Introduction to Computer Cartography For better or worse the day the day of hand drawn computer maps is coming to a close

Introduction to Computer Cartography Computer Cartography is quickly replacing it

Introduction to Computer Cartography There are a LOT of reasons for this: - Better and cheaper computers - Easy and powerfull Software - Access to good color printers - Easily accessible formats (JPEGs, PDF) to share data and maps -

Introduction to Computer Cartography And the maps themselves!!!: - Better Lineweight control - Color! - Typesetting And most of all - Correctable - Updateable

Introduction to Computer Cartography A quick overview of Computer Graphics Raster Graphics Raster Graphics is a grouped collection of individual dots (pixels) When areas are picked and moved, everything goes. There is no difference between different parts Vector Grapics In vector graphics, shapes and lines are described by formulas So individual features can be moved as a whole

Introduction to Computer Cartography Some popular graphics programs : - Freehand - Corel-Draw - Autocad - Xara - Macpaint - MS Paint Vector based softwareRaster based software

Introduction to Computer Cartography So lets go through drawing a basic map in a graphics

Introduction to Computer Cartography The first step, as for hand drawn maps, is to take your data and reduce to a line plot Compass

Introduction to Computer Cartography Using normal hand drafting techniques, cover the lineplot with mylar and pencil in your details

Introduction to Computer Cartography Scan your hand-drawn draft into the computer. Just about any format is ok – JPEG for example. Make sure that you scan at enough resolution to capture all your detail! If you cannot get the entire hand draft onto the scanner at once, scan in sections – make sure there is enough overlap!

Introduction to Computer Cartography Import your scan into your graphics program – in this case Illustrator, and assemble the scans in the correct order Import using place and highlight your scan Place as many as you have

Introduction to Computer Cartography Using the pointer, highlight your scans and drag them until they overlap correctly You can rotate the scan if they need to be rotated

Introduction to Computer Cartography A few words about layers Layers are one of the best features of a graphics program, and most (if not all) modern products have layers Layers act like separate pieces of mylar. You can draw on several pieces and then combine them together for the whole We use layers to separate types of features, to make it easier to work on specific groups at a time We tend to use separate layers for Walls Structural Details Typesetting Scan Among other things

Introduction to Computer Cartography You can Lock the layer so it doesnt move, or get changed You can make layers invisible, or show them. Making layers invisible can help you work on other layers Make a new layer with this button

Introduction to Computer Cartography By Default your scans will go into layer one. Click on it, and an options box will appear. Rename it to base or scan, and dim it to 75% Now lock it

Introduction to Computer Cartography Click here to make new layer Call it walls

Introduction to Computer Cartography Should look something like this You can change the zoom here – zoom in a bit

Introduction to Computer Cartography Make sure the walls layer is highlighted (so you draw in it) Set the Stroke width to 1.5 pt (for the walls) Pick up the pencil tool Set to no fill

Introduction to Computer Cartography Start to Draw, tracing your hand drawn map!

Introduction to Computer Cartography Continue your tracing of the walls – making sure you get all of them. A few hints - If you stop drawing, you can restart by putting your pen over the end of a highlighted section - Zoom in enough to see all your detail clearly. You can use the zoom button - You can move the drawing around with the hand button

Introduction to Computer Cartography - Create a layer called structure - Change the pen width to 1pt - Zoom in to make sure you see the detail clearly - Make sure the structure layer is highlighted - Pick up the pen and start drawing!

Introduction to Computer Cartography Do the same thing with details!

Introduction to Computer Cartography A finished map may have many layers