Duplicate a map
To build an inset map, you'll make a copy of your existing map and remove most of the data.
- If you completed the earlier tutorial Cartographic creations – Arrange a map layout, reopen Arctic sea ice.aprx. Otherwise, download Cartographic creations 5.ppkx. Double-click the file to open it in ArcGIS Pro.
Note:
A .ppkx file is an ArcGIS Pro project package and may contain maps, data, and other files that you can open in ArcGIS Pro. Learn more about managing .ppkx files in this guide.
- If prompted, sign in to ArcGIS Pro using your licensed ArcGIS account.
Note:
If you don't have access to ArcGIS Pro or an ArcGIS organizational account, see options for software access.
- Open the Catalog pane. On the Project tab, expand Maps.
- Right-click Map and click Duplicate.
A second map, named Map1 is created.
- Right-click Map1 and click Open.
The new map appears. Inset maps are smaller than the main map, and so should contain less information. You'll remove all but two of the map's layers to simplify it.
- In the Contents pane, below Map1, right-click the Fade layer and click Remove.
- Remove all layers except Index years and ArcticCircle.
Style the new map
Next you'll style the remaining layers so the map illustrates the smallest ice extent on record.
- Click Index years to select the layer. On the ribbon, click the Feature Layer tab. In the Effects group, change Layer Blend to Normal.
You'll make two copies of this layer: one to represent all years, and one to represent the year with the smallest ice extent.
- In the Contents pane, right click Index years and click Copy. Right-click Map1 and click Paste.
- With the top Index years layer selected, press F2 to make its name editable. Rename the layer 2012.
The map only shows outlines for three years of data. You'll edit the definition query of the bottom layer to show all Septembers.
- In the Contents pane, right-click Index years and click Properties. If necessary, click the Definition Query tab.
- For Query 1, click Edit.
The current query filters the data to Septembers and specific years. You'll remove the clause related to years.
- On the second query clause, click the Remove Clause button.
- Click Apply and click OK.
The map shows an outline for every year of data.
The map looks interesting but is not very narrative. You'll symbolize the 2012 layer to highlight a specific year.
- Right-click 2012 and click Properties. On the Definition Query tab, for Query 1, click Edit.
- In the second clause, in the last menu, delete the existing text and type 2012.
- Click Apply and click OK.
The change is not visible on the map because both layers are symbolized in the same way.
- In the Contents pane, click the symbol for the 2012 layer to open the Symbology pane.
- If necessary, click the Properties tab and the Symbol tab.
- Change Color to Arctic White.
- Change Outline color to Cabernet.
- Change Outline width to 1 pt.
- Ensure that Apply Apply is enabled.
The white fill of the 2012 layer isn't visible against the white background of the map view, but when you place this map on the layout, it will be visible against its beige background.
Arrange the inset map and text on the layout
Next, you'll place the inset map on the layout and determine its position and scale.
- Above the map view, click the Layout tab.
- On the ribbon, click the Insert tab. In the Map Frames group, click Map Frames and click either option under Map1.
- Click one of the lower corners of the layout and drag to draw a box that fills the lower half of the layout.
- Beneath the Layout view, in the scale box, type 40,000,000 and press Enter.
The map's scale changes.
- Right-click the map frame and click Activate. Drag the map so it overlaps the Arctic circle of the larger map in the region of northern Norway. Also overlap the right guide slightly.
- Click the Back to Layout link.
The inset map provides some visual balance to the layout. The white area representing the ice extent in 2012 is now visible against the beige background. The Arctic circle helps by providing a visual reference guide with the larger map.
- In the Contents pane, rename Map Frame 1 to Inset map. Click the Lock button.
The black border surrounding the map frame is distracting, so you'll remove it.
- In the Contents pane, click Inset map. On the ribbon, click the Map Frame tab.
- In the Current Selection group, click Map Frame and choose Border.
- In the Border group, change Width to 0 pt.
The black border surrounding the inset map disappears, allowing the map to sit more naturally on the page. You'll also remove the border from the larger map frame.
- In the Contents pane, select Map Frame and remove its border as well.
Next, you'll rearrange the layout's remaining elements.
- Select the The decline in sea ice… text box and place it just below Iceland. Snap it to the left guide and extend it to the right until it almost reaches the inset map.
- With the The decline in sea ice… text box still selected, hold the Shift key and also select the chart and the September is the month… text box. Right-click any of the selected elements, point to Distribute and click Make Same Width.
- Right-click again, point to Align and click Align Left.
All three elements are now the same width and snapped to the left guide.
- Resize the three elements vertically so all text is visible. If necessary, reposition them so the chart lies in the middle.
- Move the two remaining text boxes so they both are snapped to the right guide. Place the credit text box (Ice data: Fetterer…) on the bottom.
- Select both text boxes and expand them to the left until they are as wide as the inset map.
- Resize the two text boxes vertically until all of the text is visible and fits below the inset map.
Add text and transparency to the inset map
Like the larger map, the symbols on the inset map need to be explained. Usually, symbols are explained with a legend, but sometimes they can be explained more simply with labels and other text.
You'll add some explanatory text to the inset map and some transparency to one of its layers.
- On the ribbon, on the Insert tab, in the Graphics and Text group, click Rectangle text.
- Draw two text boxes on top of the inset map. Type or copy and paste the following text into each of them:
- White areas show the 3.57 million km2 extent of ice in 2012: the smallest Arctic sea ice extent on record.
- The gold lines show each September ice extent between 1979 and 2024.
- Edit the text to replace 2024 with the current year.
- Select both text boxes. On the ribbon, click the Text tab. In the Text Symbol group, click Text and choose Gold.
- Change the Text Symbol Font Size to 8 pt. Click the Center horizontal alignment button.
- Place the text describing the white areas over the white center of the inset map.
- Place the text describing the gold lines within the Arctic circle, to the east of Greenland.
The inset map is now fully explained with descriptive text that acts like a legend. You'll make one more change to this map: the gold lines overlap one another a lot and it would look more interesting if that overlap was more visible. You'll make each line semitransparent to achieve this effect.
- In the Contents pane, expand Inset map. Click the symbol under Index years to open the Symbology pane.
- In the Symbology pane, if necessary, click the Properties tab and the Symbol tab.
- For Outline color, from Favorites, choose the gold Text color.
Darker colors are more effective than pale ones when combined with transparency.
- Open the Outline color menu again and click Color Properties.
- In the Color Editor window, change Transparency to 70 percent.
- Click OK.
The effect is subtle, but it adds some depth to the tangle of lines and helps to show where the edge of the ice most commonly lies.
Apply finishing touches to the map
Your map is almost complete. You'll add two more finishing touches to improve its polished and professional appearance: you'll add halos to the legend to make it more legible, and a gradient effect to the title to make it bolder.
- On the layout, zoom to the legend.
The legend crosses the Arctic circle, and this dotted line makes the text harder to read. You'll add a halo to mask the Arctic circle where it crosses the text.
- In the Contents pane, expand the Legend group. Hold the Ctrl key and click all three text elements inside the Legend group.
- If necessary, right-click any of the selected elements and click Properties to open the Element pane.
- In the Element pane, click the Text Symbol tab.
- Expand Halo. For Halo symbol, choose the White fill option.
- For Color, under Favorites, choose the beige Land color. Change Halo size to 3 pt.
- Click Apply. Click outside of the layout to deselect the text elements.
The Arctic circle is now masked by the text's halo.
Next, you'll add a second color to the title.
- On the layout, click the title to select it.
The Element pane updates to show properties for the Title text element.
- In the Element pane, click the Text Symbol tab. Expand Appearance.
You'll make the title text fade from one color to another.
- Click the Text fill symbol menu and click the Linear gradient fill option.
- For Colors, click the first color (gray) and from Favorites, choose the pink Melt color.
- Click the second color (white) and click Eyedropper.
- Point to the map until you find a medium orange color. Click to select this color.
The title is now bolder in appearance because of its bright colors. It also imitates the map's symbology and appears to be melting.
The map is almost complete.
- Reposition any elements of the layout that you aren't pleased with.
- Click outside of the layout to deselect the elements that you may have repositioned.
- Right-click the ruler bordering the Layout view and uncheck Guides to preview the layout without guides.
- On the Quick Access Toolbar, click Save.
Export the layout
Your map is ready to export. You'll export it as a .png file, which you can later print or share online.
- On the ribbon, click the Share tab. In the Output group, click Export Layout.
- In the Export Layout pane, for File Type, choose PNG.
- For Name, click the Browse button. Choose a location you can easily access and name the file ArcticSeaIceDecline.png. Click OK.
- Ensure that the remaining parameters match the following:
- Leave Clip to graphics extent, Transparent background, and Show selection symbology unchecked.
- Set Resolution to 300 DPI.
- Leave Write world file unchecked.
- For Color depth, confirm 32-bit with Alpha is selected.
- Click Export.
- Click View exported file to open the .png file.
Your map is complete. You explored a large dataset and filtered it down to a smaller subset. You chose an appropriate projected coordinate system and designed symbols, labels, a legend, and a chart. You arranged all of these elements together in a well-balanced and informative layout.
Arctic sea ice continues to decline, and this map helps to illustrate where and when the decline has occurred so far. The dataset in its raw form was unable to tell this story clearly, but your many cartographic decisions brought the data to life and made it easy to understand.
Map design is a creative task. You are encouraged to find other ways to arrange, symbolize, and present this dataset. The following are some suggestions for how to make this map your own design:
- Rearrange the map and other elements for a landscape page (wider than it is tall).
- Chart the change in ice extents with a data clock.
- Create a map that compares September ice extents to February ice extents.
- Use a blue color scheme.
Consider this example of a map that goes further than the instructions presented here.
You can find all of the tutorials in this series at Cartographic creations in ArcGIS Pro. You can find more cartography tutorials on the Introduction to Cartography page.