Calligraphy (with some Gimp)
Found this site: http://steveczajka.posterous.com/pages/gallery-50
There is also a blog with weekly tutorials on calligraphy, (hand in conjunction with inkscape/gimp post processing) that has some nice ideas that would be relevant here.
The calligraphy knot-work border are quite nice, too.
-Rob A>
My tutorials: Using GIMP to Create an Artistic Regional Map ~ All My Tutorials
My GIMP Scripts: Rotating Brush ~ Gradient from Image ~ Mosaic Tile Helper ~ Random Density Map ~ Subterranean Map Prettier ~ Tapered Stroke Path ~ Random Rotate Floating Layer ~ Batch Image to Pattern ~ Better Seamless Tiles ~ Tile Shuffle ~ Scale Pattern ~ Grid of Guides ~ Fractalize path ~ Label Points
My Maps: Finished Maps ~ Challenge Entries ~ My Portfolio: www.cartocopia.com
Man, I so wish that I could do calligraphy...I can never find fonts that really fit my moods. My attempts have always been disastrous and it was the only art class I got less than an A in so I quit even trying. But, man, I love looking at great letters almost as much as looking at dancing girls.
If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
-J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)
My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps
Well, what I plan to do for my August Challenge map is find two or three Celtic style fonts I like, then type all the various labels and titling at the appropriate sizes and for "text on a curve" and other aspects, then print it out black and white. Tape on a piece of tracing paper on top, and lightly trace the outlines of all the letters in pen. Then I will detail the interiors of the text, line shading, etc. then scan, import to Xara, and finally apply coloring. So not really the same as true calligraphy, but not typed and placed text either - something in between.
I use to hand-draw ornate animalistic text back in high school, so I'm trying to renew this old skill of mine and apply it to my next map.
I have posted other hand-drawn maps on a thread of mine at Penny-Arcade.com, the most frequent criticism I get regards using computer generated text on hand-drawn maps, and while I agree to an extent I've never followed their advice. I'll give that a shot this time.
GP
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