Open map List

Colour Saturation

Color saturation in cartography refers to the intensity or purity of a color on a map. A highly saturated color appears vivid and strong, while a desaturated color appears muted or grayish. Saturation is an important aspect of map design as it helps differentiate features and emphasize important data.

Basic

Introduction

Key Characteristics of Color Saturation:

  • High Saturation: Bright, vivid colors (e.g., bright red, deep blue).
  • Low Saturation: Muted, pastel, or grayish colors (e.g., light blue, pale green).
  • Affects Visual Hierarchy: More saturated colors draw attention, while desaturated colors create a background effect.

Explanation

Use of Saturation in Cartography:

  1. Thematic Maps:

    • Higher saturation can indicate stronger intensity (e.g., higher population density in a choropleth map).
    • Lower saturation can represent lower values or background elements.
       

  2. Elevation & Terrain Maps:

    • Highly saturated browns for higher elevations, desaturated greens for lower lands.
       

  3. Weather & Climate Maps:

    • Bright colors (e.g., deep red) for extreme weather conditions and lighter colors (e.g., pale yellow) for milder conditions.
       

  4. Political & Land Use Maps:

    • Different land uses or regions are often represented with distinct saturated hues to enhance readability.

Examples

Example of Saturation in a Choropleth Map:

Population Density Color Saturation
High Density Dark, highly saturated red
Medium Density Medium-saturation orange
Low Density Light, desaturated yellow

Outgoing relations

  • Colour Saturation is subconcept of Colour