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The Cartographers’ Guild is a forum created by and for map makers and aficionados, a place where every aspect of cartography can be admired, examined, learned, and discussed. Our membership consists of professional designers and artists, hobbyists, and amateurs—all are welcome to join and participate in the quest for cartographic skill and knowledge.
Although we specialize in maps of fictional realms, as commonly used in both novels and games (both tabletop and role-playing), many Guild members are also proficient in historical and contemporary maps. Likewise, we specialize in computer-assisted cartography (such as with GIMP, Adobe apps, Campaign Cartographer, Dundjinni, etc.), although many members here also have interest in maps drafted by hand.
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I didn't realize I had a blog on this site. But I suppose it's a good way to showcase your work. Right now, I'm working on adapting a video tutorial series on map-making, which was originally designed for Photoshop users. I'm adapting it to Gimp. That effort is taking up quite a bit of time, but it's also rewarding because I'm learning a LOT about Gimp by doing this. My next efforts will involve learning more about how to use Fractal Mapper. Right now I only have ...
So I've been playing strategic games since I was about 10-11 years old, the dad of some of the kids I played with introduced me to them, he also taught me to play chess. So the first "real" games where Chariot, Yeoman and other games metioned in the magazine General and Strategy & Tactics. I also played a lot of Blue & Gray (US civil war), which was always played on small 2xletter sized maps - hex maps of course. At the age of 11, when he was introduced to Dungeons & Dragons through some students ...
I love maps. No... I'm serious. I really, really love maps. They are beauty and order; adventure and mystery; art and information. They appeal to every aspect of my personality. I think that, for me at least, they are the one perfect medium, the perfect thing. Now you all may not be as freaky about maps as I am, though I'm sure some of you make me look hesitant by comparison, but I do know this: you all love maps. If you didn't, you wouldn't be reading this, and you probably wouldn't ...
When I was a little kid, about six or seven, my sister and I were home after school and my mom was at work. It was a different world, so we thought at least, and leaving your kids home alone at base housing didn't seem like child abuse then the way it does now. Of course, neither did drinking or smoking while you were pregnant. Who knew? So we were home and we decided to do one of those things that kids do that make you question the wisdom of letting them stay home alone at a tender ...
Some of you who've bothered to read my blogs have probably wondered what, if anything, they have to do with cartography. I admit that oftentimes, any relationship I could come up with would seem tenuous at best. That's a shame in some ways, because cartography itself is a subject spanning all nations and all of recorded history. It is art and literature, biology, geography, geology, business, finance, science, mythology, history, lore, fantasy... I am hard-put to find a single aspect of human experience ...
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