The Secrets of Map Making Please

[Game Master Toolbox]

I found these. http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=4276

Is there anything else I should be brought to my attention?

Oh, I use Gimp.

[TimPaul]

Have you made your goat sacrifice to the Gods of Cartography? If you haven't, i'd get on that.

[waldronate]

A goat? I used a squab and three goldfish. I guess that explains the results that I've been getting, then...

Seriously, though, which tutorials apply will depend largely on the style of map that you're looking for and your own existing level of artistic ability.

[J.Edward]

Have you made your goat sacrifice to the Gods of Cartography? If you haven't, i'd get on that.

Come on now Tim, everyone knows they most desire the blood of cartographers.
Preferably our own blood.
A slow unending sacrifice.... as much splattered blood as they can get....

edit - sorry GMT. I couldn't resist that comment to Tim.

[Chick]

LOL, guys, you are being hard on someone who really just wants to know how to get started


Game Master Toolbox, After you finish the Quickstart Guide ... go to Hand Drawn Mapping for the Artistically Challenged: http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...ad.php?t=10655

Once you have completed those two tutorials, you'll be well on your way!!

[- Max -]

Come on now Tim, everyone knows they most desire the blood of cartographers.
Preferably our own blood.
A slow unending sacrifice.... as much splattered blood as they can get....

edit - sorry GMT. I couldn't resist that comment to Tim.

I draw all my maps with a subtle combination of Diamond, Arsheesh, Bogie, Ravells and Jaxilon's bloods (though I get close to Diamond with a lot of precautions, the damn guy always wants to eat my brain, oh my!). Damn, my mixture stock seems to be low right now. Time to have an emergency CL's meeting pretty soon!

[Korash]

I draw all my maps with a subtle combination of Diamond, Arsheesh, Bogie, Ravells and Jaxilon's bloods (though I get close to Diamond with a lot of precautions, the damn guy always wants to eat my brain, oh my!). Damn, my mixture stock seems to be low right now. Time to have an emergency CL's meeting pretty soon!

THIS made me laugh out loud and makes some sort of sense....

GMT, we are ALL looking for the best way...and some of us are closer than others (don't be lookin' at ME, mister) but chick and waldronate have the right of it. It mostly takes time, practice and perseverance to come up with something that others would call a great map. It may or may not take longer for you to create what YOU might call a great map .... depending on your level of perfectionism and how tough a self critic you are. Some maps are just never "Quite Right" no matter how long you work on them...

Style is something that you will define for yourself over time as you try different things and find what works best for you.

[Game Master Toolbox]

Thank you.

[Midgardsormr]

I'll share my greatest secret: Don't be afraid.

Fear no failure. Fear no ridicule. Fear no mistakes. Put your work up, no matter how bad you think it is, and get comments on it.

This is one of the most helpful and least harsh art communities I've ever been a part of. Even so, it always hurts to get criticism of your work, no matter how gentle it is and no matter how long you've been an artist. Don't let that pain deter you—it's part of growing.

[johnvanvliet]

the "best way "

just start and free associate as it were

there are times that i toss in the trash 90% of EVERYTHING after 30 min.

sometimes something just F L O W S and it just " works "

other times the trash gets FULL

and come back to things

an example

one of the things i do is make textures ( simple-cylindrical maps) for gas giant planets
i use a guided random image generator for base images
99.99999% are garbage but some are diamonds

so JUST DO !!!

because a base idea like


can end up like ......