The Art of Color Selection in Topographic Maps

Topographic maps are essential tools for understanding the landscape, and the art of color selection plays a crucial role in enhancing their comprehensibility. The colors used in these maps are carefully chosen to represent different elevations and landforms intuitively. This article explores the common practices in color selection and provides insights into the effectiveness of different color ramps.

Elevation Representation

The choice of colors on a topographic map is vital for clear and intuitive representation of elevation and landforms.

Green: Typically used for lower elevations representing areas with vegetation, such as forests and grasslands.

Yellow and Tan: Often used for mid-elevation areas indicating regions that may be more arid or have less vegetation.

Brown: Commonly used to represent higher elevations such as mountains and hills. The shades of brown can indicate varying elevations with darker browns for higher altitudes.

White or Gray: Used for the highest elevations often representing snow-capped peaks or barren mountain tops.

Water Bodies and Cultural Features

The representation of water bodies and cultural features can also be customized based on specific characteristics.

Blue: Used to represent rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. Different shades of blue can indicate depth or water quality.

Other Colors: Urban areas may be represented in shades of gray or other colors to distinguish them from natural features.

Contrast and Clarity

Colors are chosen to provide good contrast between different features, making it easier for users to read and interpret the map. It ensures that elevation changes are conveyed clearly and that natural and cultural features are distinguished effectively.

Standardization and Convention

Many countries have established conventions for color usage in topographic maps, which helps maintain consistency across different maps and regions.

Color Ramps in Topographic Mapping

There are several established color ramps that have been used for decades and are effective in representing the natural colors of terrain. Three such ramps are described below, each tailored to specific environments and conditions.

First Color Ramp: Diverse Terrain

This color ramp goes from cyan to yellow to green to dark green to orange to red to brown to white.

Notice that the ocean to the left seems blue although the coast looks clear yellow. It also works well for contour lines, as shown in the closeup with 10 classes for contour lines.

Second Color Ramp: Arid Environments

This color ramp is well-suited for more arid places and goes from green to yellow to brown to gray to white.

This results in an impression of a desert-like environment, with the ocean appearing as pale green. It may be limiting for areas without water.

Third Color Ramp: Minimal Blue

This color ramp does not include blue for water, making it suitable for regions with limited water bodies. It is shown as an example, but multiple color ramps can be chosen from cartographic packages or customized based on specific needs.

The results can be weird or not specific to a topographic map but are useful for conveying certain concepts.

In conclusion, the choice of colors on a topographic map is a thoughtful process aimed at enhancing readability, conveying elevation changes, and distinguishing between natural and cultural features.