Title: How to Create a Basic Hillshade/Shaded Relief in ArcMap
Purpose: This proclib will outline the steps necessary to create a basic hillshade and shaded relief map in ArcMap. This is a useful method to give your maps some elements of 3-dimensionality, while imparting the topography of your study area.
Procedure:
1. Open ArcMap
2. It is usually best to run Hillshading from the C drive of your own computer, as an example I suggest going to J:\GEO\GEO_Data\NW_Region and copy the folder Mt_St_Helens and copy it into a folder of your choice under the C:\Temp subdirectory on your computer.
3. From the ArcMap main window, click the Add Data icon, and add your DEM (digital elevation model). Be sure to use the Add button to include your DEM. (See figure below with example of Mt_St_Helens DEM data).
4. At this point, your DEM won’t look like much more than an image that may vaguely resemble the landscape of your study area (see below).
5. Make sure your Arc Toolbox is visible. This is where all the built-in ArcMap processing tools are stored. If the toolbox is not visible, click the toolbox icon (this toggles the toolbox choices back and forth between being visible/invisible).
6. From the Toolbox double-click Spatial Analyst Tools to display all the spatial analyst tools. Double-click the Surface tool group. Double-click the Hillshade tool.
If for some reason you get an error saying you don’t have license to use Spatial Analyst Tools, go to Customize, open this drop down menu and click on Customize Mode.
This will open a Customize Window, in this make certain that Spatial Analyst box has been checked. If not, do so.
7. Once the Spatial Analyst Tools work you can continue.
8. From the Hillshade tool, select your designated DEM from the drop down dialog (click the black triangle) in the Input Raster pick window. Hit OK
9. Select your Output Raster location from the pick window by clicking the yellow open folder icon. Your default workspace, which you set in step 2 should be the folder which opens. If you would like your output stored here, then confirm this is the case. If it is not, simply navigate to a folder where you have write access, such as your U:Drive. Type a name for your output file in the Name: window, taking special care to not exceed 12 characters or use non-traditional characters, as ArcMap will not allow this. Chose a name that helps you remember what you have. Click Save. (see below)
10. Initially we will accept the defaults for this tool. You may, after becoming more familiar with the technique set the values for the Azimuth between 0-360 (compass direction from which the “sun” shines), and Altitude between 0-90 (how high in the sky is the “sun”). Again, for the 1st run, simply accept the defaults of 315 degrees for Azimuth, and 45 degrees for altitude. Similarly, accept the default of the Model Shadows box UNCHECKED, and the Z-Factor of 1 (no vertical exaggeration). Your screen should look like the image below (your Input Raster name will be different). Click OK. The tool will then execute the command and add the outputs to the map.
11. Turn your layer on to make it visible. Toggle it on and off a few times to see the differences between your newly created hillshade and the underlying DEM file. Your hillshade should now show an image of the topography of the landscape of your study area based on shadows (shading).
12. Left-click, and drag your newly created hillshade file in the Layers dialog below the DEM file which you initially added (that is move the hillshade from the top of the list to the bottom). Make sure both files are clicked on to make them visible. (However, at this point, you’ll only be able to see the file on top, which should be the original DEM once you’ve completed this step).
13. Right-click the original DEM file name in the Layers window, and select Properties. From the properties window which has just opened, click the Display tab and set the Transparency to something around 40% (experiment for best results).
14. Results (see below).
15. Next go the Symbology tab and choose a color ramp that best represents the data.
16. Click the drop down menu from the Color Ramp option. A range of color-ramps should appear. Select one that best represents the actual color of the landscape which you’re trying to represent. For instance, if you were trying to depict a the Cascades with snow capped peaks, select one which starts in the green range, to depict the vegetated lowlands, through a range of values to the white range, to depict snow at the higher elevations. Once selected (by simply clicking on it) Click OK to apply the color ramp to your layer. Your screen should look something like this:
17. Also click the Use hillshade effect
18. Save your work if you’re pleased with the result. If not, repeat the symbolization steps above to tweek your project. I urge you to play with the settings in the symbology tab to gain a deeper understanding of the symbology setting. Change the stretch type to Minimum-Maximum, and change the corresponding Minimum-Maximum values to essentially crop your color-ramp on either end. You can also make your own custom color-ramp by right clicking any of the color ramps, and selecting properties to edit the color ramp. Play with these to explore the possibilities if you’re interested in going further. For more information, see the website here: http://myweb.facstaff.wwu.edu/~medlerm/classes/08_09/450/Labs/Lab3.html
Originator: Jacob Tully, updated by Pat Buckley
Contact: ;
Procedure Creation Date: May 18, 2010, updated 5/17/2011, updated 5/24/2016
How to Create a Basic Hillshade/Shaded Relief in ArcMap Page 9 of 14