Editing Cartography (section)

===Aspects of map design===
Designing a map involves bringing together a number of elements and making a large number of decisions. The elements of design fall into several broad topics, each of which has its own theory, its own research agenda, and its own best practices. That said, there are synergistic effects between these elements, meaning that the overall design process is not just working on each element one at a time, but an iterative feedback process of adjusting each to achieve the desired [[Holism|gestalt]].
* [[File:Worlds animate.gif|thumb|Areal distortion caused by [[Mercator projection]]]]'''[[Map projections]]''': The foundation of the map is the plane on which it rests (whether paper or screen), but projections are required to flatten the surface of the [[Earth]] or other celestial bodies. While all projections distort the surface, cartographers strategically control how and where distortion occurs<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Lambert |first1=Nicolas |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781000061703 |title=Practical Handbook of Thematic Cartography: Principles, Methods, and Applications |last2=Zanin |first2=Christine |date=2020-05-10 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-0-429-29196-8 |edition=1 |pages=19–27 |language=en |doi=10.1201/9780429291968 |s2cid=219413999 |access-date=2023-10-17 |archive-date=2023-12-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222083851/https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.1201/9780429291968/practical-handbook-thematic-cartography-nicolas-lambert-christine-zanin |url-status=live }}</ref> For example, the popular [[Mercator projection]] does not distort angles on the surface, but it makes regions near the poles appear larger than they are.<ref name=":3" />
* [[Cartographic generalization|'''Generalization''']]: All maps must be drawn at a smaller scale than reality, requiring that the information included on a map be a very small sample of the wealth of information about a place. Generalization is the process of adjusting the level of detail in geographic information to be appropriate for the scale and purpose of a map, through procedures such as selection, simplification, and classification.
* [[Map symbol|'''Symbology''']]: Any map visually represents the location and properties of geographic phenomena using map symbols, graphical depictions composed of several [[visual variable]]s, such as size, shape, color, and pattern.
* '''Composition''': As all of the symbols are brought together, their interactions have major effects on map reading, such as [[Gestalt psychology#Prägnanz|grouping]] and [[visual hierarchy]].
* [[Typography (cartography)|'''Typography or labeling''']]: Text serves a number of purposes on the map, especially aiding the recognition of features, but labels must be designed and positioned well to be effective.<ref>Jill Saligoe-Simmel,[https://www.drjill.net/map-fonts-article-1-the-basics-of-typography-for-cartography/ "Using Text on Maps: Typography in Cartography"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220230516/https://www.drjill.net/map-fonts-article-1-the-basics-of-typography-for-cartography/ |date=2018-12-20 }}</ref>
* [[Page layout (cartography)|'''Layout''']]: The map image must be placed on the page (whether paper, web, or other media), along with related elements, such as the title, legend, additional maps, text, images, and so on. Each of these elements have their own design considerations, as does their integration, which largely follows the principles of [[graphic design]].
* '''Map type-specific design''': Different kinds of maps, especially [[thematic map]]s, have their own design needs and best practices.