Transit Maps: type

Tutorial: Working with Point Type Labels in Adobe Illustrator

November 13, 2013

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Tutorials

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Adobe Illustrator, graphic design, information design, labels, station labels, tutorial, type, typography

Here’s a small but important tip when it comes to working with station labels in Adobe Illustrator. Most of the time, it’s easier to use what Illustrator calls point type when setting labels – that is, you click once with the Type Tool and then type your text, rather than dragging out a text frame with the tool. It looks neater in wireframe view and is generally less cumbersome to work with. However, you need […]

Tutorial: Applying a Stroke Behind Type in Adobe Illustrator

November 5, 2013

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Tutorials

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Adobe Illustrator, cartography, technique, tip, trick, tutorial, type

Let me preface this tutorial by saying that — without a shadow of a doubt — this is my number one most favourite, time-saving, map-making Adobe Illustrator trick ever. When making transit maps, it’s preferable — for both aesthetics and readability — to not have any labels overlay a route line or other elements. However, sometimes it’s simply unavoidable, as in the detail of my Boston MBTA map redesign at the top of the image above […]