New to Digital Cartography? Software General Information

[ChickPea]

I'm going to guess you're using the paint bucket to fill your shape? That tool is odd to me. I pretty much never use it. The Fill & Stroke panel is the only way I colour objects. Is your land shape a closed object? If not, is there a way you can easily make it closed?

If you must use the bucket fill, I think there's a setting somewhere that you can tweak on how it fills, though my understanding is that the more you zoom in, the more accurate the fill will be. But that - as you've noticed! - is a bit of a nightmare with a complex shape.

As for hatching, there are several patterns available, again, in the Fill & Stroke panel, and these can be resized to suit. If none of them suit, you can make your own pattern (Create your pattern, then convert it to a pattern via the Object menu / Pattern / Objects to pattern.)

I love Inkscape for mapping, though I usually use it in combination with other tools, but for things like tapered rivers and labelling, it can't be beat (in my humble opinion!)

[Antindies]

Thanks very much. I have noticed zooming in makes it better, but as you say it's hard to go through the whole map that way! OK, I'll try the fill & stroke panel, I thought the bucket was just a shortcut for that. The hatch patters you mention I don't see, I have only one diagonal stripe available and the narrowest version is 1:1.

Thanks again.