Relief Shading in 2D

Project in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo.

Goals

Cartographers developed specialized shading models in the pre-digital era that show topography in a particularly vivid and descriptive manner. The goal of this project is to transfer such manual techniques for 2D maps to digital shading algorithms.

Results

A prototype software for semi-automatic cartographic relief shading has been developed offering the following features:
  • combination of aspect shading, diffuse shading and flat area toning depending on slope
  • simulation of aerial perspective to emphasize large landforms
  • interactive local adaptation of light direction and other parameters

The interactive software was implemented in C++ for Mac OS 9.

shadingcomparison

Comparison of manual shading (left) and digital shading with the developed algorithm (right).

Publications

Leonowicz, A.M., Jenny, B.and Hurni, L. (s.d.). Automated reduction of visual complexity in small-scale relief shading. Cartographica [accepted for publication].

Räber, S., Jenny, B. and Hurni, L. (2009). Swiss Style relief shading methodology: knowledge base for further development and application in digital cartography. Proceedings of the 24th International Cartographic Conference ICC 2009, Santiago de Chile, Chile [CD-ROM]. PDF.

Jenny, B (2008). Book Review: Cartographic Relief Presentation by Eduard Imhof, edited by H. J. Steward, ESRI Press, Redlands, USA, 2007. The Cartographic Journal, 45-4, p. 320. PDF.

Jenny, B. (2001). An interactive approach to analytical relief shading. Cartographica 38/1&2, p. 67-75. PDF.

Hurni, L., Jenny, B., Dahinden, T., and Hutzler, E. (2001). Interactive analytical shading and cliff drawing: Advances in digital relief presentation for topographic mountain maps. Proceedings of the 20th International Cartographic Conference, ICC 2001 Bejing, p. 3384-91. PDF.

Jenny, B. (2001). Computer aided relief shading. Proceedings of the 20th International Cartographic Conference, ICC 2001 Bejing.

Jenny, B. (2000). Estompage assisté par ordinateur. Vermessung Photogrammetrie Kulturtechnik, 10, p. 614-5. PDF.

Jenny, B. (2000). Computergestützte Schattierung. Proceedings of the ICA-Commission on Mountain Cartography, Symposium 29.3 - 2.4.2000. Technical University Dresden, Kartographischer Baustein 18, p. 61-9. PDF.

Jenny, B. (2000). Computergestützte Schattierung in der Kartografie. Master thesis. Institute of Cartography, ETH Zurich. PDF.


Maps

See here for large-format printed maps.

Website

Relief Shading (2002) www.reliefshading.com
A website to give cartographers and interested map readers in-depth information about shaded relief (production and design guidelines).
Authors: Bernhard Jenny and Stefan Räber (Institute of Cartography, ETH Zurich).