Map Design Tips & Videos
Here at Map Resources we make all our maps in Adobe Illustrator. Every map is layered and fully editable, so you can alter the appearance of the map to your design specifications. Watch these short videos to see how you can use Map Resources digital vector maps to create quality professional maps for your work.
Then download map samples to try the techniques yourself.
Intro to Adobe Illustrator Format Maps |
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Maps contain a lot of information, so it's important to have the information well organized and attractive. Map layers, colors and text are key elements to understand for effective editing. Here's a quick intro to how we use Objects, Layers, Fonts, etc to make maps easy to edit. |
Understanding Map Layers
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When you open a map in Illustrator, layers are displayed in the Layers Palette. This brief introduction to the Layers Palette will enable you to quickly and easily display precisely the feature layers you want, and to select entire layers for quick and easy editing. |
Coloring Your Map |
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When it comes to map color, you have a tremendous amount of control over the appearance of your map, because Map Resources maps are carefully constructed to take advantage of the power of Illustrator's color editing capabilities. You can select area objects such as states or counties with color using "Fill", then further tweak the appearance by adjusting the "Stroke". |
Editing Map Text |
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On a detailed map, the appearance of the text is one of most critical aspects in the overall success of the illustration. Map Resources constructs maps to give you maximum flexibility to control the appearance of text. You can select and edit individual text objects, or you can make global changes to entire text layers. |