Thinking about Type

Manipulating spatial data and visual variables, such as colour and spacing, tend to take up most of my time when I make a map.  But increasingly I've been exploring typeface and using type to convey more information about the data or map that you are creating.  Traditional cartography uses italics to name natural features such as rivers while man made features are in normal font.

This video talks about the use of typeface to convey messages in logos and signage.  Presented from a design perspective, it should spark some cartographic ideas...

Colour and how you perceive it

Colour is always an interesting topic for those interested in the visual communication of information. Cartography in particular relies on colour (hue, chroma and lightness) to relay information to its audience.  A colleague of mine pointed me to this BBC programme on the perception of colour - how its affected by your moods, your use of descriptions, your language, etc.