Creating an Image from a Map in QGIS

Today I learned how to use the Layout Manager in QGIS to create an image of a map with elements such as a title, a legend, a scale bar, and other decorations.

It started with being asked to work on the visual presentation of some of our work. There were examples to go by, but I wasn't quite sure how they were made.

I tried replicating them in GIMP, but quickly decided that was NOT the way. I love GIMP, but this wasn't the right tool for the job.

I tried adding the title along the top of the map in QGIS and using a screenshot as the image. Closer in uniformity, definitely not the right method either.

Then I tried adding the image of the map in the PowerPoint presentation, adding a title and a legend, and saving those elements together as an image. Much closer, but I could tell there was still a better way to create the image, a more professional and consistent way. I just didn't know what it was.

Then I was watching a QGIS tutorial, and while they weren't doing the exact same thing, it clicked with me where to go to make the image. The layout manager.

I have never used this tool before, but my familiarity with computers in general assured me it couldn't be that hard. And it wasn't. I added elements from the left hand tool bar to include the actual map, a title for the map, a legend, a scalebar, and a north-pointing arrow.

I think the hardest part was realizing that each of these elements had a separate Layout, Item Properties, and Guides tab below. But once I realized that, getting everything the way I wanted it was easy-street.

As an example, here's a map of Halifax County, North Carolina. All points within this image come from public data.