Hello all, new here

[thebigh]

Hello everyone,

I'm a very novice cartographer but hoping to get better. I'm mostly interested in learning how to make cool star maps for a science fiction RPG campaign my group want me to run.
So far I've dabbled a little with inkscape and GIMP and I'm looking forward to improving so I can create some cooler looking stuff.

[XCali]

Welcome welcome!

Such a fun hobby Cartography is! Take it from someone who couldn't draw worth a heck and hardly put together a map when I started, keep at it and you will learn to make maps. There will be highs, there will be lows, but keep challenging yourself and your skills will improve.
I map mostly in GIMP, so a great place to start Sometimes a big learning curve, but there is always some new neat trick to learn to enhance your maps.

For Science Fiction, I can point you to a previous challenge:
https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=51469 This was mine, you are free to use this map for your personal campaign

some of the other challenge entries from other people, for some inspiration:
https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=51467
https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=51445

[XCali]

There are some tips I can give, that might help towards learning how to map a solar system or what not.

Like for example, the orbital paths around the star. It's hard to draw those by hand without at least first getting a guiding line. So... there are probably hundreds of different ways to do it, but here is one. In the tools tab corner top right in GIMP, there is an 'Eclipse Select tool'. In your canvas drag the eclipse tool's selection into a shape you like, representing the orbital path. Either start where you want your outer ring or inner ring. Pick the color you want and a solid brush selected with a small size. Then you right click anywhere on the canvas while the selection is still active. Pick EDIT> Stroke Selection and then follow the prompts. This still paint a ring onto the selection. Next, go to the TOP bar, pick SELECT> Grow/or Shrink then add a number and press okay, this would grow or shrink your selection, then you can just repeat the Stroke Selection step. And you have several guiding lines for orbital paths.

For the star, a bit more complicated, but it is something you have to play with. Pick the color you want your sun to be. Go to your Color Tab, Pick HSV and then on V go several shades darker. Pick a round brush that has a soft edge, a real soft edge. And then you pick a size several times bigger than your actual size you want the size of the sun. Click on Paint Brush, and then click on the canvas, this should make a blurred glow. Then from there you make the brush smaller and then pick a brighter color and repeat the step. Until you end with a small but very bright one in the middle. This sounds complicated, but it is quite easy once you get the hang of it.

Anyway, there is some two places to start. Remember to start on transparent canvas. It's much easier to make changes.

[thebigh]

Hello, thanks for the warm welcome. Impressive maps! I'm aiming to eventually be able to produce something that looks as nice for multiple star systems on a hex grid. Eh, if it's only half as good I'll be happy and my players will be super impressed.

[DrWho42]

henlo! welcome to the guild!