GIS 3015 Lab 2: Introduction to Adobe Illustrator

Our lab this week introduced us to the use of Adobe Illustrator to create the finishing touches on maps produced in ArcMap.  While the above map is simple in appearance and could easily have been produced in ArcMap alone, the lab challenged us to examine the layers and elements of the map file as imported into Illustrator.  We could then see how an element like the scale bar is altered from being one object in ArcMap to being separated into multiple objects in Illustrator; every number, word and line composing the scale bar becomes its own object.  To alter the scale bar as a whole, therefore, one must locate and group all its component objects in the layer palette.  Stress was also placed on the importance of grouping the map layer files (in this case, two shapefiles representing Florida cities and counties respectively) with the scale bar in Illustrator.  Not doing so leads to the risk of disassociating the scale bar with the map, rendering their scales incompatible and the scale bar worthless.

While the map produced is simple, I can see how the tools of Adobe Illustrator learned in this lab can be a powerful asset when creating a final map product.  It allows much more freedom and control over the map's appearance.  This could be extremely important for producing a map for a specific audience or a specific purpose.  I look forward to becoming more familiar with Illustrator as we progress.