{"id":1714062,"date":"2022-09-16T10:25:34","date_gmt":"2022-09-16T17:25:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=1714062"},"modified":"2026-02-06T08:21:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T16:21:09","slug":"map-bases-mixing-it-up","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up","title":{"rendered":"Map Bases: Mixing it up"},"author":4491,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[22941],"tags":[42641,42181,113632,23201,40161],"industry":[],"product":[36581,36551,36561],"class_list":["post-1714062","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mapping","tag-arcgis-online","tag-arcgis-pro","tag-basemap","tag-cartographic-design","tag-living-atlas-of-the-world","product-arcgis-living-atlas","product-arcgis-online","product-arcgis-pro"],"acf":{"short_description":"Now, the traditional \u2018basemap\u2019 is only the starting point for creating a background for your map.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Recent improvements to the rendering capabilities of ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online have been a bit of a \u2018game changer\u2019, and you are now seeing the results of that in a lot of the maps that we produce. This extends to the building of what I\u2019m calling \u2018Map Bases\u2019 here, because the traditional \u2018basemap\u2019 is now only the starting point for what we, and you, can do.<\/p>\n

In recent Conference presentations on working with basemaps, Emily Meriam<\/a> has talked about how she is layering imagery, hillshade and vector basemap layers to create subtle and interesting foundations for her work. John Nelson<\/a> has also been experimenting with basemaps in his usual inventive way. With that in mind I thought it was a good time to look at the possibilities, benefits, and potential pitfalls of this approach in a bit more detail.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What are we working with?<\/h2>\n

Well, any vector tile or raster layer you have available is the short answer, but in terms of what we provide for you these are the most practical items (Use the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World<\/a> to find these and other alternatives):<\/p>\n

Imagery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Any of the raster image-based products that we produce. The most generic would be World Imagery<\/a>. The Firefly<\/a> option is a good alternative if you want a more neutral look. Take this a step further by trying other specialist products such as Land Cover<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hillshade<\/strong><\/p>\n

Again there are many alternatives. World Hillshade<\/a> is the generic option. We have a Vector Tile Hillshade<\/a> layer too, giving you more options for customization.<\/p>\n

Again, go a bit further by looking at other elevation products such as Slope<\/a>, or Aspect<\/a><\/p>\n

Contours<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another recent addition is the vector tile world contour<\/a> layer, giving you the option to adjust its symbolization before you combine it with other information.<\/p>\n

Vector Tile Basemaps<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got many options, so I\u2019m not going to itemize them. Any of our basemaps will work, but the more neutral ones are probably easiest for merging with other content.<\/p>\n

The \u2018Sandwich\u2019 option<\/strong><\/p>\n

These are basemaps that are split into separate base and reference layers. The reference layers are particularly useful for combining with other features.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where are we working?<\/h2>\n

ArcGIS Online Map Viewer
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

The inclusion of blends and effects in the Map Viewer is the key here. There are near-unlimited possibilities for combining layers, and for this discussion it is great for creating new and interesting map bases.<\/p>\n

ArcGIS Pro<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2026 is not as sophisticated as the Online viewer in this respect, but it does have a blending option. There\u2019s a lot you can do here if you intend to keep the map in ArcGIS Pro or print it (and of course you are releasing the power of Pro in other respects). If you intend to publish the map online it\u2019s worth considering more rendering work after it is uploaded, using the additional options available.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Some fundamentals<\/h2>\n

The key functions for doing this are the \u2018Blend\u2019 tools, available in Map Viewer and ArcGIS Pro. The most useful is probably \u2018multiply\u2019. This blends 2 (or more) layers at full saturation \u2013 a great starting point for using other blends and effects (and even transparency) to get the right balance for you, and the key to avoiding that \u2018blandness\u2019. The \u2018Effects\u2019 tools available in ArcGIS Online are great for subtle adjustments to contrast and hue that can make all the difference.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t ignore other options though! Some of the combinations can be a bit weird, but you never know what result you might stumble across.<\/p>\n

For more precise work on vector tiles (and it may be needed), the Vector Tile Style Editor<\/a> \u00a0(VTSE) is really useful.<\/p>\n

Here are some common combinations:<\/p>\n

Imagery and Hillshade<\/h3>\n

This is the \u2018World Imagery\u2019 layer showing Yosemite Valley:<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1714112,"id":1714112,"title":"Yosemite_Raw Imagery","filename":"Yosemite_RawImagery.jpg","filesize":435639,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\/yosemite_rawimagery","alt":"Yosemite Valley in Esri World Imagery","author":"4491","description":"","caption":"","name":"yosemite_rawimagery","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1714062,"date":"2022-09-15 19:34:08","modified":"2022-09-15 19:34:47","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1686,"height":863,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":238,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":393,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery.jpg","large-width":1686,"large-height":863,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery-1536x786.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":786,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery.jpg","2048x2048-width":1686,"2048x2048-height":863,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery-826x423.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":423,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery.jpg","wide_image-width":1686,"wide_image-height":863}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_RawImagery.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

As Emily and John have demonstrated, Hillshade can add a level of depth and interest to an imagery base. Here I\u2019ve set the multiply Blend setting, then applied a combination of Effects to adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, and color hue in both layers. Now the valley itself is much more prominent.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1714122,"id":1714122,"title":"Yosemite_ImageryHillshade","filename":"Yosemite_ImageryHillshade.jpg","filesize":408246,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\/yosemite_imageryhillshade","alt":"Yosemite Valley using Imagery and Hillshade combined","author":"4491","description":"","caption":"","name":"yosemite_imageryhillshade","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1714062,"date":"2022-09-15 19:37:14","modified":"2022-09-15 19:37:48","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1686,"height":863,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":238,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":393,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade.jpg","large-width":1686,"large-height":863,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade-1536x786.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":786,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade.jpg","2048x2048-width":1686,"2048x2048-height":863,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade-826x423.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":423,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade.jpg","wide_image-width":1686,"wide_image-height":863}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Yosemite_ImageryHillshade.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

We can reverse that as well – use imagery to enhance hillshade. Here The Luminosity blend is applied to World Hillshade sitting on top of World Imagery. In this blog<\/a> John Nelson goes into this in a bit more detail.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1714152,"id":1714152,"title":"Italy_Hillshade_Imagery","filename":"Italy_Hillshade_Imagery.jpg","filesize":268409,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\/italy_hillshade_imagery","alt":"Northern Italy, using Hillshade filtering Imagery","author":"4491","description":"","caption":"","name":"italy_hillshade_imagery","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1714062,"date":"2022-09-15 19:46:20","modified":"2022-09-15 19:46:33","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1500,"height":756,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":234,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":387,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery.jpg","large-width":1500,"large-height":756,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery.jpg","1536x1536-width":1500,"1536x1536-height":756,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery.jpg","2048x2048-width":1500,"2048x2048-height":756,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery-826x416.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":416,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery.jpg","wide_image-width":1500,"wide_image-height":756}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Italy_Hillshade_Imagery.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Other interesting looks can be achieved by blending multiple levels of hillshade to get colored or duotone-like effects. Here two hillshade layers are combined, with brightness and contrast Effects used to isolate the steeper slopes:<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1714172,"id":1714172,"title":"NW_DuotoneEffect","filename":"NW_DuotoneEffect.jpg","filesize":245956,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\/nw_duotoneeffect","alt":"NW USA using two hillshade layers","author":"4491","description":"","caption":"","name":"nw_duotoneeffect","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1714062,"date":"2022-09-15 19:51:13","modified":"2022-09-15 19:51:55","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1500,"height":668,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":207,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":342,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect.jpg","large-width":1500,"large-height":668,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect.jpg","1536x1536-width":1500,"1536x1536-height":668,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect.jpg","2048x2048-width":1500,"2048x2048-height":668,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect-826x368.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":368,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect.jpg","wide_image-width":1500,"wide_image-height":668}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NW_DuotoneEffect.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

<\/h2>\n

Imagery, Hillshade and Basemap<\/h3>\n

Using the Imagery\/Hillshade combination with other basemap layers can throw up some interesting ideas. Here three layers are combined: A custom \u2018Nova\u2019 base, Firefly imagery (with Luminosity blend), and World Hillshade (with Color Burn blend). A custom Nova \u2018reference\u2019 layer is on top.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1714212,"id":1714212,"title":"Nova_Firefly","filename":"Nova_Firefly.jpg","filesize":405287,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\/nova_firefly","alt":"Spain, using theNova basemap combined with Firefly imagery","author":"4491","description":"","caption":"","name":"nova_firefly","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1714062,"date":"2022-09-15 19:55:38","modified":"2022-09-15 19:56:20","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1853,"height":1013,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":254,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":420,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly.jpg","large-width":1853,"large-height":1013,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly-1536x840.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":840,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly.jpg","2048x2048-width":1853,"2048x2048-height":1013,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly-826x452.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":452,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly.jpg","wide_image-width":1853,"wide_image-height":1013}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Nova_Firefly.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

<\/h2>\n

Human Geography basemap and any base material<\/h3>\n

The Human Geography basemap has one advantage over others, which is a separate \u2018Detail\u2019 reference layer. This is designed to place map detail over your content, but it\u2019s relatively low density of information makes it good for combining with other bases. I\u2019ve used it here in Rio with the \u2018luminosity\u2019 Blend and a touch of transparency, to enhance the road network and subdue the water detail. A subtle \u2018drop-shadow\u2019 Effect helps to lift the roads out a bit more.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1714232,"id":1714232,"title":"Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG","filename":"Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG.jpg","filesize":314562,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\/rio_imageryhillshade_hg","alt":"RIo Combined imagery\/hillshade, with the Human Geography Detail layer","author":"4491","description":"","caption":"","name":"rio_imageryhillshade_hg","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1714062,"date":"2022-09-15 19:58:14","modified":"2022-09-15 19:59:01","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1619,"height":913,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":433,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG.jpg","large-width":1619,"large-height":913,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG-1536x866.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":866,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG.jpg","2048x2048-width":1619,"2048x2048-height":913,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG-826x465.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG.jpg","wide_image-width":1619,"wide_image-height":913}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Rio_ImageryHillshade_HG.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Any \u2018Label\u2019 reference layer and any base material<\/h3>\n

A number of our basemaps have separate label layers, and with a bit of care, these can be combined with any other base. So, for example, if you want a focus on cities and administration, consider \u2018Canvas\u2019 or \u2018Human Geography\u2019. If you want more physical information, \u00adconsider \u2018Terrain with Labels\u2019.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a little bit of effort\u2026<\/h2>\n

Basemaps can be used as they are, and many of them can be combined with other content. However, as I did on a couple of my examples above, you can create custom versions as a starting point. Using the VTSE, hijack the labels to use as a reference layer, or remove them for a base layer. (See this blog<\/a> for more information).<\/p>\n

Here I\u2019ve removed the labels from the \u2018Colored Pencil\u2019 basemap, combined it with the World Hillshade, and added the \u2018World Terrain Reference\u2019 layer.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1714272,"id":1714272,"title":"07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1","filename":"07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1.jpg","filesize":426317,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\/07_italy_coloredpencil_1","alt":"Northern Italy using Colored Pencil basemap and hillshade","author":"4491","description":"","caption":"","name":"07_italy_coloredpencil_1","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1714062,"date":"2022-09-15 20:26:06","modified":"2022-09-15 20:26:57","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1433,"height":852,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1.jpg","medium-width":439,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":457,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1.jpg","large-width":1433,"large-height":852,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1433,"1536x1536-height":852,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1433,"2048x2048-height":852,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1-782x465.jpg","card_image-width":782,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1.jpg","wide_image-width":1433,"wide_image-height":852}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_Italy_ColoredPencil_1.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

The labels are a bit weak though, so I\u2019ve opened the reference layer into the VTSE and saved a copy. Then I\u2019ve used the font option in \u2018Quick Edit\u2019 to change to Ubuntu Bold. Most of the label haloes have the same value, so I\u2019ve enlarged them a bit, and used the \u2018Edit by color\u2019 option to change them to something more neutral. To finish off I\u2019ve made some custom adjustments to the remaining labels and haloes. It\u2019s up to you how much work you want to put into this.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1714292,"id":1714292,"title":"08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2","filename":"08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2.jpg","filesize":374152,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\/08_italy_coloredpencil_2","alt":"Northern Italy with an adjusted label layer","author":"4491","description":"","caption":"","name":"08_italy_coloredpencil_2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1714062,"date":"2022-09-15 20:27:46","modified":"2022-09-15 20:28:21","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1433,"height":852,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2.jpg","medium-width":439,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":457,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2.jpg","large-width":1433,"large-height":852,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2.jpg","1536x1536-width":1433,"1536x1536-height":852,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2.jpg","2048x2048-width":1433,"2048x2048-height":852,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2-782x465.jpg","card_image-width":782,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2.jpg","wide_image-width":1433,"wide_image-height":852}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_Italy_ColoredPencil_2.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Now let\u2019s take our meddling a step further\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Going Local<\/h2>\n

Our basemaps are necessarily worldwide, but what if your interest is restricted to a specific area, and what if some of that \u2018worldwide\u2019 content gets in the way? For example, that particularly annoying label that has no relevance to what you are showing, sitting right in the middle of your area of interest.<\/p>\n

If you want a quick fix, and you don\u2019t care about what happens in the rest of the basemap, use the offset tools in the VTSE to move it to a better spot. This is my imagery\/hillshade composite zoomed-in on Mount Kilimanjaro. The label is not really necessary in this context, and it is right over the summit. Using the ‘Translate\u2019 option in the Style Editor, I\u2019ve moved it out of the way:<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1714302,"id":1714302,"title":"09_Kilimanjaro","filename":"09_Kilimanjaro.jpg","filesize":120681,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\/09_kilimanjaro","alt":"Mount Kilimanjaro using Imagery and hillshade","author":"4491","description":"","caption":"","name":"09_kilimanjaro","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1714062,"date":"2022-09-15 20:33:49","modified":"2022-09-15 20:34:24","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1440,"height":495,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":160,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":264,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro.jpg","large-width":1440,"large-height":495,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro.jpg","1536x1536-width":1440,"1536x1536-height":495,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro.jpg","2048x2048-width":1440,"2048x2048-height":495,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro-826x284.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":284,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro.jpg","wide_image-width":1440,"wide_image-height":495}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/09_Kilimanjaro.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Of course, all other labels on the layer will have moved as well, so that the map is only functional in this small area. Alternatives are to adjust the scale range so that the offending label only appears at smaller scales\u2026 or switch this label layer off altogether. If you have more time, and access to the VTSE, this blog<\/a> demonstrates a way to remove individual labels<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And those pitfalls?<\/h2>\n

Nothing is ever completely straightforward, but the potential problems are not too extreme:<\/p>\n

Loading the map up<\/h3>\n

The more layers you add, the more you are straining the rendering capability. You\u2019ll know in real time what damage it is causing in Pro, so you can adjust accordingly. The online environment is a lot more responsive and forgiving than it used to be, but not everyone is going to have fast internet, so bear that in mind. Adding a layer to make a miniscule adjustment may be great for the cartographic purist, but if it effects performance, consider going forward without it.<\/p>\n

Getting the perfect fit<\/h3>\n

We didn\u2019t design our reference layers for use with anything other than their relevant base layers, so don\u2019t take it for granted that they will work out-of-the-box. It\u2019s not too much of a problem with neutral basemaps, but you are not guaranteed <\/em>a great result when using other layers. Look carefully at label haloes for example \u2013 they may be colored to match the original base. Use the VTSE to adjust your own copy of the layer if necessary.<\/p>\n"}],"authors":[{"ID":4491,"user_firstname":"Andrew","user_lastname":"Skinner","nickname":"Andrew Skinner","user_nicename":"askinner","display_name":"Andy Skinner","user_email":"ASkinner@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2018-03-02 00:16:04","user_description":"Andy is a Cartographic Designer who has been building maps for 50 years. He has been working with Esri in Redlands for 16 years, most recently on the creation of some of Esri's vector basemaps, and the development of color ramps for ArcGIS Online. Prior to Esri, he was Manager of Cartographic Design at Rand McNally, and before that a Senior Cartographer at GeoSystems\/MapQuest. He is originally from England, and worked for a number of years at what is now the University of Derby before moving to the USA. Andy can be contacted at: askinner@esri.com","user_avatar":""}],"related_articles":[{"ID":1699862,"post_author":"4491","post_date":"2022-09-02 10:10:19","post_date_gmt":"2022-09-02 17:10:19","post_content":"","post_title":"Build-your-own Sandwich","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"build-your-own-sandwich","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-01-09 13:45:26","post_modified_gmt":"2026-01-09 21:45:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=1699862","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":1443652,"post_author":"4491","post_date":"2021-12-20 08:03:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-20 16:03:09","post_content":"","post_title":"New ways of customizing Esri Vector Basemaps","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"new-ways-of-customizing-esri-vector-basemaps","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-12-20 08:06:04","post_modified_gmt":"2021-12-20 16:06:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=1443652","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":968231,"post_author":"4491","post_date":"2020-08-06 13:31:18","post_date_gmt":"2020-08-06 20:31:18","post_content":"","post_title":"What was old ...","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"what-was-old","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-08-06 15:08:37","post_modified_gmt":"2020-08-06 22:08:37","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=968231","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/MixingItUp_Card.jpg","wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/MixingItUp_Banner.jpg","show_article_image":false},"yoast_head":"\nMap Bases: Mixing it up<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Now, the traditional \u2018basemap\u2019 is only the starting point for creating a background for your map. Use blends and effects to mix things up.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/map-bases-mixing-it-up\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Map Bases: Mixing it up\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Now, the traditional \u2018basemap\u2019 is only the starting point for creating a background for your map. 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