18 replies to this topic

[MapMedia]

Any solutions for filling up blank space on a map?

I come across this every once in a while where a client wants a simple map to cover a single book page or a two page spread - and all of the focus is in the center (not middle) of the map.

[frax]

caption? blank space can be very good too.

[Hans van der Maarel]

caption? blank space can be very good too.

I agree. If there's nothing to show, there's nothing to show. In ye olde days, cartographers used to put dragons and monsters and stuff in ("because everybody knew they were there anyway"), but we can't do that anymore.

Blank space is great to put other design elements in. A legend, index, captions, locator map etc. Then again, if you're asked to stretch a map to fill an unreasonably large area and adding more detail is not an option, you're in a bit of a dilemma. In cases like that, I usually tell the client about my concerns and see if I can persuade them to go with a smaller map.

[Eric Wolf]

Here be monsters...

[DaveB]

"So geographers, in Afric maps,
With savage pictures fill their gaps,
And o’er unhabitable downs
Place elephants for want of towns."
Jonathan Swift

[François Goulet]

"So geographers, in Afric maps,
With savage pictures fill their gaps,
And o’er unhabitable downs
Place elephants for want of towns."
Jonathan Swift

Hahahahahahahaha! Love it!

We need to find modern equivalents to Monsters and Elephants to fit the gaps... From my experience, clients don't often see that a elongated feature don't easily fit on a square map... (sigh!)

[Jimbo]

Depends what you are showing, perhaps some information could be provided especially say if it involves statistics on how the data was derived. For example I created an economic atlas of Maine during my school days & to fill up space I either explained the forumla's to come up with the statistics or for the matter a table showing the differences & percentages.

[Unit Seven]

In ye olde days, cartographers used to put dragons and monsters and stuff in ("because everybody knew they were there anyway"), but we can't do that anymore.

Who says we can't?!

[Hans van der Maarel]

In ye olde days, cartographers used to put dragons and monsters and stuff in ("because everybody knew they were there anyway"), but we can't do that anymore.

Who says we can't?!

Everybody knows there's no monsters... I guess we'll have to settle for the next best thing: monster trucks!

[MapMedia]

caption? blank space can be very good too.

In ye olde days, cartographers used to put dragons and monsters and stuff in ("because everybody knew they were there anyway"), but we can't do that anymore.

Yep - I have a collection of modern day 'sea monsters' such as Bid Laden's cave, etc. I could place in blank spaces - might have to do that more often.

[Greg]

If you are covering a a large area, you could always fill in the gaps with a few insets of city level detail.
I do this a lot when making wall map layouts. Geography is not usually symmetrical.

I think from now on though, I will use elephants instead of insets.. yep. who doesn't like elephants?

[BioGeoMan]

What about adding some sort of design element(s) that relate to the content of the map? I know some clients like it simple, but often you can exercise a bit of creativity by adding graphics to the overall map space that compliment, but not overwhelm the message of the map.

Thanks,
M.

[MapMedia]

Lots of good ideas here...thanks!

[Matthew Hampton]

Embrace the white space and exploit it. White space is your friend.

That said - an inset map or overview map can be used pretty effectively (if you are mapping at a scale that is larger than 1:1).

[P Riggs]

If you are covering a a large area, you could always fill in the gaps with a few insets of city level detail.

I agree with Greg.

Or you could do what old maps did and use a texture or dark color fill for those areas.
Examples from my website:
Tavernier's Description Du Pays Armorique A Pres Bretaigne
Erwin Raisz's Map of the Lower Nile
Texture can fill in white space quite nicely.