19 replies to this topic

[Nick Springer]

These maps will be in the upcoming book The First Men In: US Paratroopers and the Fight to Save D-Day by Ed Ruggero to be published by HarperCollins in June 2006.

I welcome your feedback. These are in a late draft stage.

 Map1_Invasion_Area.gif   195.92K   269 downloads  Map2_Ste_Mere_Eglise.gif   349.86K   213 downloads  Map3_La_Fiere.gif   383.24K   204 downloads

[Martin Gamache]

Nick,
A few quick things.

The figure ground reads reversed for me on the inset locator maps. I keep seeing the water as land and vice versa. Maybe it's just me?

The rail line looks like barbed wire, and not obviously a rail line. Maybe it's not a rail line

I think the compass north arrow is a little cheezy but probably perfect in this context.

The troop movement arrows on the La Fiere map could be bigger, they got lost against the background especially where they coincide with other lines, they look too much like the prominent river as well. On that map as well it seems like some of the place names (le Chateau. la Fiere) should have capitalized L, but probably not...probably a French place name style issue. Eglise as a word is definitely spelled with an accent aigu on the first E:église or Église but maybe the place name doesn't???


OK, Otherwise real nice work, I especially like the Utah Beach fill/transition to Ocean.

[EcoGraphic]

I second the rail line/barbwire issue. Rail lines in reality have ties spaced quite closely together so it just isn't processing correctly to see double sets of ties spread far apart.

Nice work,

Gillian

[Nick Springer]

I debated the rail symbology myself, but I was trying to recreate the feel of the official U.S. Army maps from WWII:

 VII_Corps.gif   240.67K   222 downloads

Martin,

I will double check all the French text, thanks. And I too was concerned about the troop arrows and trying to make them obvious but not overwhelming. I will bring them up a bit.

The compass rose was a nod to the mass market nature of the book and the old school compasses.

[EcoGraphic]

I think since the rest of the map isn't meant to look completely authentic W.W. II, you would be safe with changing the rail symbology to something more readable. At the end of the day it is obvious they are done in Illustrator, so I don't think you would be losing anything. You could keep the same delicate line weight, just make it a little more readable.

One other thing you could do is try optically "correct" the symbology a bit by adjusting the spacing so that it is more readable. A bit like kerning text.

[Hans van der Maarel]

Nick,

Great maps, but some comments...

It took me a while to figure out that's a railway line. As I'm sure you know, we have a very different style for that in Europe. Then again, if you want to recreate the US Army maps, this is the way to go.

The coast between Utah and Omaha looks odd to me. Isn't that a generally marshy area?

I may be mistaken, but I think the capture of Capriquet airport, to the south of Caen, was definately one of the original D-Day objectives.

[Martin Gamache]

I debated the rail symbology myself, but I was trying to recreate the feel of the official U.S. Army maps from WWII:

Maybe put the rail line as an item in the legend then. I think that style of line reads fine at a large scale like in the original sample you posted, but at smaller scale it would be good to close the gap between double bars a little bit.

As for the arrows, I like the ones on the original millitary map you posted, they have more of a triangular shape and read a bit easier, If that's the look you are shooting for that might be a good model.

mg

[Polaris]

Thanks for posting these Nick. Great work and educational/inspirational for me.

I don't have much to add, but thought I'd make a squeek anyway.

I think the contour lines on La Fiere would look better smoothed a bit.

I agree with M that the troop ovement arrows would be better larger. and it doesn't look like you would have to sacrifice much to do it. Transparent gradients must be an Illustrator thing - don't know how I would do that in Freehand. My software/workflow is at least several years out of date, but I'm still working on making full use of the THAT capability.

I like the Utah beach/sea transition too. The ocean surf dashes appear to vary in length - nice touch.

Eric

[DaveB]

I like the way you did the frame with the indent for the title.

The figure/ground of the insets doesn't bother me. It echoes the first map that shows the overview.

Agreed about the troop movement arrows.
As for the rail symbol, I think there isn't enough separation between each 2 hash marks that are close together. Looked like one thicker mark to me. Maybe it will be clearer in printed form.

Otherwise I think you've achieved a nice clean crisp look that still has some of the look/feel of the original maps and conveys quite a bit of information.

[Mike H]

nice map design!

Flow arrows are some of the hardest elements to integrate.

You could try arrows without the line, just a transparent gradiant ploygon. That way it won't compete with the linework of roads/rivers.

m.

[bchubb]

Nice maps Nick. I too especially like the transition from sea to land on Map 2.

A minor sugestion (but jumped out at me)..... perhaps move the compass rose on Map 3.

Bryan

[Rob]

nice work nick. love the style. the only thing I'd bring up at this point of the critique are some lines in the water on the Overlord map. They are just SSE of Utah in that coastal indention. I'm not really sure what these are. Same/similar weight and stoke as the rivers, but not clear why they are in the ocean.

and maybe pick up the compass rose from the old army maps if you are working that angle.

thanks for posting.

rob

[Nick Springer]

Here are the final maps that went to the publisher. Thanks for all the feedback. I implemented most of it in the final rounds.

 Map1_Invasion_Area.gif   199.07K   195 downloads  Map2_Ste_Mere_Eglise.gif   353.14K   171 downloads  Map3_La_Fiere.gif   384.7K   191 downloads]

[EcoGraphic]

Those look awesome! Very readable...........

[DaveB]

Excellent! I like the way the arrows for troop movement fade out.