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USGS AI pack instructions and download link

Download the USGS AI pack which contains patterns for geological mapping for Adobe illustrator. Instructions for using the pack are written below.

Download USGS_AI_Pack.zip

 

Instructions for using USGS AI Pack

This pack has been derived from:

There are a couple of different ways to use this pack:

Approach 1: Installing the swatches and using the reference.

  1. Open a new document in illustrator and bring up the swatches panel  (Window>Swatches).
  2. Click on the small icon in the bottom left to choose swatches and go to Other Library.

    This should put you in the folder that contains a folder of swatches (or the swatches folder itself)
  3. Copy and Paste the “USGS_Swatches” folder you downloaded to the Swatches folder.
  4. Now when you click on the small icon in the bottom left of the Swatches Panel you will see USGS_Swatches in the list.
  5. Open up one of the Swatch sets. If you hover over the individual Swatches you will notice a number is displayed.
  6. Refer to the USGS_Swatches_reference.pdf to see which unit this refers to, or simply fill an object on the screen to view it. If you are using AllUSGS swatch refer to FGDCgeostdTM11A2_PattCh_poster.pdf

Approach 2: Opening the USGS pattern pages directly in illustrator

  1. In the folder called “USGS_pattern_pages” are four ai files. Open any one of these in illustrator.
  2. Select the pattern you want to use. Copy and paste this into your document (put it on the side of the page.)
  3. Use the eyedropper tool to apply this pattern to a shape. I.e select the shape, select the eyedropper then select the pattern.

 

 

50 comments on “USGS AI pack instructions and download link

  1. I’m using it for my thesis.
    I switch from Corel into AI because of the swatch.
    Thank you so much for the AI swatch update!

    Reply

  2. This is amazing. Very helpful.

    It is missing dunham classifications for people who are doing logs of solely limestone and need to clarify between wackestone/packstone/grainstone/boundstone etc, but overall, this is unbelievably helpful. Thanks a bunch.

    Reply

  3. Thanks for your sharing. One question can you tell me how to use illustrator to create a brush to use in a subduction zone?
    thanks for your time.

    Reply

    • I’m not really sure what you are asking. Brushes for Geological line symbols in illustrator are generally problematic.

      Reply

  4. I’ve lost count of how many time I have searched for the USGS swatch files via USGS and in the end I always find my way back here. Perfect. Thanks for keeping this updated!

    Reply

  5. Very cool! Except I’m having an issue where even though I click the “fill” swatch, the “stroke” changes. Maybe this is an adobe issue, not an issue with the package?

    Thought?

    Thanks for posting this!

    Reply

    • Hi, not sure what’s going wrong with that. Usually if you have the fill in the foreground then click on a pattern it will set the pattern as the fill. There’s a little icon to switch the stroke and fill. Does that fix it?

      Reply

  6. This is a great link indeed! I will use it for my dissertation. Though I have seen someone asking the question before; is it possible to get a swatch (or a brush) for structural features like thrust faults or subduction zones?

    Reply

    • I did look into this. It’s a bit difficult in Illustrator as far as I can tell. You can use pattern brushes. But getting the regular placement of symbols doesn’t work so well.

      Reply

  7. Im running an older version of illustrator, CS4, and the program will import none of the swatches. Is there an older version of this I can access?

    Reply

  8. Very useful, thanks. The only thing I’d suggest is also supplying the swatches as SVG files for use as area fills in, say, QGIS.

    Reply

  9. Thank you for the upload! Is there anyway on AI to fill the pattern in with a color, or make the brushstroke larger on the patterns? It hard to see

    Reply

    • Hi, yes there is. To get a colour in the background you can add an extra fill in the appearance dialog box behind the pattern. To make the pattern larger go to object transform and deselect all the options apart from pattern. There are also ways to completely modify the pattern such as pattern editor in adobe CS6 and later.

      Reply

  10. I’m unable to use these swatches in AI CS4. I’ve tried a number of forum solutions but no luck. Do you have files specifically for AI CS4?

    Reply

  11. thank you very much admin for your important news to share with us. And more thanks for i get best idea read this article about this topics. many more days i was searched this topics, finally i got it.

    Reply

  12. Hi,
    the link doesn’t work. Is there any way that you can get if fixed to work on Adobe Illustrator 2020?
    Thank you

    Reply

  13. Gday, Fantastic work thank you very much.
    question
    I am doing a cross section and would like to align the symbology to the dip ie have the limestone texture on the dip angle. is there a way of doing this?
    cheers

    Reply

    • Hi, yes you can rotate the fill patterns from the USGS template (or any other fill).

      Here’s how:
      – choose the Edit paths nodes tool (N)
      – click on the filled object that you want to modify
      – look around the screen for the little circle that has just appeared (probably up and to the right of the object)
      – move your cursor to that circle and drag the circle to interactively rotate the pattern

      I hope that this works for you.
      Stephen

      Reply

    • Thanks for your comment.
      We have found that sometimes the download does not work using a particular web browser. Have you tried with a different browser? eg Firefox or Chrome or Edge or …

      Reply

    • Thanks for your comment.
      We have found that sometimes the download does not work using a particular web browser. Have you tried with a different browser? eg Firefox or Chrome or Edge or …

      Reply

  14. I was able to download from the other page but when I download the .AI files they come as .ESP files. How do I get .AI file to be able to add to my library for use?

    Reply

    • When you write ‘other page’ what page are you referring to?
      Do you mean .eps ?
      Adobe Illustrator should be able to open eps files.

      Reply

    • Thanks for your comment.
      We have found that sometimes the download does not work using a particular web browser. Have you tried with a different browser? eg Firefox or Chrome or Edge or …

      Reply

    • Thanks for your comment.
      The download link is working for me.
      We have found that sometimes the download does not work using a particular web browser. Have you tried with a different browser? eg Firefox or Chrome or Edge or …

      Reply

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