Introduction to Cartography

What started this session:Too often Cartography Salon sessions are jammed! But we often find a few different groups of people:

1. Cartographers who have entered maps into the salon and want to hear from the judges why their map won/lost and how to improve it

2. Beginning mapmakers who are just starting out and want to hear the input so that they pick up pointers their upcoming maps

3. Brand new cartographers looking to get into map making and trying to pick up any information on how to draw good looking mapsTalking about this, the Survey and Cartography Section decided to

open a forum for the second and third groups to try and give beginning mapmakers a forum to learn and ask questions….

Introduction to Cartography

What we hope to do today:1. A quick rundown of the steps of mapmaking (AFTER the survey is

done!)

2. A discussion of some of the tools available

3. Common features of a map

4. How maps are judged in the salon. (We add this not to make the point that all maps should be judged in competition, but share those features that make maps easier to read and understand

5. Look at some examples of maps here

6. Head out to the Map Salon and look at more examples

7. Make Cartographers in the S&C Section more accessible

Introduction to Cartography

1. Clean Notes!

2. Enter notes in survey program to reduce data

3. Get lineplot

4. Import lineplot into drafting program

5. Scan in notes/ sketch

6. Draft details

7. Label and Final Prep

8. Print

Quick Rundown on Mapmaking steps

Introduction to Cartography

Reduce the dataThere are many way to reduce data

- Hand

- Graphically

But there really is no better way then via computer and one of the many free/low

cost programs available!

- Compass

- Walls

Introduction to Cartography

Compass: - Excellent graphical presentation

- Well supported

- Easy to use

- Shareware ($25)

Introduction to Cartography

Walls: - Excellent error detection

- SVG roundtripping

- Free !

Introduction to CartographyFor better or worse the day of hand drawn

computer maps is coming to a close

Introduction to Cartography

Computer Cartography is quickly replacing it

Introduction to Cartography

There are a LOT of reasons for this:

- Better and cheaper computers

- Easy and powerful Software

- Access to good color printers

- Easily accessible formats (JPEGs, PDF) to share data and maps

Introduction to Cartography

And the maps themselves!!!:

- Better Lineweight control

- Color!

- Typesetting

And most of all

- Correctable

- Updateable

Introduction to CartographyA quick overview of Computer Graphics

Raster Graphics

Raster Graphics is a grouped collection of individual dots (pixels)

When areas are picked and moved, everything goes. There is no difference between different parts

Vector Graphics

In vector graphics, shapes and lines are described by formulas

So individual features can be moved as a whole

Introduction to CartographySome popular graphics programs :

- Freehand

- Corel-Draw

- Autocad

- Xara

- Macpaint

- MS Paint

Vector based software

Raster based software

Introduction to Cartography

Lets Talk about Map ComponentsWe will use the Judging sheet as a guideline, not because all maps can or will be judged, but because it is a good reference for making good looking and usable maps.

The closer we can follow these recommendations the more the map will stand out as a quality work

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required Components:

1) Cave NameSeems Obvious, but there are some rules!- No Abbreviations- Location information (usually County and State)- Graphical hierarchy (should not be too big or small, but

should stand out)- Font sizes should emphasize Name - Cave names are usually not underlined

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required Components:

2) EntranceWe need to know where the entrance is – in larger caves this is harder then you may expect, especially to those unfamiliar to the cave

- Clearly marked- Stand out- If the map is just a section of the cave, then the

connection to the rest of the cave should be clearly marked- Entrances should be marked with drip line symbol

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required Components:

3) North ArrowAll maps need a North Arrow!

- Clearly marked as to Magnetic or true North. - If Magnetic is used, a declination should be provided and

dated- If possible, both a true and Magnetic north arrow can be

displayed- Should be long enough to scale off of- Not too ornate- Best if it points in an ordinal direction of the paper the

map is on (up, down, left or right)

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required Components:

4) ScaleAll maps need to have some kind of scale so that we know how large the cave is, how big the passages, and so on…

- Should be a Bar scale of some type- Scaled measurements such as 1”= 50’ should be avoided.

As the maps are reproduced these can lose their meaning- Units should be included, 2 bars (Metric, English) can be

shown if desired- Not too ornate nor should it overpower- Should be rational to the size of the map

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required Components:

5) Vertical ControlVertical Control is necessary to show the vertical extent of the cave – due to the 2-dimentional nature of paper maps, ,this is the most difficult to visualize, and thus MUST be added in some way to make the map useable

This seems obvious, but is one of the MOST forgotten component, and will often disqualify maps in competition

There are two widely used methods:

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required Components:

5) Vertical Control (Cont.) Vertical Symbols

- Numerical symbols on the plan view denoting distance above or below a

certain spot (usually the entrance) called the Datum- Datum MUST be labeled- Units must be shared- All vertical extent and changes should be shown, such as

pits, ledges, ceiling heights, water depth - Symbols should be shared in Keys- Can use place outside the map and use leader lines to

show location of control, or place within map

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required Components:

5) Vertical Control (Cont.) Profile

- Usually shows a profile view of the cave- Should include a Vertical Bar with ‘easy’ to read divisions

- Units must be shared- Type of profile should be shared (projected, idealized….)

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required Components:

5) Vertical Control (Cont.)Other types of vertical control are acceptable as long as they are clearly explained and serve the purpose of determining the vertical run of the cave

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required Components:

6) DATA!!Several Pieces of data MUST be included to finish out the map:

- Date of the survey- Cartographer- Survey group or Project- Class (type) Of survey

Additionally there are several other pieces of data that can be shared to help the understanding of the map

- Length, depth- Survey crew- Historical notes

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required (?) Components:

7) Symbol InformationSymbols used in the map should be explained. Some groups use standard symbols and do not add a legend. This is fine as long as the symbol set used is standard and shared (NSS, MSS ect)

However most cartographers add a legend (or key) to the map to explain what the symbols used mean. This is a great way to add more visual impact to the map but does come with some rules:

- Every symbol should be detailed- Should be clear, easy to understand, and not crammed or

cluttered

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Required (?) Components:

8) Cross SectionsWho doesn’t love cross sections?. Cross sections should be used liberally to explain what the passage is doing. However it can be a complex dilemma to get as much detail in without cluttering the map.Likewise, complex cross sections can add a lot to the map if done well.Cross sections should:

- either be scaled the same as the plan, or clearly called out as different

- Should have tic lines showing where they are being drawn in the cave

- Tic Lines should not contact map or cross section- Should show direction sketcher is facing when drawing

and up direction- Detail in cross section should match plan- Avoid gutless cross sections, don’t miss the complex

areas!- Adding bedrock symbols can help cross sections stand out- Can be drawn Separate from plan – but must be located

with labels

Introduction to Cartography

Introduction to Cartography

We have talked quite a bit about the components that make up a good map.

But anyone will tell you that a map is more then its components, it is the quality of those components and how they are laid out!

Warning - quality is in the eye of the beholder, the following is subjective and highly opinionated

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Quality:1) Drafting Quality

Its All about the Map!

Without a quality representation of the details of the cave, everything else is icing on a poop cake!

- Depends on the quality of the survey notes, You will become a better

surveyor after drawing your first few maps. Work with your surveyors to

maintain a level of detail- Represent the cave as it really is, try to stay away from

formalized representations- Take your time to add the details- However, especially with computer aided drafting, it is

easy to add to much detail. Zoom out to presentation level and check that

your detail is not too dense. Remove some detail if necessary

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Quality:

1) Drafting Quality (cont)- The amount of detail should be consistent trough-out the

map- Floor composition should be called out graphically (or

with notation)- Drafting quality should be consistent and good with no

gaps, blobs, smudges, or the computer equivalent- Print quality should be good too! A badly printed good

map, is still a bad map

Introduction to Cartography

Detail too dense

Detail Cleaned up

Too little detail

Introduction to Cartography

Examples of Better Detail

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Quality:

2) Line Weight HierarchyThere should be hierarchy used in line weights in the drafting of the details

- Heaviest weight for the walls- Next lighter for geology/ geological details in cave- Lightest for details

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Quality:

3) Component HierarchyJust like details in the Cave Drawing, other components also share a hierarchy

- most important things should be bolder- Cave Name- Location- North Arrow/ scale- Entrance- Other cave information

Introduction to Cartography

Cave Map Quality:

4) Balance and LayoutAll this talk of detail and hierarchy lead up to one thing – it the map useful, and is it ‘pleasing’ to look at?

Good Maps blend detail and usefulness with a good balance and layout so that it is easy to use as well as something ‘more’ then a collection of details

Balance and Layout is hard to talk about – Lets give some examples

Introduction to Cartography

Examples

Introduction to Cartography

- No Title Hierarchy - Uneven Lettering

- Doesn’t fit on Paper very well – Crammed in - No vertical Control

- Entrance same font as other names - Cave is lost on page

Good

- Good title Hierarchy

- Vertical Control - Too Much information thrown in between profile and map - Once again cave gets lost

Better - Cave draws eye, and stands out

- But still a lot of white space

- Downward facing north arrow?

Introduction to Cartography

Even Better - Map fills Page

- Cave stands out

- Vertical Profile

Introduction to Cartography

Ribbon Winner

- Color

- Striping