These include text color, halos, and shadows, as well as changes to character spacing and sizing.Ī halo is often helpful, particularly against busy backgrounds, for helping text display over the background of a map. In addition to selecting proper fonts, there are many design details that can be applied to improve your map labels.
Though typically a zero is shown as a thinner ellipsoid, in some fonts this difference is more distinct than in others. The same goes for distinguishing between a zero and an uppercase O. Legibility is improved when the reader can tell immediately whether a letter is an uppercase i, lowercase L, or a number 1. This one is self-explanatory, though it may not always be possible (e.g., when using most sans serif fonts). Distinction between a capital i, lowercase L, and number 1: When creating labels for maps, however, a large x-height is typically preferred, it results in fonts that are easier to read when printed small on a page. As you will likely use a font in many different instances on your map, a good font choice is one that remains legible when angled and printed small or viewed from a large distance.Ī small x-height results in greater distinction between different letters, which is helpful when reading a block of text. Unlike when writing a paper, where most of your text is horizontal and of similar size, the variability of text sizes and angles on a map presents and additional challenge to cartographers. Text that is readable at small point sizes and at angles: Though applied italics and bolding (Figure 2.2.5 right) will work in a pinch, bold and italic fonts designed as a separate font style (Figure 2.2.5 left) take specific characteristics of the typeface into careful account when applying these styles, typically resulting in improved aesthetics and legibility. A distinction of note, however, is shown in Figure 2.2.5-the difference between an italic and bold font, and bold and italics as applied afterword by a word processing program such as Microsoft Word. You are likely quite familiar with the use of bolding and/or italics to create distinct font styles. They are perhaps appropriate for a map title, but for little else (Brewer 2015).Ĭredit: Cary Anderson, Penn State University. Use these fonts with caution, and sparingly on maps. These fonts are often used in branding and for advertisements. Display fonts are decorative fonts like Stencil, Curlz MT, Bauhaus 93, and Castellar. Text fonts are designed to be simple and legible: examples include Arial, Calibri, Cambria, and Tahoma. Classifying Fontsįonts can be classified in several ways.
It is less important to understand this nuance than to understand how to apply fonts in practice. Though it is technically incorrect to do so, the words typeface and font are often used interchangeably. For example, the Arial font family contains several fonts, including Arial Black and Arial Narrow (Silverant 2016). Many typefaces contain multiple fonts, so typefaces are sometimes called font families. As a cartographer, you want your text to be clearly legible against the map background, be appropriate for the features you are labeling, and match the overall aesthetics of your map.Īs you start designing labels, it is best to learn a bit about typographic design.Ī typeface is a design applied to text that gives letters a certain style. There are many elements to consider when designing text for maps. The Serif and Sans Serif fonts were seen as more stable, practical, mature, and formal the uses they are appropriate for fit these characteristics.” (Shaikh, Chaparro, and Fox 2006) The Script/Funny fonts scored high on Youthful, Casual, Attractive, and Elegant traits which are all related to Children’s Documents and artistic elements.
“The choices of fonts for uses can be seen as related to the personality of the fonts.