This week's module involved the creation of a map that followed Gestalt's principles. I created a map of Washington D.C.'s Ward 7 public schools using ArcGIS. After adding all of the layers, I had to use the "Clip Tool" to create a layer that only included the D.C. schools located in Ward 7.
As mentioned above, the objective of this module was for us to understand Gestalt's principles of Visual Hierarchy, Contrast, Figure Ground, and Balance. To establish Visual Hierarchy, I ranked schools based off of their type (High > Middle > Elementary) from large to small points. I also made my data source text size smaller so attention is not drawn away from the main map features.
To achieve adequate contrast, I made sure to use a contrasting gradient for my point features. I chose bright colors that would stand out against the grays of the map. I made sure that the main roads (interstates, highways, etc.) were a darker gray than the local roads. I also made the background a darker shade than the map.
To establish Figure-ground I made the Ward 7 area, the main area of interest, a lighter shade than the greater Washington D.C. area. And finally, I incorporated balance by making sure Ward 7 was sized as large as possible. Then I arranged the essential map elements (legend, scale, north arrow, sources) within the empty space in the bottom right corner.
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