Its not original but "Hi"

[DEMurray]

Hi everyone. Not really sure how best to introduce myself ... Where it relates to an interest in maps then ... I grew up in a literature-loving household and I suppose I always liked to 'see' where the stories were taking place - even more so when based in fantasy. Brian Jacques, and then Tolkein, McCaffrey and Pratchett always fascinated me - and I spent as much time on the maps as I did in the stories.

As I got older and wrote more and more, these maps remained with me. Its a shame that my talent (and so modest too) for writing doesn't naturally extend to a talent for drawing ... but its something that I try to do. First as a writer's aid (how long would it take someone to go from x to y? if there was a river there in chapter 4, shouldn't that same river be there in chapter 12?) but also to help my (eventual) readers.

Admittedly, most of the maps (and by most I mean over 99%) I create remain in my brain and never get to paper, but a few have, and I would like to get more involved with cartography .... The examples that I've seen here have already blown my mind ... but I have just downloaded GIMP and hope to teach myself how to use that to some success!

I have a few sketches that I may or may not scan and share!

Anyway, I am already looking forwarding to getting to grips with the tutorials and advice that's here already!

Dom

[Freehand 5.5]

Welcome to the guild, Dom.

I hope you have the success you want and a lot of fun with starting to draw maps.
I think you've come to the best place to get valuable advice and creative input for it.
For me it was like that a few months ago - and still is.

[DEMurray]

Thanks, Freehand!

LOL I've spent the afternoon looking and ... wow. I have very much to learn!

I like your Erbsburg maps, btw.

[Freehand 5.5]

I like your Erbsburg maps, btw.

Thanks a lot.