Hello everybody :)

[archngis]

I am very new to this and I am neither an author nor an artist. I found your site searching the internet, because I admire cartography in it's hand-drawn form before the advent of computers. Basically, I am looking for a creative outlet to my (can be) rather dull GIS Operator function at work while I work a lot with data sets, compliance to Spatial Data Standards etc I miss the cartography and design aspect of this craft. Sometimes I feel there is no creativity left in what I do and though I would not change it...just enhance it if I could.
So, for my own enjoyment and learning sake I have decided to make a fictional hand-drawn map which I will then use in my house as my own artwork. The map, of course, will tell a story-my story. Geographic features are named by using family and other influential people in my life, but to display them on a map like a family tree map...For instance, my grandmother's name was Lilli, it became Lilliana forest-a place of refuge. My mother's name was Nelli, and it became Nellani Bay-a sheltered natural harbor and so on. Oh, there is an evil kingdom too, of course... I could use some pointers however from the professionals as to drawing techniques.
On my map I have the edge of a continent that appears rather smooth and I don't want to change that but I would like to display the mistaken smoothness as sheer cliffs. Also there is supposed to be a large gorge dividing good and evil kingdoms. Any pointers?

[jbgibson]

Welcome, archngis. Cool idea - do show us how it works out!

Google Erwin Raisz for some delightful ways of depicting topography. Likewise Guild tutorials mentioning "hand-drawn" -- even if they're digital tuts on how to LOOK hand-drawn, the results could inspire / instruct you.

[Bogie]

Welcome to the Guild!