If you've ever had to export a map to an image from ArcGIS with semi-transparent layers, you may have noticed your hash-marks and line patterns in other layers don’t typically come out looking as they should (see unevenly -spaced rail ties above). Also, layout graphics with a transparent color often take on a Venetian blinds effect. So you either start trying to hack the heck out it, making compromises to your map, or you decide to start paring down your map, exporting a few layers at a time as a PNG with a transparent background and reassembling in your favorite graphics program. Well keep that graphics program handy, we've got a great way to keep your map intact and looking as it should!

You may have done this in map mode where you can go to Edit -> Copy Map To Clipboard to paste in a document, slide, or email. But this works in Layout mode as well. By default, this is done in a 96ppi which might be okay on screen, but that’s not really an acceptable print resolution. Here’s the magic: Zoom the layout view to 200%! Then Copy Map To Clipboard as before. Even though your map can’t be fully seen on screen, unlike map view this does capture the whole page. Now this will take a while, but when it’s done, paste it over to your graphics program (I use Paint.NET myself, but GIMP is the standard go-to for FOSS bitmap design).

Behold! Everything is as it’s mean to appear! Except one thing. Now because the Layout was 200%, your page is 200% larger than it’s meant to be, but change your resolution to 192ppi and your page size to it’s intended size and you’re fit for print! I should say here that changing this to a different ppi other than a factor of 96 may not give you the cleanest image, though it may be passable for your purposes.

From there, you can print or save to any graphic format your program supports. I’m quite pleased with the Im(age) PDF export plugin for Paint.NET.

If there’s any GIMPers or Photoshoppers out there who want to add how to change resolution/image size for their preferred software, feel free to add a note.