As indicated in the title of this blog post, Terrain Visualization was the topic for this week's module. This means that we primarily focused on utilizing various types of elevation data, including raster based Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), contours and Triangular Irregular Networks (TINs), to understand the terrain or the 'lay of the land'. This was supplemented by introducing techniques to better display elevation data such as creating a regular or multidirectional hillshade and masking contour labels. The following landcover map is an example of one of the products produced during this week's lab.
To better visualize Yellowstone National Park, I utilized a multidirectional hillshade under the landcover layer displayed at 50 percent transparency. This gives the map reader a better understanding of the various elevations and which types of land cover can be found at those elevations. The colors used for the various types of landcover generally match the landcover type. For example, the vegetation is displayed using various shades of green, except or the Krummholz shown in a shade of brown as they represent stunted wind-blown trees that grow near the tree line on mountains. The text is displayed using a sans serif font for clarity; however, the title uses Cambria, which is a serif font and easy to read at a larger size. The other map elements, such as the north arrow and scale bar are simpler symbols used near the perimeter of the map to supplement the display and understanding of the Yellowstone National Park. I also chose to use a light grey basemap to provide context, provide contrast and eliminate some white space. Lastly, I enclosed the entire map with a neatline to provide a nice finish.
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