![\"\"](\"http:\/\/downloads.esri.com\/MappingCenter2007\/blog\/Jan08Images\/TextureSymbolsFeeling_Thumb.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Depicting natural areas such as vegetation or complex hydrography such as swamps and estuariescan<\/em>\u00a0be accomplished by merely using solid green fill and blue fill symbols. However, such symbols are arguably bland, and certainly do not convey relative density, ruggedness, or texture.
\nMarker fill symbols can create many effects, ranging from replacing many of the old bitmap patterns on topographic maps to very modern styles of symbology.\u00a0<\/span>For example, click on the image to see a more detailed PDF of this map and notice the trees (green random dot fills) have two densities, depicting heavily wooded areas versus scattered trees. The yellow polygon with green dots represent agricultural fields on this map. In both cases on this map, using random dot fills provides more flexibility in using those shades of green and yellow.\u00a0 By varying the color, density, and size of dots, we can create easily distinguishable variation in our symbols, allowing many different classes of vegetation to be shown, while letting the background color represent major types of vegetation.\u00a0To seed your exploration of working with random fills, download the\u00a0RandomFill.style file<\/a>\u00a0that we put together. Several different approaches to random fill symbols are contained within the style.
\nThe easiest way to build a marker fill symbol is to copy an existing symbol that has characteristics similar to your needs and customize it. Work in the Style Manager to create the copy and edit its properties. Once you have assigned the marker symbol you need, then the main task is to set the X and Y Separation values.\u00a0 These will vary based on the size of your marker symbol. For small marker symbols like the ones shown below (1.0 points) you can use smaller separation values.
\n![\"Texture](\"http:\/\/downloads.esri.com\/MappingCenter2007\/blog\/Jan08Images\/TextureSymbolsFeeling_Fig1.jpg\")
\nIn the RandomFills.style file look at the \u201cSwamp\/Marsh\u201d or the \u201cTrees, dense (over 60%)\u201d symbols to see how marker fills can be stacked up to create multi-color effects.
\n![\"Texture](\"http:\/\/downloads.esri.com\/MappingCenter2007\/blog\/Jan08Images\/TextureSymbolsFeeling_Fig2.jpg\")
\nAnother technique is to use a subtle gradient fill as the background for your fill symbol with the random fill on top.\u00a0 We discussed this technique in a\u00a0blog entry<\/a>\u00a0last year.\u00a0 In the RandomFills.style file we have provided a few examples, all of which have the word \u201cModern\u201d as the first word in the symbol name.
\nFinally, when possible use simple marker symbols for your marker fills. This will result in smaller export files for vector export formats and better on-screen drawing performance. \u2018When possible\u2019 means when the shape of the marker is a circle, square, or any of the shapes supported by the simple marker symbol; and when the size of the marker symbol does not need to be tiny, i.e., smaller than 1.0 points. Examples of both are contained in the randomfills.style file.<\/p>\n"}],"authors":[{"ID":4351,"user_firstname":"Charlie","user_lastname":"Frye","nickname":"Charlie Frye","user_nicename":"cfrye","display_name":"Charlie Frye","user_email":"cfrye@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2018-03-02 00:15:58","user_description":"I am the Chief Cartographer at Esri and work on the Living Atlas Team. I have been with Esri in Software Products since 1994. I specialize in GIS engineering and information product design. I am the author of many global scientific and thematic layers on topics that include ecosystems, landforms, population, climate, emissions, etc. Contact me at cfrye@esri.com with questions or feedback.","user_avatar":"
"}],"related_articles":"","card_image":false,"wide_image":false},"yoast_head":"\n