15 - [Inner] The Ward of Erahum [Mouse]

[Voolf]

Aw Voolf

I wish I could draw buildings and trees like your Heian Shrine map.... [Mouse gazes dreamily into the distance and sighs softly]

Some of your drawings with Gimp proof that you already know the shading theory pretty well. If not, you are very good at copying what you see. Even if it is the latter it is good. I would say that drawing is 5% theory and 95% practice. The sooner you start to draw more with Gimp, the faster you will learn more.

I am far from beeing a teacher in this matter, but i learned partially from tutorials (which mostly allowed me to understand tools and what kinds of effects i can do with them) and big time from just copying someone esles drawings. Zoom them to 1000%, study pixels and then replicate same thing.

I would say that you learn with every single drawing. The thing is, this process could be slow and progress unnoticeable sometimes. That is why for me even before practice comes motivations. Without it, you dont even want to practice. I found loads of motivations here in CG, who knows i could even stop drawing if i would not join CG and start with my first (and only for now) Lite challange .

[Mouse]

You're very kind to think so highly of my abilities. In truth all I am doing is applying my painting skills as best I can to whatever I need to do in a map. I shall take your advice and start to tackle this from a different angle now - as long as you don't mind me copying you, that is!

Motivation is a bit of a queer fish! I find it very difficult - almost impossible to actually start a map. All that wall to wall blankness to cope with! Its even worse when I know what I want it to look like, but I just can't seem to get it anywhere near the mark.

Challenges are good. Aside from the panic of realising I might miss the deadline, in my desperation to make it work in time I try all kinds of things I'd never even bother considering if it was just another map. 99 times in 100 what I try is rubbish, but when something works it feels wonderful, and its also another lesson learned.

[Voolf]

Sure you can copy my drawings, i do that all the time, especially when i try to learn new things. For me its very hard to create something brand new just from imagination. I learn differet ways how to depict things and then try to think of some world and apply new skills, throw everything in and see what comes together nicely. When you repeat same thing over and over again, you will realize that you dont need references so often as before.

It is hardly a motivation for you, but don't think everything i draw is 100% success. I fail time after time. I just realize now, that those failures are actually lessons for me. Fnally when i get it right as i wanted and i am pleased with the effect, i upload it here for everyone - only the good ones

[Mouse]

Sure you can copy my drawings, i do that all the time, especially when i try to learn new things. For me its very hard to create something brand new just from imagination. I learn differet ways how to depict things and then try to think of some world and apply new skills, throw everything in and see what comes together nicely. When you repeat same thing over and over again, you will realize that you dont need references so often as before.

Thanks Voolf - that's valuable advice. And thank you for allowing me to shamelessly copy your style... IF I can! LOL!

It is hardly a motivation for you, but don't think everything i draw is 100% success. I fail time after time. I just realize now, that those failures are actually lessons for me. Fnally when i get it right as i wanted and i am pleased with the effect, i upload it here for everyone - only the good ones

Ah! Maybe that's where I'm going wrong. I show all my failures as well, which doesn't do a lot for the confidence, but the benefit of advice and encouragement from my friends more than outweighs any embarrassment at the mess that happens along the way

If this was a painting I'd get rid of the blank canvas by starting with a Turneresque whirlwind of vague blurry shapes and work with that. If it was a novel I'd stick my headphones on, get Dragon working, and talk to myself till I started saying something worth writing - without having to actually look at the distracting 'warm up' gibberish coming out on the screen before that moment. Its easy enough to delete the rubbish when I'm done Neither of these tactics would work on a map, however, so I still have the blank canvas thing to get over. I've tried working over the top of older pieces, but that's equally distracting.

Do you ever have a problem getting started, and what do you do about it if you do?

[Voolf]

Do you ever have a problem getting started, and what do you do about it if you do?

Always, if i just sit down in front of paper (or screen) thinking "let's draw something", that meas i probably won't draw anything, but doodle. I get a decent drawing once on 10 times maybe without any thinking.

What i do now is wait for an idea that comes to my mind. It can be anything, simple things also. Either get inspired by something i saw (my latest compass). I saw a photo of it and immediately i thought "It would be nice to draw one". Or a more slow idea development - i wanted to draw some buildings and a small scale map. I was then looking around for reference and inspiration through other people's work and photos. Finally i decided to pick some real place from google maps, so i dont have to think about layout. That is how i started Heian Shrine.

It's easier when you get a commission because usually you will get a draft and you know what to draw from start.

Anyway, dont force yourself sitting in front of white canvas when you dont have an idea. It is very discouraging. Start duplicating others work making small changes (a river twist, mountan range spread slightly different, maybe add little lake.... things like that). With every map you train your brain, you start to understand how things work together and after some time you will start drawing without a refference.

It is hard to explain, it is like suddenly you understand how to do it and just do it.... Now i understand why people could not explain to me how to draw... You can't, you have to practice, everyone does that. Putting it bluntly, its all about repetition. You draw same thing over and over again, untill drawing it make no problem at all, then you start drawing new thing.

I recommend you a good YT channel by Alphonso Dunn. I learned a lot from his tutorials. He is one of the best teachers i ever saw imo. Everything he says has gret value for drawing, and he explains how to draw things from basic shapes. Now, he is not drawing maps, but you can translate the knowledge you get there for the maps with ease. The most important are the perspective, how to shade, how to crosshatch, and then there are some useful tuts how to draw the mountains too starting from a basic square.

[Mouse]

Thanks again Voolf

I have an appointment this afternoon, but I will have a look at that channel when I get back.

Its a relief to know that I'm not the only one who suffers from Cartographer's Block (even though its also not very nice to know that others get it too). I've been going through a really bad patch of it just lately. Maybe I should do a few more bookmarks. They are somehow easier to do - little snippets of things, rather than one huge job

[Pixie]

Let me just interrupt you guys right there... I've got "a million" maps I wish I could draw and never find the time - well, sometimes not exactly maps, but areas that could well be mapped. Anytime you want to draw and can't think of anything, just le'me'know

(these threads of yours, Mouse, have a way of running away from the original subject...)

[tilt]

we all get cartographers block now and then... and then we have mapstinations after - hands shaking for that pencil

and thanks for the advice about Alphonso, Voolf - seems like a great resource

[Mouse]

Let me just interrupt you guys right there... I've got "a million" maps I wish I could draw and never find the time - well, sometimes not exactly maps, but areas that could well be mapped. Anytime you want to draw and can't think of anything, just le'me'know

(these threads of yours, Mouse, have a way of running away from the original subject...)

LOL! Thanks Pixie (I think)

I've never quite got the hang of keeping my threads under control. They run off on a hundred legs like a wiggly centipede, but it makes for an interesting ride, even if it is a bit long! LOL!

we all get cartographers block now and then... and then we have mapstinations after - hands shaking for that pencil

and thanks for the advice about Alphonso, Voolf - seems like a great resource

I get a sudden urge to draw a mountain - usually when I'm driving the car or doing the washing up! LOL!

[Mouse]

Here's another bit.

I downloaded Sketchup to get to grips with the terrain, but ended up making a start on the wall components.

Practice 02.jpg

Terrain tomorrow

EDIT: this practice tower is only about 5m in diameter. How big is everyone else doing their towers?