Editing Map (section)

== Design ==
{{main|Cartographic design}}
The design and production of maps is a craft that has developed over thousands of years, from clay tablets to [[geographic information systems]]. As a form of [[design]], particularly closely related to [[graphic design]], map making incorporates scientific knowledge about how maps are used, integrated with principles of artistic expression, to create an aesthetically attractive product, carries an aura of authority, and functionally serves a particular purpose for an intended audience.

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]].

* [[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. All projections distort this surface, but the cartographer can be strategic about how and where distortion occurs.<ref name="Albrecht 2005">{{cite web|url=http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/~jochen/gtech201/lectures/lec6concepts/map%20coordinate%20systems/how%20to%20choose%20a%20projection.htm|last=Albrecht|first=Jochen|title=Maps projections|access-date=2013-08-13}}</ref>
* [[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 features 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"]</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 has its 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.