A History of Progress

[MPG]

Hi, I have been wondering how to contribute witihn the community and decided to begin at the beginning - with a history of my own map making over the last ten years or so years. I dont know what value it will have to others, but I began with pencil and paper, designing a players map for an RPG campaign that lasted nearly a decade. The map here was drawn A1, then redrawn using coloured pens, and finally scanned and printed. I have since learned Photoshop and AutoCad and have recently starting to turn out full colour maps with far more detail. So, I thought I would share my first few efforts occassionally here, and then update with more recent versions, just to demonstate progression really. Glad to receive opinion at any stage, and I hope this thread generates some interest and discusssion.

[Eilathen]

Hi MPG,

Welcome to the Guild!

I love your idea! Please do so as you describe above. It's always an interesting journey to see a map-makers development. I know i enjoy it.

This map here looks really good! I like it a lot. As a fellow roleplayer, it immediately inspires me to think about the places and adventures to be had here. I'd love for you to tell us a bit about this setting here!
Well done map!

I'm sure you'll have a fun time here on the CG! And i'm looking forward to more of your maps.

[MPG]

Hi Elithan,

Thanks for the reply and the comments. I saw the note regarding the restrictions on postings on the Finshed Maps forum and wonder if it is the right place for this thread? What do you advise? Should I continue here or re-issue on a seperate post?

As to the setting, the world was built by our GM at the time, and developed by me out need - we really enjoyed the campaign and wanted playing aids bespoke to the world rather than existing aids overlayed, so to speak - hence my first attempt. I found I really enjoyed it, and could produce something that was recognisable as a map and carried on. It is the design process that fascinates me more than the actual drawing; wandering through the blank spaces of the map with the adventures we had undertaken in mind, creating a territory both asthecially pleasing to the world, and geographically viable, with rivers that ran down, and mountains that go up...that sort of thing. It took months by hand, with many revisions, and more weeks redrawing in ink before I was happy with the final design, but something was missing - that antique texture so loved elsewhere. I didn't know anything about digital art, so redrew on coloured paper for the effect, but it wasnt quite right. I thought about tea staining, ageing paper etc...and then, I discovered Photoshop! Which meant purchasing a computer, and Photopshop, and a printer, and a scanner, and all the associated learning before smart phones were even a glimmer in Apple's eye... All very costly, and all very far away from my wallet at the time....

[- JO -]

Very good idea, the story seems interesting !
And your map is very well done ! You had a good time drawing those trees, I guess

One tiny details to my eyes, the trees at the south, I guess it was jungle ?
It's not so obvious at first glance !

Anyway, I'll be glad to read the story !

[ChickPea]

Hi MPG and welcome! That's an excellent first map, and I'm excited to see your newer works. Feel free to start a new thread for each updated map (though maybe space them out with some time between each, so as not to flood the Finished Maps thread all at once). People often rework older maps and post them as new threads, so you're welcome to do so too. Mainly, don't post anything you're still working on in Finished Maps. We've got WIP areas for that.

Have some rep for an excellent debut!

[MPG]

Well thats all very encouraging, folks, and many thanks for the rep, Chick Pea. I will take the advice on the posts for new (old) maps, and also for the WIPS. As for the trees - I had a dent in my forefinger for months afterwards, and yes, the trees at the south are jungle - it was my first icon, and I never got around to making another one so it stuck. I still use the 'deciduous' icon and since I discovered the Clone Stamp tool, it merely takes seconds now. More to follow when my day job allows. Thanks for the kind words too.

[MPG]

Hi,

I have been trawling through my 'archives' and found I may have misrepresented myself, in that the first map here is not in fact the original, but a version with text added in Photoshop rather than written by hand. To correct that I offer up the actual progress of this map, begun in 2008 and completed some two years later, once I had a semi-usable PC and a 'copy' of CS5. Therefore, Original MU 2008 is the original hand drawn on A1 and scanned.

From there I redrew on coloured paper, again on A1 (MU on coloured) looking for some authenticy, then as already seen, the white CS5 version with text, and finally, having been blown away by the multiply tool and a good deal of head scratching, the full colour version with texture and...ooh...a border (The Ancient Lands of Mu). The paper is Aged Antique Paper 8 by Craftmans, via Deviant Art - a favourite to this day. From that point on this map was finished, and hasn't been touched since, though a print does hang in my study as a framed A1...just to remind me of a great campaign that lasted over ten years, but sadly, ended badly.

[ChickPea]

The version on parchment is gorgeous.

[7legionarmy]

Hi, I have been wondering how to contribute witihn the community and decided to begin at the beginning - with a history of my own map making over the last ten years or so years. I dont know what value it will have to others, but I began with pencil and paper, designing a players map for an RPG campaign that lasted nearly a decade. The map here was drawn A1, then redrawn using coloured pens, and finally scanned and printed. I have since learned Photoshop and AutoCad and have recently starting to turn out full colour maps with far more detail. So, I thought I would share my first few efforts occassionally here, and then update with more recent versions, just to demonstate progression really. Glad to receive opinion at any stage, and I hope this thread generates some interest and discusssion.

I love the process you have. Such great dedication and it shows. What a wonderful map. I find myself wandering the Plains of Gaal until I come upon the Morkin Wash.

[ThomasR]

The version on parchment is gorgeous.

My thoughts exactly !