23 replies to this topic

[SM_Mapper]

I created this map as a little side project for my wedding. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it - colors, symbols, etc. I know the main map is a bit so/so. I wanted to show the stars (location of the people) more then the location of the church. Also, this is just for the guests at my reception - so didn't really feel the need for scale bars on any of the maps and just one north arrow for the main map.

Look forward to your thoughts. Thanks.

Mike

Attached Files

•  Wedding_Project.pdf   854.85K   311 downloads

[Hans van der Maarel]

Mike,

First of all, congratulations!

And on to the map. It looks nice and I think it's a fun idea. First thing I noticed was some vertical striping issue. It's particulary noticable in the MN/WI inset. You may want to check that if you're going to get it printed.

Another (very minor) thing is that your Europe source data seems to have reclaimed a bit too much land in The Netherlands

One thing I would like to suggest is thinning out the road network on the main and inset map. Remove the dangly bits and isolated lines, thin out the ring roads around major cities. This will reduce visual clutter. In fact, you may even want to consider getting rid of it alltogether.

Expand the legend a bit, show the various star sizes and how they correspond with the number of visitors.

[SM_Mapper]

Hans,

Thanks for the imput. I think the vertical stripes are a pdf issue because I printed it on a plotter (HP) and it looked great. I also thought about getting rid of the major highways, but the midwest is very car dependent and everything is related to where the highway is, etc. I may, however, try lightening it up to reduce clutter.

Also, I'll look into the European source data.

Thanks again,

Mike

[Hans van der Maarel]

Thanks for the imput. I think the vertical stripes are a pdf issue because I printed it on a plotter (HP) and it looked great. I also thought about getting rid of the major highways, but the midwest is very car dependent and everything is related to where the highway is, etc. I may, however, try lightening it up to reduce clutter.

Also, I'll look into the European source data.

Yeah, I figured having the major connecting highways on there would also be a good topic of discussion for the guests

As for the European source, the area listed here as Markermeer is water, not land. There were plans to reclaim that bit as well, but they were dropped in the 80s.

[frax]

So Mike, now when you have invited everyone on CartoTalk to your wedding, you would have to add more stars - also in other parts of the world!

The map looks good, and seems like a fun project for the wedding guests!

I think the color palette is not the best, esp not the blue tone for the sea, not too much contrast (could be almost white). The north arrow is not correct (north is not the same all over the main map, using this (albers?) projection). For the sea - adding a graticule there (but not on land) gives a sense of the globe, and I think you don't need the ocean names. By the way - Mount Olivet Luthern Church, shouldn't that be lutheran church.

Good luck with the wedding!

[peanut]

Excellent idea and cool map!

I might consider removing the inset for the upper mid-west area. The inset only provides a little bit more detail and this detail can be included on the main map. I might also make the Germany inset a bit smaller.

Doing these two things would add to the balance of your map.

Great work!

Rich

[SM_Mapper]

So Mike, now when you have invited everyone on CartoTalk to your wedding, you would have to add more stars - also in other parts of the world!

The map looks good, and seems like a fun project for the wedding guests!

I think the color palette is not the best, esp not the blue tone for the sea, not too much contrast (could be almost white). The north arrow is not correct (north is not the same all over the main map, using this (albers?) projection). For the sea - adding a graticule there (but not on land) gives a sense of the globe, and I think you don't need the ocean names. By the way - Mount Olivet Luthern Church, shouldn't that be lutheran church.

Good luck with the wedding!

Good catch on the Lutheran. You'd think I'd have it down by now being raised Lutheran and all. Thanks for the heads up.

Also, you are right about the north arrow, but like I said, it is for a group of people that don't know much about maps so I figured it'd just be nice to have one on there.

[SM_Mapper]

Excellent idea and cool map!

I might consider removing the inset for the upper mid-west area. The inset only provides a little bit more detail and this detail can be included on the main map. I might also make the Germany inset a bit smaller.

Doing these two things would add to the balance of your map.

Great work!

Rich

Yeah, the upper midwest inset doesn't add too much. I'd make it bigger but I wanted to include SF since that is where the fiance and I are coming from. And Germany's size was a concern also because it is only one guest from there so no need to have it a 1/3 of the map. I might play around with the two and see where I end up.

You all have been great. Thanks for the well-wishes and I hope I can put up some more maps soon.

[DaveB]

Congratulations!
Nice idea to show where the guests are coming from.
At least the banding on the midwest inset is similar to the main map
Minor nitpick - The line width of the frames around the various maps seems to vary, and this causes the alignment to look a bit odd. The Germany inset seems to drop below the main map slightly.
If you want to keep the north arrow I would consider moving down to the lower right with the title and other text and maybe make it more of a logo than an actual north arrow. Just an idea.

[David T]

Nice map. Now, print it out poster sized, and set it out at the reception. Have all of your guests sign it (or at least identify themselves as a little dot on the map), and then put it up in your house.

[razornole]

Nice idea. I would just take the north arrow off. If your guest don't know the orientation of North America, I would be willing the bet they don't know what a north arrow is either, I might go as far as to say they don't know what north means.

Great idea, I had 32 states represented with a guest list of 80 at my wedding. Wish I had done the same thing, but I was an archaeologist at that time.

kru

[Jimbo]

Congrats on the wedding, hope she's hot. I would have most likely created a location map of the church & reception hall showing the guests where to go to save time from the phone ringing of calls, "um can you give me directions to the church?"

[frax]

An idea - instead of the Germany map, an idea could be to present a globe with a pushpin with Bremen. The actual location of Bremen in Germany is not so important to communicate, right?

[SM_Mapper]

Thanks for all the input. I've taken some into consideration. I fixed the width on the neat line around the main map - I saw that once it was printed out. Also, I went and tried to include Germany's ( and Bremen's) location with respect to all of Europe. That may or may not work better. I also enlarged the close up of the upper midwest so that it actually serves a purpose as opposed to just being the same scale as the main map.

I moved the north arrow to the bottom (the wife-to-be liked the scripted north arrow). I fixed the spelling of the all important Lutheran.

Otherwise, I'll probably print it off again and stare at it this weekend. My co-worker suggested that I print off 125, laminate them, and use them as place settings. My fiance also had the idea, I believe it was brought up here too, of having one available to the guests to sign and then we can frame it up. I think we are going to have a camera and mini chalk board so that people can write a few thoughts down and take a picture with it. Then create a photo/guest book.

So here is the update. I have a week yet so feel free to catch more of my errors.

PS. She is beautiful, I am a lucky man to say the least.

[SM_Mapper]

My mistake. I saw that the European inset was missing Turkey and parts of Africa. Updated...

Attached Files

•  Wedding_Project.pdf   953.28K   69 downloads