Cartography Intro Guide Book

An excellent reference book for basic cartography techniques is the Designing Better Maps: A Guide for GIS Users book by Cynthia Brewer. Although this book does not go into extensive detail, it does cover the essential components of map making and cartography. The book is an easy read book with graphic illustrations.

Areas that are covered within this book are design, type, colors, symbols, and additional elements. In the area of design, the topic covers determining your audience, establishing your purpose, and setting your layout. Within the type category, Brewer helps the reader understand the purpose of different type settings. In the section on color, she uses the ColorBrewer techniques and also shows how to use the right colors for the map’s intent.

I believe that this book should be on every cartographer’s shelf. Check it out today!