Vector Studio Part III -- Creating A Simple Image Map in Illustrator, CorelDRAW and FreeHand

1200+ CorelDRAW Brushes · 1400+ Seamless Textures · CorelDRAW Clip Art
Vehicle Templates for Vehicle Wraps · CorelDRAW Training DVDs · QR Codes Docker

Vector Studio Part III -- Creating A Simple Image Map in Illustrator, CorelDRAW and FreeHand

Adobe Illustrator 8, CorelDRAW 9, and Macromedia FreeHand 9 all have the ability to create an image map, and the HTML code needed to display the image map and it's hot spots. FreeHand 9, recently released, can also create a Flash image map, Macromedia's scalable vector web file format. In this article I'll show you the steps needed to create a simple image map with three hot spot linked buttons like the one shown here.

So what exactly is an image map? Well, I'm glad you asked. An image map is a bitmap image (or in the case of Flash a vector image) with "hot spots" that when clicked in a web browser such as Netscape Navigator, link to other HTML pages, images, sounds or functions, such as launching an e-mail window. What's cool about image maps is the hot spots can be virtually any size and shape, although a rectangular shape produces the most compact file size. Hot spots can be words, graphics, symbols, photos, an area of an image or photo, or if you like to be obscure, they can be invisible, and the user has to search the page until the selection arrow turns into the hand cursor indicating a hot link. I don't recommend the last method unless you are creating an image map for a Psychic's Convention web site. But remember, even posters for Psychic Conventions have dates and times.

In this article we will use two symbol fonts to create our image map, Carta, also known as Geographic Symbols, and Webdings, a Microsoft symbol font that is installed with many Microsoft products. In case you don't have these symbols, you can be creative and substitute. Ready? Let's split into groups. Illustrator users click here. CorelDRAW users click here. Macromedia FreeHand users click here.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Press here to send me an e-mail message.

Error processing SSI file

_{Last Updated April 24, 2000.}

Clipart, Fonts & Other Artwork			Training	Add-ons	Textures
Bonus Content Packs Spring Unleashed V1 Summer Unleashed V1 Sports Unleashed V1 Fall Unleashed V1 Halloween Unleashed V1 Thanksgiving Unleashed V1 Winter Unleashed V1 Symbols Unleashed V1 Fruit Unleashed V1 Signs Unleashed V1	US Flags Unleashed V1 Music Unleashed V1 Icons Unleashed V1 Buttons Unleashed V1 Stick People Unleashed V1 Computer Unleashed V1 Sports Unleashed V2 Weather Unleashed V1 People Icons Unleashed V1 World Flags Unleashed V1 Clipart Unleashed	1200+ CorelDRAW Brushes Vehicle Templates for Vehicle Wraps Free Fonts 1000 Seamless Stripes Stick Figure Volume 1 Ult. Flames Mega Pack Ult. Flames Mega Pack 2 Ult. Ornaments Mega Pack 1400 Seamless Textures	CorelDRAW X6 Training DVD CorelDRAW X5 Training DVDs CorelDRAW X4 Training DVDs Click 'n Learn Tutorials CorelDRAW 0-60 Training Jeff Harrison's FUNdaMENTALs CorelDRAW Training Session On-Site Training Session Phone Consultation CorelDRAW Unleashed Magazine	Design Base Automation Tool for CorelDRAW X3-X6 ROMCat Resources Docker QR Codes Docker EZ Metrics Smart Designer CoCut Pro	Wood Metal Stone Terrain Fire & Ice Ground & Plants Floor, Wall & Bricks Fiber Tile & Path Marble Crystals