Building Skills With an Unnamed Region Map

[krahel]

Hello. I'm new to cartography and this is one of my first attempts at a region map using GIMP. I've played with brushes and the like before, but I find it hard to get the look I'm going for with the assets I can find, so I decided to build my own drawing skills. I started on this map late last night and stayed up all night tweaking it and trying to find a style I could accomplish that looks alright.

I'm primarily interested in black and white or greyscale maps at the moment. Everything on this map currently was accomplished with nothing but the paintbrush tool. GIMP is so much more capable than that, but I found a groove with this relatively simple approach and I'm kind of liking how it's turning out.

unnamedregion.png

[kozzie]

Hi, Krahel, and welcome. I used GIMP for a little bit, it's a nice tool. Took me a while to figure out where things were. There are some really nice tutorials for GIMP. One from OldGuy for realistic coastlines and Vandy has put a thread together containing tutorials in PDF format > https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...oastlines+gimp.

Keep up the good work. I'm still working on my map elements to find what I like best. It's a fun, relaxing adventure.

[krahel]

Hi, Krahel, and welcome. I used GIMP for a little bit, it's a nice tool. Took me a while to figure out where things were. There are some really nice tutorials for GIMP. One from OldGuy for realistic coastlines and Vandy has put a thread together containing tutorials in PDF format > https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...oastlines+gimp.

Keep up the good work. I'm still working on my map elements to find what I like best. It's a fun, relaxing adventure.

Thanks for the tips. I may use them in the future, but I actually already cranked out this map and another one in the mean time.

Speaking of which...

talmynnprovince.png

and a bonus map!

region1.png

They're both done in a very similar style and there are definitely some areas that could be improved upon. Also I decided that these maps look really rad (IMO) with a parchment texture underneath them. I actually ordered some micron pens and other hand drawing tools as I'm interested in experimenting with pen and paper maps as well.

[Kellerica]

Not bad for a first attempt at digital! I personally always love a parchment texture, I think the only problem here is that the one used doesn't look too high in resolution.

One thing I'd recommend is having a look at this thread if you feel like getting some insight into how to get your rivers to run correctly. You seem to have some issues in the first map in that department.

All in all, I think you're headed in the right direction. Keep it up!

[krahel]

Not bad for a first attempt at digital! I personally always love a parchment texture, I think the only problem here is that the one used doesn't look too high in resolution.

One thing I'd recommend is having a look at this thread if you feel like getting some insight into how to get your rivers to run correctly. You seem to have some issues in the first map in that department.

All in all, I think you're headed in the right direction. Keep it up!

Ah yes, the rivers do run a bit awkwardly in that first map. I think I drew the rivers before the mountains and just kind of plopped down ridges where it looked alright. The second map I did the reverse. Gotta figure out a rough order of operations .

[Tiana]

Yeah, you'd be right about the need for an order of operations. Although I usually draw rivers first, so that's not an impossible routine. Keep it up.

[LunaticDesign]

That's a very solid beginning. Your mountains are improved in the second map a great deal and I like where you are going.

As far as an order of operations goes I start with coastlines to give me an idea where things go and then I pencil mountains then rivers and lakes, hills and then forests, swamps and deserts.