning
• Determinative Provides absolute meaning
• Reference e.g. ED no.s on census map
• Categorisation e.g. Geological rock types

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Name Placement

• complex and sophisticated process
• generally subjective
• conflicting objectives
• few attempts to write rules (Imhof, 1975 is best
  known)

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Imhofs basic rules

• names on maps should be
• legible
• easily associated with their relevant features
• must not overlap other map contents
• placed to show extent of the feature
• reflect the hierarchy of the features
• not densely clustered nor evenly dispersed

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Point location names

• square to map border
• base line of letters no lower than centre of
  point

Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge
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Linear features

• Rivers/roads etc
• alongside line
• avoid vertical or irregular stretches
• repeat if required
• better to have base line of names above feature

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Danube
Danube
Danube
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Complex name placement
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Practical Guidelines

• Avoid writing Map showing..
• Avoid writing Key or Legend
• Avoid using CAPITALS
• Classify names by size (not too many classes)

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