Book Image

Mapping with ArcGIS Pro

By : Amy Rock, Ryan Malhoski
Book Image

Mapping with ArcGIS Pro

By: Amy Rock, Ryan Malhoski

Overview of this book

ArcGIS Pro is a geographic information system for working with maps and geographic information. This book will help you create visually stunning maps that increase the legibility of the stories being mapped and introduce visual and design concepts into a traditionally scientific, data-driven process. The book begins by outlining the steps of gathering data from authoritative sources and lays out the workflow of creating a great map. Once the plan is in place you will learn how to organize the Contents Pane in ArcGIS Pro and identify the steps involved in streamlining the production process. Then you will learn Cartographic Design techniques using ArcGIS Pro's feature set to organize the page structure and create a custom set of color swatches. You will be then exposed to the techniques required to ensure your data is clear and legible no matter the size or scale of your map. The later chapters will help you understand the various projection systems, trade-offs between them, and the proper applications of them to make sure your maps are accurate and visually appealing. Finally, you will be introduced to the ArcGIS Online ecosystem and how ArcGIS Pro can utilize it within the application. You will learn Smart Mapping, a new feature of ArcGIS Online that will help you to make maps that are visually stunning and useful. By the end of this book, you will feel more confident in making appropriate cartographic decisions.
Table of Contents (12 chapters)
Index

Building map grammar


When we develop a system of font styles, we are essentially building the grammar of the map. The combination of labels and symbols helps our audience learn new features by comparing them to the structures used for familiar features. 

The first piece of this is the map hierarchy. When we assign fonts by feature class, size, or importance, we are helping our map reader quickly determine which parts of the map should be viewed first. Large, bold fonts leap forward and demand attention, while smaller and lighter fonts recede, providing information when needed, but not assertively.

We can also use fonts as variables. The contrast between serif and sans-serif lends itself to qualitative distinctions. Any time we change fonts, even if they are both serif or sans-serif, we are clueing our reader into a change in information. Color, form, and width can also indicate qualitative changes, but be careful they don't move to a different place in the hierarchy by appearing heavier or...