Adapting Theories of Form, Style, and Meaning for Map Design

Ian Muehlenhaus, James Madison University
All visual communication has form. At its most basic, form is the system of relations among the elements of a communication or artistic expression. A communication's form drives its style and potential meaning by limiting and guiding a viewer's perception. Cartographers are aware that maps have form (e.g., map balance, visual hierarchy), but when designing and critiquing maps they often focus on the elements comprising the form (e.g., data richness, GUIs), an individual element's impact on interpretation (e.g., square versus circular symbol), and how objective the map appears (i.e., quantifiable accuracy). Here the author attempts to adapt more theoretical concepts of form - as expressed in literature, film, and graphics research - to map design. It is argued that these concepts may help us better address ongoing questions about map aesthetics, as well as guide narrative, argumentative, and expository map design.

Transcript

1. Adapting  Theories  of  Form,  Style,     and  Meaning  for  Map  Design     Ian  Muehlenhaus   James  Madison  University   @imuehlenhaus   www.ian.muehlenhaus.com  
2. What  Do  We  Mean  By  Map  Aesthetics?    
3. Problem  Honing  in  on  Map  Aesthetics   They  Change  with  Audience   They  Change  over  Time  
4. Maps  Aren’t  Fine  Art;  They  Are  Stories  
5. Critical  Literature  and  Film  Theory  
6. Cartographers  Help  Map  Readers  Create  Meanings   To  create  is  not  to  have  an  idea   that  searches  for  its  form;     to  create  is  rather  to  have  a  form   that  searches  for  its  meaning.   –  Gunnar  Olsson,  1984  
7. Four  Levels  of  Meaning  //  Referential  
8. Four  Levels  of  Meaning  //  Explicit  
9. Four  Levels  of  Meaning  //  Implicit  
10. Four  Levels  of  Meaning  //  Symptomatic  
11. Affective  Communication  is  Shaped  by  Form   Form  is  the  creaCon  of  an  appeCte  in   the  mind  of  an  auditor,  and  the   adequate  saCsfying  of     that  appeCte.   –  Kenneth  Burke,  1968:  31.   This  form  creates  an  appeCte…  
12. Form  is  a  System   Mason,  Twombly,  Hobbs,  NaConal  Geographic  Society  
13. Outer  Form   What  is  being  presented  in   the  story:   –  Shaded  relief   –  Camping  ameni>es   –  Eleva>on  points   –  Park  areas   –  Scenic  Byway   –  Major  Roads   –  Overlooks   –  Rest  rooms   –  Legend     From  Wellek  and  Warren,  1956  
14. Inner  Form   The  tone,  goals,  and  purpose  of  the  communicaCon  given   an  intended  audience.    From  Wellek  and  Warren,  1956.  
15. Eloquence  (i.e.,  Aesthetic)   Karl  Sluis   NaConal  Park  Service   Mary  Elmer   The  minimizaCon  of  audience  interest  in  fact.  –  K.  Burke,  1968:  37  
16. Mannered Styled Mannered Styled Benefits   •  Conven>onal  and  easy  to   interpret     •  Referen>al  meanings  are   typically  clear   Drawbacks   •  Monotony  among  viewers   •  Danger  that  viewers  are  less   likely  to  be  affected   •  Non-­‐referen>al  meanings   more  likely  to  be   overlooked       ConvenConal  representaCons  that  follow  predictable  and  established  norms.  
17. Mannered Styled Mannered Styled Benefits   •  Generally  more  complex   and  interes>ng  for  viewers   •  Pushes  the  envelope  for   mannered  maps,  with  some   concepts  geTng  coopted   Drawback   •  Lack  of  conven>on  may   make  your  audience  so   uncomfortable  they  miss   most  or  all  meanings   UnconvenConal  representaCons  that  break  the  norms  of  their  given  genre.  
18. Analyzing  Map  Aesthetic  
19. Map  Aesthetic  Classification  
20. Adapting  Theories  of  Form,  Style,     and  Meaning  for  Map  Design     Ian  Muehlenhaus   James  Madison  University   @imuehlenhaus   www.ian.muehlenhaus.com