I would love to engage with other cartographers and I really would like any and all tips. I have been mapmaking since I was a kid. I did hand drawings, many of which I still have.

Here's where I am at. I have a current map in the Paint program. It's very low end. I't a map with cities, towns, and their boundaries.

I want to do something high end like I have seen on here, but I don't know where to begin. I'm not super tech savvy, but I'm a quick learner and willing to try new things to see what works best. I want something with multiple layers. I want one layer for example to have streets and highways, all of which I would name. I want another layer to show the cities and towns and another layer to show the states. And I want mountains, lakes, etc. Any advice as to which program or programs might work best for me?

Having visited this site several times, I'm really impressed by the work you all do. You are some amazingly talented cartographers!

Thanks in advance for any advice!