Out Standing in the Field

Interesting data set...very distinct regional patterns.

I experimented a little more with this map than I did with the other labs. Played a little with perspective...still not quite sure it's exactly what I intended. And, I'm from Eastern North Carolina; so, I made it the focus of the map. It's an odd shaped place, which made balance a problem.

Tried several background shades but found just basic white gave the most crisp image. Suspect I'm conditioned to think that way, though, because my kitchen is in this color scheme.

When I developed the map, I used CYM(K) because I intended to print it out and thought this would be the best approach. I actually printed the map twice and compared it with this image on-line:

(1) I printed using a Draft print setting. This yielded a more grainy printed image but stayed truer to the original hues. In particular, the quality of the lighter colors was retained. The ability to differentiate between the high end categories with their darker colors was also retained. However, the soft gradient coloring of the background was lost and came out on the printed image as just a light solid color.

(2) I printed using a Standard print setting. This eliminated the grainy quality but the amount of ink on the page, particularly for darker colors, was so excessive that the colors bled on the paper. The hues from the original map were also changed, particularly for the lighter colors, which became richer than in the digital version. Also, the ability to distinguish between the darker shades of green was completely lost. The image did, however retain some of the soft gradient coloring in the background.

If I was to edit the on-line version again with the intention of printing, I'd use much lighter colors for everything except the background. These survived the printing process better and even very light colors that wouldn't have appeared well on screen would probably have provided a better color scale on paper.