Color Manipulation

Map colors are never neutral. Red implies danger; green suggests calm. During the Cold War, Western maps painted Soviet territory in menacing red, while Soviet maps colored NATO countries in aggressive hues and kept the USSR in soothing pastels.

Elevation colors mislead too. The familiar green-to-brown scheme makes lowlands look lush and highlands look barren — often the opposite of reality. Plenty of green-shaded plateaus are dry grassland, while some brown-shaded coasts are desert. Every color is a design decision that shapes what you believe.