This week was an exploration in 3D mapping primarily using ArcScene. The majority of this week's lab consisted of completing the ESRI 3D Visualization Techniques Using ArcGIS Course. The course started with an introduction to 3D data and quickly moved in to how to use/display it. It began with adjusting the base heights of elements and continued on to include vertical exaggeration, extrusion, illumination, rendering, and draping. My favorite screen capture from the week is below. The graphic shows a 3D depiction of Santa Barbara Island (one of the Channel Islands) with a horizon line. I though this was really interesting as the ocean is actually a large circular polygon layered underneath the island and the sky is really the background color of the map. The viewing angle makes it look like a horizon line and the illumination settings create shadows on the backside of the island.
Just as I was beginning to think about how awesome it would be to create more 3D maps I had to answer the last questions in our lab assignment comparing a 2D map (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Joseph_Minard#/media/File:Minard.png) and a 3D map (http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=2b48caaabd0e44028724c5f109f3de97) of of Napolean's Russian Campaign of 1812. In my opinion the 2D map is a better way to display this particular information. But this made me think about how I could get very excited about displaying a dataset when the best way to show it might be a much more simple graphic. Technology is amazing but sometimes it provides room for more creativity than everyone else can follow. I also thought the typography in the 2D map was key in the clarity of that map.
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