Villanova University, Department of Mathematical Sciences
Cartographiometry (MAT 1210/ GEO 1700)
(© copyright 1996-1999, Timothy G. Feeman and Elaine F. Bosowski.)
Lettering
For the lettering portions of the laboratory exercises in this course you will be sketching various labels by hand.
Ideally when one is preparing a map for publication, there are many choices available to the cartographer in selecting what to label and how and where to label it. In this course, however, you will be lettering only a few elements of your maps.
What is the function of lettering on a map? The lettering tells us what something is and where something is. It tells us locations and place names. Lettering is part of the overall design of a map.There are three elements of typographic design: style (or font), size (usually given in point sizes), and form (designated as capitals, capitals and lower case or lower case and any combination as italicized). For a given map, these elements should be chosen based on the map's purpose.
A professional cartographer has many styles of lettering to choose from when preparing a map, just as there are many styles to choose from in most computer word-processing packages. For instance, here are vivaldi, stencil, mistral, and copperplate gothic, to name a few. (Times New Roman is the primary style used in this dodument.)
As you will be sketching the lettering by hand, the style of lettering you select should be one you can manage. (For instance, gothic lettering might be the style you really want to give your drawing an old-fashioned feel, but if you can't manage gothic by hand, don't select that style here. Similarly, plain block lettering might not have as much pizazz as you might like, but if that's what you can draw best then go ahead and use it here.) If there is a style you would have liked to have used, but weren't up to drawing by hand, feel free to mention it in your comments sheet for the lab.
There are a number of different commonly used forms for letters including capitals (ARCTIC OCEAN), capitals and lower case together (Arctic Ocean), and all lower case (arctic ocean). These can be combined with bold-face or italic features (Arctic Ocean or arctic ocean). One of my favorite forms is called "caps-small-caps" which uses all capital letters but of different sizes. Unfortunately, this form is not available on the processing package I'm using here.
Lettering also comes in a variety of sizes. Different sizes are measured in "points" with more points corresponding to a larger letter size. A professional cartographer would choose lettering of a specific point size to use for each label on a map.
Remember: You should always choose letter styles, forms, and sizes that you feel are appropriate for the purpose of the map labels you must draw without worrying about the exact "point size". You may (in fact, you should) use different sizes for different labels (larger letters for the map title than for your name, for instance). The letter form, however, should be consistent throughout the map to ensure its integrity. Again, if you would have liked to have used a particular letter form or size, mention this in your comments sheet.
When using hand drawn letters, you should choose letter forms and sizes that you feel are appropriate for the labels you must draw without worrying about the exact "point size". You may (in fact, you should) use different sizes for different labels (larger letters for the map title than for your name, for instance). The letter form, however, should be consistent throughout the map to ensure its integrity.
Here are a few general rules regarding hand lettering.
- Hand lettering for world maps should be done with all line work curving along with the graticule.
Letters are not to be drawn on the graticule, but rather along guidelines parallel to the graticule. (Drawing on lines of the graticule, even if the lines are erased, provides a way for the graticule to continue beyond where it should be located. This disturbs the figure/ground relationship you are trying to bring about by erasing the graticule within land masses.) Lettering should never cross line work. Labels should be drawn parallel to linear features. When lettering linear features, the general rule of thumb is to label above horizontal work, to the left of vertical work. Lettering should be placed, ideally, above and to the right of point features. Lettering should be centered in area features. Now it is time to actually put some labels on your map. Here are some helpful hints:
- Examine the tips above on Hand Lettering.
- Practice on scrap paper before labeling your final map.
- Once you feel that you are ready, begin by lightly sketching guidelines for the lettering. The guidelines should be parallel to but not the same as the lines of the graticule.
- Take care to curve the letters where the label is supposed to curve in order to remain parallel to the graticule. Lettering should be drawn parallel to, but not on, the lines of latitude and longitude.
- If the graticule "shrinks" (for instance, the longitude lines might get closer together toward the poles), then your lettering should do the same.
- Do not include portions of grid lines that would interfere with your labels! If your lettering passes through a graticule line, then that part of the line should be erased.
- Be patient. This is not as easy as it might seem.
Be patient. This takes time.
Be careful. This is not necessarily an easy task.
Draw lightly. You may need to erase and correct your line work.
If you have problems, or are unsure, seek help.
Enjoy!