MapThat – Create New Icons

Question:

In MapThat how can you create image icons for the Layers Panel?

Answer:

MapThat allows you to show any suitable icon/image in the Layers Panel. The icon chosen should try and represent the map features being displayed.

e.g. Schools

Flood Zones

Below are the steps on how I create new image icons. However – I am not a graphic designer… so there may be better ways of creating your images! 😊

• Use Paint or Paint3D
• Open.(Drag and drop) an existing icon that is like the one you want to create.
• Choose the Colour Picker to choose the existing colour as Colour 1 (brown).

• We will use this to change anything with Colour 1 (brown) to Colour 2.
• Next choose your Colour 2 style before we apply it.

• We will use the Eraser to change the style from Colour 1 (Brown) to Colour 2 (Pink).
• To do this, you need to make a duplicate copy of the icon on top of itself – to do this: Choose
• Control A (Select All)
• Control C (Copy)
• Control V (Paste)
• and then left click into the page

• Then use the ERASER icon to change COLOUR 1 to COLOUR 2 – simply right click in the image with the ERASER active and draw over the image, a box will change the Brown to Pink.

• To change a bigger area, use Control + to make the Eraser size bigger and keep right clicking and moving over the image.
• When finished, Save As to a new PNG file.

• You could also change the colour of the fill by selecting the Colour Picker and assigning Colour 1 as the middle white.
• Then select a Colour 2 – e.g. light pink.
• Then use the eraser and right click to colour the white Area as Light Pink.

• When finished, Save As to a new PNG file.

And there you go!... you too can now create images and icons for your MapThat layers.