# Why We Use Bad Color Maps and What You Can Do About It

Canonical URL: https://colorcurio.us/library/moreland-bad-color-maps
Source type: Library entry
Resource URL: https://doi.org/10.2352/ISSN.2470-1173.2016.16.HVEI-133
Added: 2026-09-28

## Summary

Why rainbow maps persist even among experts, and why making good maps the easy default beats scolding.

A short position paper that shifts the blame from users to tools: people pick what is convenient, so good maps have to be the convenient choice.

- Resource: [Why We Use Bad Color Maps and What You Can Do About It](https://doi.org/10.2352/ISSN.2470-1173.2016.16.HVEI-133)
- By: Kenneth Moreland
- Published: 2016
- Kind: writing (article)
- Level: intermediate
- Tags: color-scales, data-viz, perception, scientist, research

[Back to the library](https://colorcurio.us/library)