How to Make a Compass Rose in Adobe Illustrator

Adding a compass rose to a map made in Adobe Illustrator gives it a touch of authenticity.

Mapmaking and geospatial software can be really daunting to the beginner. Fortunately, there are lots of simple ways to make simple maps with vector drawing programs such as Adobe Illustrator. For those occasions, everything about making the map seems easy, except for finding a compass rose. Luckily, there are a number of websites online that have free vector graphics, including compass roses that you can use to finish a map.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet connection
• Adobe Illustrator

Instructions

1. Do a search online of free vector graphics sites. So long as you are not going to be using the maps for professional or corporate projects, many sites have royalty free vector images of compass roses. See the resources section for a few suggested websites.

2. Download the image and save it to your desktop.

3. Create a new layer for the compass and title it.

4. Import the image into Illustrator. Choose "File > Place" and select the image from your desktop. Move the compass rose to the place where you want it on the document.

5. Since the compass rose should have remained a vector, you should be able to modify as you see fit. You will be able to remove and replace portions that you do not like, change colors, and add more details with the pen tool.

References

• Adobe Help: Place (Import) Files

Resources

• Free Vectors: Simple Compass Rose
• Vector Ya: Compass Rose Vector