4. Colorizing relief TIFFs

Before you start work on the maps it is always advisable to set the zero point to the lower left corner of the box rule. Although we have already set the zero point on the FreeHand 3.1 files, version 5.0 automatically resets them to the page corner when you open the file. A quick way of setting the zero point is – first making sure that “Snap to Point” and “Rulers” (both “View” menu) are checked on – to simply position the pointer in the zero point marker (top left corner of the Rulers bar), and then drag the zero point until it snaps to the corner of the box rule. Doing this makes it easier to position any masks you may wish to place.

Applying global color to a relief map

Although the “placed” relief maps in the FreeHand files already have a color applied (100% cyan + 100% yellow), applying a different color to the relief map couldn’t be easier – just follow these steps:

1. Make the relief map visible by clicking to the left of the layer “Relief TIFF” on the Layers palette.

2. Define a color using the “Color Mixer” palette or select a specific color – such as a Pantone color – from the “Options” pop-up menu on the “Color List” palette. If you defined your color in the Mixer, drag that color to the Color List palette, where it will automatically be given a name.

3. Click on the relief map to make that layer active, then click on the color that you just defined in the Color List palette. This will immediately change the grayscale relief to the color you defined.

You can further adjust the contrast of the relief map by using the image editor on the Inspector palette (click on the Object Editor, shown below).

                    Object Editor

      Click here to edit map

 

  Color applied to grayscale               Low contrast                        High contrast

Applying color selectively to a relief map

It’s very easy to color the relief maps selectively, but a little preparation is necessary first. As described earlier, the border and coastline paths in the Mountain High Maps collection are constructed to a very high level of integrity, making them quite complex, with a large number of points. The best method of selectively colorizing the relief maps is to clone the placed map, and then paste the colorized clone into a closed path. To make the paths easier to print we have split the paths, so first you will need to join them in order to form a closed path. To do this, simply shift-click all the segments of a path, such as one on a Country layer, then choose “Join Objects” from the “Arrange” menu. If the resulting path contains too many points (FreeHand’s limit is 1,000), you may have to simplify the path using “Path Operations > Simplify…” from the Arrange menu. 

Once you have done this, follow these steps:

1. Colorize your map as described in “Applying global color,” above.

2. Then, making sure the relief layer is selected, choose “Clone” from the Edit menu. This creates a copy of the relief map, placing it directly on top of the other.

3. The cloned relief map should still be selected, so you can now apply a color to that map, as described above.

4. Choose “Cut” from the Edit menu. This cuts the cloned map to the Clipboard.

5. Select the path of the country to make it active, then choose “Paste Inside” from the Edit menu.

6. The relief map you just pasted will now be on the same layer as the country into which it was pasted, hiding information on the layers below, such as rivers, so drag the country layer and position it just above the “Relief TIFF” layer in the Layers palette.

The map above has been colorized by pasting the grayscale into the Bosnia-Herzegovina layer. The border around this has been thickened and given a color of magenta.

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