Noob Seeks Software Quidance - Raster versus Vector

[MonkishMonkfish]

I'm a new user seeking advice on when to use Raster versus when to use Vector software, and whether I should learn both or focus on one to start. I have access to both GIMP and Inkscape and between the two I'm a little overwhelmed.

I'm a new map maker interested in making a pretty wide variety of maps. I'm interested in both physical and political maps on the world and regional scale, including regional and sub regional views of selections from larger scale maps, but I'm also interested in smaller city scale maps as well.

Should I be using one program for one style/type of map, and the other for other types/styles? Should I split my efforts between Raster and Vector drawing, or should I specialize in one type?

Just a noob looking for some helpful advice.

[Josiah VE]

I would definitely recommend raster for drawing maps. I don't really have much experience with vector but I think raster is much easier to draw and paint and manipulate in a way that is good for cartography. As far as I'm aware almost all of the professionals use raster software (e.g. photoshop, GIMP). I'm not really sure what the benefits of using a vector software would be for cartography, besides the fact that you can scale it up, which you don't generally need.
Having said that there are some artists here who make some nice maps using vector software such as Inkscape, you'd have to wait for them to chime in with there opinion. (Check out Chickpea's current thread using inkscape and some of her other maps).
For digital cartography a drawing tablet is almost a must-have (even something cheap, I'm still using and ancient Wacom Bamboo)
If you're looking for some help starting out with digital cartography check out Fantastic Maps tutorials (especially this one) to get started understanding some of the main techniques behind great looking maps.

Good luck!

[MonkishMonkfish]

Thanks Josiah,

I'll keep that in mind and maybe focus on GIMP for now, I already have a better handle on it than Inkscape anyways.

And I'll definitely check out those tutorials.

Thanks again.

[Redrobes]

I would focus on Gimp for now but I must add a few points. Most professional map makers use vector but most people on the guild use raster. The main reason is that you can be very arty with raster but vector is probably better when you absolutely need to take measurements from a map. But we don't take a lot of measurements around here and the map serves to push forward a fantasy narrative.

The real answer is that its like asking which is better a pick or a shovel. Well when moving earth the shovel is better but get to a bit of rock and you wont be breaking it up so easily with the shovel compared to the pick. All tools have their place and its best to be master at them all but we all don't have that kind of time. But at least get proficient enough with all of the tools to know what they are and what they are good at even if you wont master them.

People say that you can zoom in on vector indefinitely which is completely false. Whilst you can draw vector shapes at any scale you wont have any detail on them. Then people say that you cant do artistic things with vector and thats also no true. Both are interchangeable to some degree and in fact you can get inkscape to vectorize a raster bitmap. But its so much easier to do some things in raster and some other things in vector. Also a lot of what people are doing in raster is in reality vectorised and then rastered. And ultimately, if your looking at the image on an LCD screen, or printing it on an ink jet or laser printer, or saving it as some kind of bitmap then it will have been rasterized no matter from what source it came from.

So if you like the sort of maps that are posted here then I would recommend raster and Gimp is not a bad starting app for it but if your designing your next house and want architects plans then go vector.