How to make dotted lines, traits, border regions , roads etc i nPhotoshop?

[Naima]

Hello , what's your technique to make border regions , traits, dotted lines, segmented lines, roads, trails , highways , and whatever else in a political map ?

[Meriba]

I prefer to use Illustrator for that because it seems more easy to me, and then apply different effects in PS. Ciao

[J.Edward]

Naima - Illustrator, or a vector program is usually easier for that. Illustrator has many ways to achieve good crisp lines of various styles.
That being said, many people spend most of their time in Photoshop or GIMP. If that is the case for you then the best way to do that is with the pen tool in PS.
You would create your line or "path" with the pen tool. Then select a path and go to the "Paths" tab, down near the layers tab. Select a PS brush that has the settings you want, for example a dotted line. Then right click on the path in the paths tab and select stroke path or sub-path. It will leave you with a line such as you have selected.
Here is a quick screenshot process.
Clipboard01.jpg Clipboard02.jpg Clipboard03.jpg
Clipboard05.jpg Clipboard06.jpg
The biggest thing then is to find or make the sorts of brushes that you would want to use.

[Gamerprinter]

Meriba is correct, though there is an open source vector application called Inkscape that can do dashed lines, labels and vector work that is free to use, instead of Illustrator. Many cartographers here at the guild, even those that rely on Photoshop or GIMP for most of the map often use Illustrator, Inkscape or other vector applications to do the labeling, roads, borders and boundries and even diminishing rivers for a combined operation in cartography.

[Naima]

Thanks , so Inskscape is free and are there tuts on doing what I asked also be4? ... btw I try to download but my antivirus finds and blocks it as unwanted trojanor dunno ... is that the site?

Download Inkscape version 0.48.4.1

[Gamerprinter]

Go to Inkscape.org

You know how to use a pen tool, right? Its no different from painting a line in Photoshop or GIMP - you can set the line width (in point sizes), you can use a mouse or drawing tablet to draw the line however you see fit. Somewhere their are line options which will let you set up a dashed line. You can change the color of the line. Once you draw your line, you can select and move the points to alter your line if necessary. While selected you can change the color, dash to non-dash, line width on the fly, by selecting which option. Once you get used to it, vector is far easier, faster and less memory hogging than image editors.

I use Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 9, not Inkscape, though both are vector tools, and Xara is more powerful, but its not free, like Inkscape.

GP

[helvene]

There's an easier way for Photoshop.

1. Select a common brush tool. Pick a diameter you want (I used 3px).
2. Open brush settings. Use none but Dual Brush.
3. By modifying Spacing and Diameter of Dual Brush settings you can get an evenly dotted line with various sizes of dots and spacing. Experiment!

dotted_brush_4-150.gif dotted_brush_8-150.gif dotted_brush_8-300.gif dotted_brush_15-150.gif

And no need to install anything! All the dotted lines here were drawn in Photoshop.

[Naima]

Thanks , I got Inkscape and I was wondering if anyone knows howI can draw curved arrows , like the ones you find in those kind of graphics?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...mo_sapiens.svg

[J.Edward]

Helvene - I totally agree. One difference though with a vector program is that those lines remain editable. So should you later wish to change the style, weight, color, etc. or even adjust the position/shape of the actual line itself it is possible without having to redo the line. That being said, I still do mine in PS.

[BraveSirKevin]

Thanks , I got Inkscape and I was wondering if anyone knows howI can draw curved arrows , like the ones you find in those kind of graphics?

Hominider

You'd achieve that by drawing the outlined shape of a curved arrow with the pen tool and giving it a fill and no line.

Alternatively, you'd draw the line as normal, and put a triangle with the appropriate fill on the end of it.