INSTRUCTOR: Mike Siegel, Staff Cartographer
CLASS: Tuesday & Friday Third Period (10:20-11:40 p.m.) B-266 LSH
TEXTS: There is no textbook for this class.
LAB FEE: $25 (check or money order made out to Rutgers, Department of Geography)
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Understand and implement complex color map design techniques.
(Planning time estimates, a production schedule, compilation, production, duplication methods.)
2. Explore design strategies to achieve good contrast, figure and ground relationships, and color harmony.
3. Gain a better understanding of how people perceive color symbolization on maps.
There will be three thematic mapping projects and two exams in this course.
MAP PROJECTS:
1. You are responsible for developing three thematic maps that meet the instructor's approval.
2. Each map project should tell a story with an informative and aesthetically pleasing presentation.
3. The map projects must be technically challenging and should expand your design skills.
4. Projects will be page size (fill the available area of an 8.5 x 11 page).
5. Digital artwork will be produced using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop software (Mac or Windows).
6. Project grades will be determined by subject content, design, and technical execution.
7. Each stage of a map has a deadline (see production schedule). Your grade will be lowered for missed deadlines.
8. Each component of the map project should be put on your webpage.
PROJECT PARAMETERS:
1. large; medium; small scale.
2. historical; current; academic/research
All maps must be accompanied by a published article on the subject (newspaper, magazine, book, journal).
These broad parameters are meant to encourage variety in the cartographic design of your projects.
In your critique, identify the parameter from groups 1 & 2 that the project fulfills.
Class on Tuesday will be lecture/discussion on material from the class website.
Class on Friday will concentrate on production techniques for your map projects.
You will have access to the Geography Department's teaching computer lab during class meetings and, at other times (schedule).
In addition, Adobe Illustrator is available in all the RUCS hubs, on both Mac and Windows computers.
The more work you do in the Geography Department, the less likely you are to run into technical problems.
The final copy that you hand in must be printed in the Geography Department computer lab to avoid font problems.
Attendance and participation are class requirements.
Please try to let me know in advance if you will be missing a class or a deadline (email or phone).
Fill out the Geography computer account form with the email address I should use to contact you.
RU weather line: 932:7799 (recorded message on official closing or late opening).
School closings are posted on the main Rutgers webpage http://www.rutgers.edu