Learning a CAD program to tackle a simple drafting job is unrealistic, the learning curve is steep and the interface tools are not intuitive to someone familiar with graphics programs like Adobe Illustrator or Freehand. These free swatches from the USGS replicate fill patterns that a professional cartographer would use and can help make a graphics project appear more “engineered”.

Download the swatches from the Illustrator ExchangeYou must be a member to download the files but registration is a breeze and only takes a minute.