Map showing my Map Elements, Typography, and Labeling skills!

 

Here we are in Lab 2 where we learned some important guidelines in Typography, Labeling, and Essential Map Elements. Such as map requirements, retaining size and proportions, inserting text, placement of symbology and labels. Some important points we went over was when to use italics. The only time they should be used is when labeling water features and data and publications. Another one was to make sure your scale bar has the correct conversion. Always remember your ratio, the numerator is the map distance, and the denominator is the ground distance.

 We were tasked with creating a map of Florida displaying 6 rivers (line features), 7 cities one of those being the state capitol (point features), and 2 lakes/swamps (polygon features) and labeling them. In doing this we were assigned to make sure our map displayed all the essential map elements. We were encouraged to play around with different label designs, orientations, and color schemes. We were asked to experiment with at least 3 customizations to the map. Really make this map our own!

I created my map in ArcGIS Pro, the data used was received from UWF. I started by adding one feature layer at a time and used the attribute table to select only the desired features and areas that I wanted displayed on my map. I chose the symbology I wanted and then added and adjusted the labeling for the symbology. I had to use the convert to annotation tool to get my desired look when labeling the Rivers and Lakes/Swamps features. Once I completed all the feature layers on my map, I started my map layout and added all my Map Elements. 

Three customizations I made to my map was adding background color, adjusting the legend and adjusting the size of the map. I added the background color to the map, so the map and the elements would pop out. I feel that it also gives it a more completed look. I tried several colors and had to lighten the color using the eyedropper to make sure all the symbology was noticeable. For the legend I worked on getting the word and rows spacing to my liking, by using the element pane. I also added a frame to the legend for my preference adding the border makes it feel neater and more completed. This is a simple map, and the shape of Florida leaves a lot of empty space. I feel that that added touch helps take away from the emptiness. I did not want to make the legend too big and take away from the map. I choose a slightly different color than the county color of the map to tie it together while still keeping its own entity. I tried to keep all the colors to a calming effect with a slight pop to express the features and essential elements. I adjusted the size of the map where it would take up as much as the white space as it could without cutting off any of the map borders or labels. I tried several different sizes using Representative fractions in the scale box until I found the right balance.