Module 3 - Terrain Visualization

     This week's module focused on the creation and interpretation of contours and hillshades in ArcGIS Pro. In order to create a hillshade for the land use map I used the default traditional options in the Raster Functions pane. I then adjusted the transparency of the land use layer to show the hillshade underneath. The land use layer consisted of natural features, so I tried to use natural colors in the symbology as much as I could without negatively impacting the visual clarity of the map.

Module 2 - Coordinate Systems

     This week's lab focused on examining various coordinate systems and map projections. We were tasked to create a map layout of a chosen US State, using an appropriately selected projected coordinate system. I chose Nevada as my area of interest, and used the NAD 1983 (2011) UTM Zone 11N coordinate system. The State Plane coordinate system was less appropriate as Nevada had three State Plane zones, versus it's singular UTM zone.

Module 1 - Map Design & Typography

     This introductory module emphasized the importance of proper symbology, typography and general map design. We were tasked to design a tourism map for the City of Austin showing the location of rec centers, golf courses and the county's water bodies.

      To ensure visual contrast, I used lighter colors for the least important features, such as the base map and the county layer, and applied more vibrant, contrasting colors to the other layers. For legibility, I selected feature sizes and outline point values appropriate for the map's scale, otherwise labels were not present on the map frame. Figure-ground organization was achieved by making first-class major roads thicker than the second-class roads and by emphasizing rec center points with thicker outlines, so they can stand out against the county layer. The map elements are sized hierarchically, with the map frame and title as the largest elements, followed by the legend, scale bar and credits, and the north arrow as the smallest element, which reflects its supporting role. Lastly, balance was maintained by organizing elements below the map frame to minimize white space as much as possible.