I was reading a design magazine article over the weekend that provided tips on how to set a well-designed table with miss-matched pieces. (I kid you not.) Though the topic was table settings the design concepts were generally applicable, even to map making. Here are a few:
If you are tempted to have the same plates, glassware, and silverware at each setting, think about how much more richness and variety you can get from miss-matched pieces if you do it right. Similarly, with a map, it is nice to have some variety in balance and weight. For example, a road map can benefit from intentional de-densification immediately surrounding the city areas. This provides some denser areas of the map where it makes sense to do so, and less dense areas of the map in rural locations to create a balance.
Mix fine patterns with bold patterns. Applying this to map design, don’t make a map that contains crosshatching in every single polygon. Rather, intersperse the crosshatch fill with areas of solid fill. Furthermore, because crosshatching carries such a heavy visual weight, apply it only to the smallest or fewest areas.
Use colors that go well together, like blue patterned plates with solid gray plates. In map design, choose your color theme and go with it: lots of crazy bold colors, monochromatic, complimentary colors, or analogous colors. The key is to enforce that color scheme throughout the design and production process, lest it get away from you.
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