ABSTRACT

Colour plays a central role in thematic cartography. Despite this, using colour effectively on maps is surprisingly difficult and often exceeds the skill and understanding of novice mapmakers. Choosing effective colour schemes for thematic maps is surprisingly difficult. Color-Brewer is an online tool designed to take some of the guesswork out of this process by helping users select appropriate colour schemes for their specific mapping needs by considering: the number of data classes; the nature of their data (matched with sequential, diverging and qualitative schemes); and the end-use environment for the map (e.g., cathode-ray tube monitor (CRT), LCD, printed, projected, photocopied). ColorBrewer contains 'learn more' tutorials to help guide users, prompts them to test-drive colour schemes as both map and legend, and provides output in five colour specification systems. This chapter outlines the development of ColorBrewer, an online tool that helps users identify appropriate colour schemes for maps.