Wikipedia:WikiProject U.S. Roads/Shields task force/Guide

While the U.S. Roads WikiProject's Shields Task Force has a page for making requests, some users may instead wish to make shields on their own. This page is a step-by-step guide on exactly how to do this.

What is SVG?

SVG (short for Scalable Vector Graphics) is an image format that allows images to be scaled to any size without appearing distorted or pixelated. Wikipedia specifies that graphics, such as our shield diagrams, should be in the SVG format.

Getting the editor

In order to make shields, you will need an SVG editor with the ability to convert text to a path. One program that can do this is Inkscape. To install Inkscape, go to http://www.inkscape.org and click the download link, then run the installer. You will also need to install fonts that approximate standard road-sign fonts, the Roadgeek fonts are recommended as they are the fonts used by the shield templates and they are free.

Making shields

There are two ways to make shields, either from a template, or from scratch.

From a template

To make shields from a template you must first download the template(s) that you need. Templates for making shields are listed at WP:USRD/S/T, but you may find more at commons:category:Diagrams of road signs of the United States. Save the file to your computer, and remember where you saved it, then open it in your SVG editor and edit the text. When you are done that, you can skip to the #Finishing and uploading section below

From scratch

If a template does not exist for the shield you want to make, you will need to make the shield completely on your own. The first thing you will need to do is find the specification. Road sign specifications are usually publicly available online, you just need to search for them. Follow the specification to create the shield. If the shield you are making is for a numbered route, you may wish to upload the template. Creating a template is just like making any other shield from scratch, the only differences are that you do not convert the route number to a path, and you should make a note in the image summary that the shield is a template that should not be used directly in articles.

Finishing and uploading

The last thing you need to do is convert all the text in the shield to a path. This is necessary due to the fact that the Wikimedia servers do not have the Roadgeek fonts installed on them, so if the text is not converted it will not appear correctly. In Inkscape you can convert the text to a path using "Object to Path" under the "Path" menu or by selecting the text and pressing Ctrl Shift C. When you are done, save your shield as a plain SVG file; saving as plain SVG cuts down on the file size (note that if you are creating a shield from a template be sure to use "save as" so you will be able to use the template to make more shields later on). After the shield is saved, all that's left to do is upload it to the commons. It's recommended (but not necessary) to give shields a public domain "license", which allows them to be used without any restrictions.

That's it

If you have any questions, post them at WT:USRD/S, or ask one of the members of the shields task force.