A vent of frustration

[Gamerprinter]

it is even worse when what you do is normally done by undergrad "slaves" and some post grad students.

In my experience industry cartographers are generally not "undergrad slaves", nor post grad students. Most RPG industry cartographers are established illustrators aged 30 - 50+. Most RPG cartographers have some history playing RPG games, and the majority of gamers tabletop RPG industry are 30+. Younger gamers are almost exclusively electronic and video game players (which has a much lower need for maps). RPG gaming is a niche industry and past its prime - few younger gamers are joining that aging industry.

I personally know most of the industry cartographers, those getting the majority of RPG map commissions, and none are younger than 30 years old. I am 52 years old.

I might agree that the majority of illustrators who are not doing cartography, such cover artists, characters artists, monster artists are probably fresh out of school, but that definitely doesn't apply to game cartographers.

[TimPaul]

In my experience industry cartographers are generally not "undergrad slaves", nor post grad students. Most RPG industry cartographers are established illustrators aged 30 - 50+. Most RPG cartographers have some history playing RPG games, and the majority of gamers tabletop RPG industry are 30+. Younger gamers are almost exclusively electronic and video game players (which has a much lower need for maps). RPG gaming is a niche industry and past its prime - few younger gamers are joining that aging industry.

I personally know most of the industry cartographers, those getting the majority of RPG map commissions, and none are younger than 30 years old. I am 52 years old.

I might agree that the majority of illustrators who are not doing cartography, such cover artists, characters artists, monster artists are probably fresh out of school, but that definitely doesn't apply to game cartographers.

I think they are talking more about private commissions vs industry assignments.

I charge to much for private commissions, and as such, don't get very many and some I turn down.

There's lots of people out there charging very little for these private commissions, and I imagine that it's being done by people looking to make a few bucks doing something they like doing. They have no interest in making a living at it.

[a.coldyham]

In my experience industry cartographers are generally not "undergrad slaves", nor post grad students. Most RPG industry cartographers are established illustrators aged 30 - 50+. Most RPG cartographers have some history playing RPG games, and the majority of gamers tabletop RPG industry are 30+. Younger gamers are almost exclusively electronic and video game players (which has a much lower need for maps). RPG gaming is a niche industry and past its prime - few younger gamers are joining that aging industry.

I personally know most of the industry cartographers, those getting the majority of RPG map commissions, and none are younger than 30 years old. I am 52 years old.

I might agree that the majority of illustrators who are not doing cartography, such cover artists, characters artists, monster artists are probably fresh out of school, but that definitely doesn't apply to game cartographers.

Just going to chip in and say that I'm 17, am a player in one campaign and a DM of two others, all three with different groups of ~7. I put posters up for a lunchtime club and had to take them down because too many people came the first week and I almost couldn't cope.
I don't think my generation is particularly against tabletop RPGs, they just aren't as often exposed to them, and when they are it's most often through obscure TV references.
Sorry for the wordsplurge