Rough Sketch Coastal w/ Large Island(s)

[marcuslee]

Hey Everyone,

I would like to write a fantasy story, but before I get too far into the project, it would be nice to have some visuals. I started to create some maps myself but quickly learned that it was going to take a lot more effort than I thought. I can do simple shapes, but I'm not sure I want to learn enough to do moutains, rivers, lakes, forests, multiple realistic islands, etc ...

If anyone would like to help me, I would appreciate it. I may want further maps in the future if my project gets some momentum, so I am not completely against the idea of compensation. I just don't have the budget to pay you anything at the moment, but different forms of payment in the future would be appropriate depending on circumstances. My project may require webspace in the future, so free ads or free webspace would be an appropriate payment (if you have something to advertise). My wife is trying to start a home business selling soap. Free samples/products would also be an appropriate payment as well. And, the soap we could probably do a lot sooner than the free webspace or free ad space.

Here's the details:

Commission:

* Unpaid with possible payment(s) in the future

Time Constraints

* No particular time contraints, but something within a couple of weeks would be nice.

Style

* I am looking for a simple map with simple graphics. Some color would be nice but not required at this point.

Description of Map

* I have attached a rough idea of the map I have in mind
* Description: A regional map of a large coastal land with one or more islands a few miles off the coast. A real world equivalent would probably be England with continental Europe nearby.
* One point of the larger island should be rather close to the larger land mass, like the English Channel.
* At least one river on the larger island coming from a moutain range on the island.
* Forest areas, Plains, Deserts, & Lakes, etc ... on all or most of the larger of the landmasses.
* The far side of the large landmass (the one at the edge of the map) should probably end in something that ancient civilizations would have viewed as a boundary, such as a large moutain range or large desert.
*NO PLACE NAMES, please.

* I don't particularly care about the scale, but it would be nice to be able to have several cities on the larger of the islands. (Couple hundred miles across east to west, maybe!)

Quality & Size

* Lower Quality Sketch ... although a little color to distinguish different types of land would be nice.
* Only for the web at the moment, but if my story gets published, a larger print version would be nice as well.
* Dimensions of map: 800 pixels wide or so for the web, larger original if it isn't that much extra work.
* Raster for initial map is fine / possible Vector version for later.

Copyright - (I don't want to get a lawyer involved unless it looks like I will make money off this project).

* The artist will retain copyright of the map, but I would like to use it for whatever purpose I desire, commercial included. If I make money off my project, payment can be discussed.

My email address is MSL**underscore**007**AT**live.com
(Replace **underscore** with _)
(Replace **AT** with @)

If I did pay someone for this, I have no idea what it would be worth. You can suggest a price, if you like.

Much of the plot of my story may come from your imagination, so have fun.


Mark

[ravells]

With such a nice request I hope someone helps you for free. What you ask for should not take long at all and this would be a great project for someone to pick up just for the fun of it. If you have no takers in say, a week, I'll do it for you.

best

Ravs

p.s. send me a PM in a week if you have no takers.

[marcuslee]

With such a nice request I hope someone helps you for free. What you ask for should not take long at all and this would be a great project for someone to pick up just for the fun of it. If you have no takers in say, a week, I'll do it for you.

best

Ravs

p.s. send me a PM in a week if you have no takers.

I appreciate the offer. I was hoping that I was not being too demanding. I don't need much, just the use of someone's imagination to help spark mine.

After this, I think I will need two more posts to use PM.


Mark

[ravells]

No worries, Mark, not demanding at all. I wish more of the community would take up unpaid requests. They are usually fun to do and they make people happy .

I find it interesting that you need the use someone's imagination to spark your own. I am not an author, but I do find it strange when authors who are at the inception of their novels/stories ask for maps for a world which is only embryonic. Surely the map should follow the finished or nearly finished novel or story? Chances are that as your story develops, locations might move and new features might appear and disappear. Wouldn't a rough sketch using a pencil, paper and judicious use of an eraser be more versatile?

Best

Ravs

[marcuslee]

I find it interesting that you need the use someone's imagination to spark your own. I am not an author, but I do find it strange when authors who are at the inception of their novels/stories ask for maps for a world which is only embryonic.

Your comment is definitely true. That's one reason why the map doesn't have to be super professional. I would like the land to be as authentic as possible. My pencil sketch wouldn't be that ... I promise you. If someone wants to take part in my project, a detailed pencil sketch might be all I need. Color is only a plus.

Surely the map should follow the finished or nearly finished novel or story?

Normally, this is true, too. But, in my case, I would love to publish my story in a standard way, but it probably won't go that route. I will probably have a selection of short stories on a blog, each short story detailing a different detail of the land and its people. I would like a map in place not only for me but also for the blog once I create it. That could happen in the next 6 months or so. But, the short stories could take years to write.

Chances are that as your story develops, locations might move and new features might appear and disappear. Wouldn't a rough sketch using a pencil, paper and judicious use of an eraser be more versatile?

During the brainstorming stage, a penciled map would be helpful since things do change a lot in that stage. But, some writers, like myself want something a little more concrete when they start writing the actual first draft. So, for example, if I describe a city as 20 miles away from this other structure ... that figure probably came from the map. Location names may change (that's why I don't want place names), but geologic formations won't change as much because as long as I have every geologic formation to work with, all my ideas can happen.

Thanks for you comments.

Mark

[ravells]

Well this does sound like fun. Give me a shout in a week if you don't have any takers.

[Ascension]

I kind of like writing to fit a map as well, not that I do a lot of it but, shrug. If some place ends up being too far away and would result in long boring trips then I just fill that with "it rained for the next few days and they traveled in grouchy silence". Filler like that is invaluable when writing to a map. Mapping to a story is much more precise and takes way longer to map properly in order to get distances correct and results in lots of editing the map.

[marcuslee]

I kind of like writing to fit a map as well, not that I do a lot of it but, shrug. If some place ends up being too far away and would result in long boring trips then I just fill that with "it rained for the next few days and they traveled in grouchy silence". Filler like that is invaluable when writing to a map.

And, you can always alter the filler to make it interesting. Character development can be done. Or, if you need a character to be somewhere that take three days to get there ... but you only have two days, come up with a plausible excuse to either start their trip one day earlier or place them one day closer to the location. For example, on their way to town A to buy supplies, they have to go to town B because of whatever is wrong in town B ... instead of going straight to town B, which would have been too far for whatever reason. Rambling, I know!

Mapping to a story is much more precise and takes way longer to map properly in order to get distances correct and results in lots of editing the map.

This is precisely why I would like a more detailed map right now. Before I start to write a single word of the final story, I will study the map, come up with some possible place names, brainstorm possible story lines, etc .... Right now ... without a map ... I sit around with writer's block or only with a few vague ideas of what I would like to do. As it is, my ideas right now will work for most maps.


Mark

[Ascension]

I'd take this week and do some backstory/history/character development and then if no one jumps on it then talk to Ravs. He'll do ya up right and then your heroes can start their journey.

[marcuslee]

I'd take this week and do some backstory/history/character development and then if no one jumps on it then talk to Ravs. He'll do ya up right and then your heroes can start their journey.

Good suggestion.

Today I have been collecting research on ancient people and thier lives since I am going to pattern my story from real life. Just a few minutes ago I was watching a video on YouTube about metal smelting. I still don't think I understand completely but enough to put it in a story, methinks.

The other day I was thinking of ways to come up with character's names. I think I am going to use non-English phoenetic combinations.

So, in other words, I have a lot going on. Anyone who wants to join me ... because there will be room for multiple authors, you are welcome.


Mark