Web Design » Illustrator » How do I make a topographic map in Illustrator?

How do I make a topographic map in Illustrator?

Last updated on September 24, 2022 @ 7:17 pm

Making a topographic map in Illustrator can be done in a few simple steps. First, create a new document with a desired map size (in inches or centimeters) and a resolution of 300 ppi. Next, select the Base Map layer and click on the Add Layer Mask button (in the Layers panel). This will create a new layer entitled Base Map Mask.

Select the Brush tool and set the brush size to 100% (or use the keyboard shortcut [B]). Paint over the entire map with the black brush to create a dark background.

Now, make sure the Base Map Mask layer is still selected and click on the Edit Mask button (in the Layers panel). This will open the Layer Mask Options dialog box. In this dialog box, you will need to select the Select All tool and click on the Clear button to remove the background from the map.

Next, click on the Add Source button and select the Layer with the Base Map Mask layer. This will add the map data from the Base Map layer to the selection, making it easy to fill in the details.

PRO TIP: In order to create a topographic map in Illustrator, you will need to have a base map to work from. Once you have your base map, you will need to use the pen tool to trace the contour lines of the topography. Once you have traced the contour lines, you can then use the gradient tool to add shading and color to the topographic map.

To fill in the details, first click on the Add Point button and add points to the map by clicking and dragging. Next, add lines by clicking and dragging from one point to another.

To add a curve to a line, click and drag from a point on the line to another point on the line. You can also use the Pen tool to create lines and curves.

To add features to the map, click on the Add Polygon button and add polygons by clicking and dragging. You can also use the Ellipse tool to create elliptical shapes.

Finally, to add text to the map, click on the Add Text button and type in the desired text.

When you are finished, you can Save the map as desired.

Dale Leydon

Dale Leydon

Sysadmin turned Javascript developer. Owner of 20+ apps graveyard, and a couple of successful ones.