When it comes to visualizing and illustrating a certain spatial phenomenon, a single map may not be enough to tell the whole story. Cartographers often combine several maps dealing with a specific topic into a single medium so users can easily relate each piece together and grasp the overall idea that the cartographer wants to convey. This collection of thematic maps called atlas has evolved significantly throughout the years since the term was first used in the context of cartography.
The International Cartographic Association has several accepted definitions for an atlas. It can be defined as a “systematic collection of topographic and/or thematic maps with selected scales for a dedicated region and a dedicated goal” (Hake et al. 2002; Kraak and Ormeling 2010). While there are several classifications of atlases, it can be initially divided based on the medium used to display it: paper and electronic atlases. For many or even hundreds of years, paper atlases have been the most popular type until several decades ago when technological development allows cartographers to share them efficiently in digital formats. Furthermore, an atlas can also be classified according to their specific objective such as in the case of:
• National atlas – contains high-resolution geographical datasets of a country
• Thematic atlas – shows a certain theme for different areas
• Reference atlas – contains a set of conventional locator maps
Although digital atlases have various classifications mainly based on the complexity and level of details that are being displayed, this paper will focus more on the production of paper maps and atlases in general.
Because of the huge amount of information that is being presented in these atlases, the cartographer must know how to structure this information properly and efficiently. For users to clearly understand the flow of the presented topic, the hierarchy of information must be easily discernible using proper sequencing and map scales. For instance, thematic maps that are more important are shown earlier than those that have minimal relation to the topic. Also, maps can be presented by starting on a smaller map scale then zooming into areas on a larger scale to give emphasis or vice versa. In the example below, the atlas of early city plans is categorized into various classifications (e.g. ancient cities, megacities, imperial cities, etc.) rather than presenting the maps based on the date of creation to structure the presentation of the idea which is focused on the classification of these cities rather than the actual creation date of the maps.
The comparability of the datasets and maps must also be carefully considered when making these atlases, especially in the case of thematic atlases. For the comparisons to be valid and meaningful, various aspects of the maps including scale, generalization, symbology, and even base map used, must be standardized across the maps being compared. This way, users will be able to obtain an accurate insight into the topic being presented.
Today, the creation of a quality printed atlas does not revolve around the cartographic skill of the cartographer solely, but also on one’s understanding of the technology involved in the whole paper map production process including printing and publishing. Due to the significant development in the field of desktop publishing, cartographers should also be aware of the different aspects of publishing such as the color models, printing techniques, scale and physical size, typography, or even the quantity of copies to be produced. For instance, setting the wrong color model to either RGB or CMYK can impact the result of the printed atlas due to the difference in how color works on screen and in print. In the example below, the image appeared different in print because it is not physically possible to reproduce the RGB colors you see on the monitor when images are commercially printed.
With the integration of design and publishing aspects in the process of map-making, the six-step production process shown below provides a general idea of how printed maps are made from design to print. While this workflow emphasizes the publishing part, cartographers should take note of these things also as the resulting tangible product of their work is being influenced mostly by these publishing and printing steps.
The first step focuses mainly on the organization of the maps and other contents on the actual page layout. Generally, maps should be put together to communicate a certain topic or idea effectively and in a way that will be easily understandable for the map readers. With proper positioning and layout of these graphics, harmonization can be achieved also throughout the whole atlas. The second step is concerned with the prechecks before everything is sent to the actual printing process and is usually done by the printer. This is to ensure that the composition of the graphic is correct and that there will be no issue with how the contents are printed and how the pages are arranged. The succeeding steps are related to the actual printing procedure which may vary depending on the printing technology used.
Atlases provide users with a concise and effective way of understanding a load of information from a spatial phenomenon. The way information is perceived and understood depends on various aspects such as how it is structured and presented within the atlas. While recent development in spatial technologies allows us to create these types of products easily, we must also take into consideration the important principles of cartography and geovisualization for it to be rightfully called an atlas.
• DENT, B. D., TORGUSON, J. S., & HODLER, T. W. (2009). Cartography: Thematic Map Design. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• DORLING KINDERSLEY LIMITED. (2016). Great City Maps. Great Britain.
• ORMELING, M.-J. K. (2010). Cartography: Visualization of Geospatial Data. Harlow, England: Pearson Education Limited.
