Reference Map

Goal:

The goal of this exercise was to introduce basic functions of adobe illustrator and proper map making techniques.  Using adobe illustrator and color brewer, a reference map of Africa was created. The skills learned in this lab would become the foundation for the rest of the semester's projects involving map making.

Methods:

The first task was to put the names of the countries inside their boundaries or use lead lines to connect the name to the country.  The extent of the name to the country, spelling, and legibility were all taken into consideration in this step.  Next, a color scheme was used from colorbrewer.com to differentiate the countries according to a qualitative color scheme.  The water bodies were labeled along with major physical features like the Sahara Desert.  Map design principles were utilized throughout the entire project.  the title, scale, source, north arrow, and legend were all placed according to the rules of visual hierarchy to make the map visually pleasing to look at.  A faded graticule was placed in the background for reference.

Results:

The final map (Figure 1) shows the continent of Africa with all of its countries, water bodies, and major physical features.

Figure 1. Reference Map of Africa

The countries of Africa are colored using colorbrewer.com and the European and Asian Continents are colored brown to place emphasis on Africa.  The water bodies are labeled in blue and italicized.  The Great Rift Valley is denoted by the semi-transparent red line as indicated by the legend.  Using Adobe Illustrator, a clear, concise, and easy to read map was created for use as a future reference.

Sources:

ESRI
Central Intelligence Agency. "CIA World Factbook- Africa." Accessed February 1, 2017. http://www.ciaworldfactbook.us/africa.html.