This week's lab assignment was to create a map using Adobe Illustrator to hone our skills in the art of cartographic design principles.  Creating a map that has a sound visual hierarchy, balance, and a distinct figure-ground element were vital to successful completion.

To design a map that effectively communicated the subject matter to the viewer I decided to scale the geographic elements from most important to least important according to size. The south Florida layer carries greater weight than the Florida layer, and the Florida layer is given more prominence than the continental US layer.  Each of these layers helps to orient the viewer.  The progressive color-scheme I utilized allows the audience to easily see which counties have the highest percentage of Hispanic populations.

Viewers of this map can quickly see at a glance those counties with a high density of Hispanics residing in Florida and in what percentage range each falls within.  This type of presentation offers a clear, effective method of delivery for those needing a tool to succinctly convey complex information.