Hello and thank you for all the wonderful tutorials!

[Huma41]

I am a long time gamer. I have played games since the the beginning of computer games, lol. I have become more and more sick of computer games as no matter what, they all seem the same to me. All graphics and gameplay and no story. I have always wanted to play D&D since I was a kid but never had enough like minded people nearby to learn the game with. I began thinking going old school with an emphasis on story might be very fun. I recently found a group of gamers who play D&D online using Fantasy Grounds as a VTT and after sitting in on one game and playing a second I am hooked!

After playing and noticing the DM was primarily using the sketch tool in Fantasy Grounds I began to wonder if I could possibly indulge a long time desire to do some creative artwork. I am a Mechanical Designer by trade, but all my "artwork" has consisted of technical drawings. Very linear. I have wanted to get a digitizing tablet and do artwork for years (Like 18+ years, lol) but I never had a purpose or reason to do the artwork before. For me, without a purpose, doodling is just doodling. If someone can USE what I do, well, that would make it worthwhile to me. After offering my fledgling services to do some artwork for the DM of the D&D game and getting a "Heck Yeah! I hate drawing" response, I find myself with the challenge and creative outlet I have been looking for.

I have been looking through all the tutorials I can find time to read on here the past 2 weeks and I have to say this is an incredible resource and source of inspiration! I lurked for as long as I could stand but decided I had better get an account created as I am sure I will have questions. Heheh.

I now have a Wacom Intuos Pen & Touch Medium tablet, Gimp Installed, and a description of 2 projects for our D&D game. One Island about 40 miles wide, and a two story temple battlemap.

This site has been such a time sink as I find myself "walking around" it going Ooooo, and Ahhhh all evening. I have not even started doing anything except trying to get a feel for the tablet using Gimp. It is quite the foreign entity to me with it's absolute coordinate mapping but the more I use it the more I like it.

Well, it's good to meet everyone and thank you for all the knowledge this community has posted up over the years! I will be reading and oogling maps for quite some time now. I only hope I can bring myself to exit out of the forums long enough to start trying to apply some of what I've learned through 2 weeks of lurking as a guest. :-)

[jugabyte]

Can't wait to see what you come up with. Sounds like you could really bring some quality and inventive stuff our way! Welcome aboard.

[madcowchef]

Welcome to the guild! Their is no lack of us folks here making maps with gaming in mind so you are in good company.

[Meshon]

I'd be interested to see how your tablet work is going, I just recently started using one myself and it's taking some getting used to, but I'm encouraged so far. I too have spent most of my design life doing linear/vector work, so it's been kind of a treat to make stuff that (so far) looks like really messy pencil sketches in Illustrator. I hope you post some of your work soon. My advice would be to plunge in and start something. The tutorials here are so amazing that you can (well, I do) just read and read, but the community here is amazing for giving positive feedback on works in progress.

And welcome!

cheers,
Meshon

[Huma41]

Meshon,

Yep, I'm definately not ready to post anything. I may post in the WIP the island I am trying to create. If I described it in my own words I would be insulting 5 yr olds everywhere, lol. My challenge will not be learning the different software. It will be the actual artistry from what I am finding out.

My 19yrs of experience in mechanical drafting & design are working against me. I have the instinct that every line has to have a purpose and sketching when it is not a piece of metal in front of me is turning out to be pretty hard. Mountains are the hardest. I have been trying the revised RobA tutorials and have mixed that with another tutorial that I like the look of from the tips and tricks for regional maps. Those mountains are kicking my butt.

I think I may have to find some resources with some basic suggestions on free form sketching and shading. I would really like to learn how to sketch and draw, and GIMP is turning out to be a really good Photoshop alternative. I had a copy that I got to use at a job years ago and have wanted to buy Photoshop ever since but have never been able to justify the expense. GIMP works wonderfully and I LOVE the price tag, hehe. I will post in the WIP thread sometime to get some pointers on what I am doing wrong, but I know it is all technique or lack thereof.

I am loving the Wacom though. I can't count how many times my wife has asked me what the heck I'm doing. She'll spot me using the eraser and then going thru the motion of wiping the "eraser dust" off my Wacom with the side of my hand. LMAO! Definately immersive, lol.