Map Design - by style choice

Today we are still talking about designing maps for the representation of digital terrain models with QGIS.

In the illustrative example it will be possible to view tables with cartographic representations included regarding a mountainous part of an Italian territory.

Generic work phases:

1 - take the digital terrain model survey in general in two ways:
a) from secure or institutional web sources, make sure of the data usage license, in most cases you will find a raster type file;
b) from a topographic survey that can have different levels of precision low, medium or high, make sure with which instrumentation it was performed and if necessary ask for advice from a topographer or a GIS expert.

2 - import the survey file into QGIS; if it is a raster file the working phase will be simpler because it will be enough to set the parameters of the symbology to obtain the desired graphics, if instead it comes from a topographic survey it will be enough to import the data in GPX format (generated by a GPS survey) and through some procedures it will be possible to obtain a digital model of the terrain.

🔖 Generally digital terrain models are represented in three ways:
- DTM raster
- DTM raster + contour lines
- DTM contour lines

🔖 Then it is up to you based on what you are asked to decide, but I recommend sticking to some standards.

🔖 The choice of the color scale that can be divergent or gradual, even in this phase we are careful because it depends on where we have to insert the cartography and to whom we have to show it since there are also rules of Visual Communication that require attention such as graphics, the color scale, labels, icons and many other objects tuned to each other in order to transmit the dynamics related to the territory.

The cartography that represents a part of the territory is an image that transmits the state of the places, with all the factors that are natural, anthropic, environmental, social, economic and events of various nature.
 

🔖 The cartography is an image that must attract the attention of the interested parties.

🔖 A good analysis of the color, the choice and positioning of the legend, and other technical elements that identify the orientation and the scale factor must be in tune with each other simple and pleasant to read.

In this post I have designed examples of cartography of the same place that can be displayed in different ways.

🔖 As required by the rules of web publishing the images are in .jpg format to allow fast loading and viewing through browsers.

Sample map for choosing colors that can be delivered to the customer for review and choice of colors and combinations between them:

This is a sample with colors chosen by the professional, the contour lines based on the distance that highlight the topography of the land, with this sample the customer will give you an answer in a short time, experience teaches.

There is a color that strengthens the others or combinations between them to create different effects.

For this exercise the gray color was chosen which was inserted above the layers to give a tone to the map

A – gray over the cyan:

B – grey over the green:

C – grey over the orange:

 

Comments:
The gray mixed with cyan and orange has lowered the brightness favoring the reading of the relief in the sections with a higher slope

The gray mixed with green has strengthened the color marking even if it has taken on another tone favoring the reading of the differences in level

🔖 The cartographer should also have graphic design skills.

Finally I always developed the same territory with two overlapping modes "hillshade" and "false color band" and with the addition of a 2.5D visualization.

 

Depending on the purpose of the work, it is possible to overlap 2 different visualization styles.

2.5D geometries describe either height or depth for each vertex, but not both.

For more information you can contact me through my linkedin profile, icon on the top right.

Thanks for reading.