FAQ: How To Draw Maps (Software), Like Henry, Other Forum Users Make Options

[Kyle P]

How do you all make them? Ones in paint dont usually come out to well (no offense anyone) any tips for photoshop or other programs to use?

[Mr. Tom]

I do my maps in PowerPoint, but it takes a lot of work to do and put it onto the net

[WeatherMatrix]

I think a lot of people probably use Windows Paint, Paint Shop Pro, or Photoshop. SnagIt actually has some neat functions which you can use to draw areas.

[snownerd]

I'm throwing together a tutorial. Check back in a few hours.

[snownerd]

Alright the initial version of the tutorial is done. You can view it here: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/msica/snowmap_tutorial.html

Note: The following image is NOT a prediction, I just randomly drew on the map.

This should be what your finished product will look like, although yours will probably look better since I did this rather quickly:


Hopefully this helps. I am sure there are some typos and grammatical errors so I will fix them as I find them or people point them out. If anyone has better methods of doing something than what I have done post it in here and I will update the tutorial. Also if anyone has questions post them in here and I will try to answer them if I have time.

[Kyle P]

Alright the initial version of the tutorial is done. You can view it here: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/msica/snowmap_tutorial.html

Note: The following image is NOT a prediction, I just randomly drew on the map.

This should be what your finished product will look like, although yours will probably look better since I did this rather quickly:


Hopefully this helps. I am sure there are some typos and grammatical errors so I will fix them as I find them or people point them out. If anyone has better methods of doing something than what I have done post it in here and I will update the tutorial. Also if anyone has questions post them in here and I will try to answer them if I have time.

NICE +props +rep

[dew]

NICE +props +rep

I am wondering something here !Why are'nt there blank maps for the entire east coast ,rather then just stoping at VA ,KY?

[WeatherMatrix]

Thanks for the tutorial!

I'll see if we can get some more maps.

[Hunter Outten]

hey if anyone uses GIMP for there snow maps i have a question. for some reason now when i use the paint brush with the layer it doubles up and makes it darker. if i let go of the click button and start again by going back over then it darkens it and messes up everything. idk what i have done but i need so assistanace

[DomNH]

hey if anyone uses GIMP for there snow maps i have a question. for some reason now when i use the paint brush with the layer it doubles up and makes it darker. if i let go of the click button and start again by going back over then it darkens it and messes up everything. idk what i have done but i need so assistanace

Use the airbrush instead.

[Removed_Member_baltimore_big_daddy_*]

hey if anyone uses GIMP for there snow maps i have a question. for some reason now when i use the paint brush with the layer it doubles up and makes it darker. if i let go of the click button and start again by going back over then it darkens it and messes up everything. idk what i have done but i need so assistanace

i dont use GIMP sry. i use regular photoshop for windows

[snownerd]

If I understand correctly the dark area is where your two layers are overlapping. Look at step 12 in the tutorial. What you need to do is zoom in to a level like 800% for more detail and then use the eraser tool where you see any overlap to remove where layer B goes over layer A. It looks darker because the opacity being 50% is letting some of the color from the layer underneath show through. It's a pain at first but once you get it to work once it should come pretty easy after that. Hope this helps.

[snownerd]

Oh, another thing to check is to make sure you are drawing on the correct layer. You might be drawing your 1-3 data on your mix layer for example, and then switching to the 1-3 layer and drawing the same data again, which would make it darker. Then if you went to delete the data from the 1-3 layer you would still see it on the mix layer. To switch layers, use the layer dialog found by using Dialogs then Layers from the menu bar. If you want to hide a layer to see what it would look like without it, click the little eyeball in the row for that layer to see which data a layer contains. Click the eyeball again to make it visible again.

[snownerd]

One last thing, switch to a smaller brush if it is deleting more than you want it to and you have to keep undoing and trying again. You may even have to go down to the 1-3 pixel size which will add more time but lead to a better result.

[WeatherMatrix]

Thanks for the tutorial!

I'll see if we can get some more maps.

NEW BLANK MAPS are online here, along with a tutorial on how to attach them to your Posts. Please download these new maps, even if you had the old ones, these save bandwidth.

[snownerd]

I learned a new technique for making snowmaps that have a 3d like effect, as shown in the attached image. If anyone is interested I can make a new tutorial when I get some free time. Again, the map data is not a forecast, just what I came up with when I was learning the new technique. It is actually a little easier than the other tutorial since it uses a new method to deal with overlapping layers.

[ThunderSnow]

I think that you can avoid BMPs even with Windows Paint if you click "Save As..." and next to "Save as type:" simply change the file type to GIF, PNG, or JPEG and then click Save.

[Craig-OmahaWX]

Paint.net is also a very good FREE design tool.

[I-95blizzard]

This thread is great, thanks. I'll make every attempt I can to use these suggestions during the winter.

[jdrenken]

I learned a new technique for making snowmaps that have a 3d like effect, as shown in the attached image. If anyone is interested I can make a new tutorial when I get some free time. Again, the map data is not a forecast, just what I came up with when I was learning the new technique. It is actually a little easier than the other tutorial since it uses a new method to deal with overlapping layers.

I like this alot as it would allow us in the midwest to utilize it for both severe weather season and winter weather. There was an article I just read stating that Illinois gets more ice storms than anywhere in the us and since that's my old stomping grounds...would love to have a map for such. Send me a pm with your tutorial.