Creating an actual map from top-perspective. How?

[Moody]

So.. I've searched along the infinite world wide web to create a map with a actual top-perspective. Not a paper-style-map etc. Just about this example:
oot.jpeg

Maybe it is out of my league yet but I really want to do this. I'm using Photoshop by the way.

[Falconius]

I think people are going to need more details than that if you want them to help you. Try giving us a description of what you have pictured in your mind for your map.

[Azélor]

An Isometric map ?

[thepinksalmon]

If you're wanting to make an isometric map then I would take a look at these two wikipedia entries:
Isometric projection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Axonometric projection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In particular this image should illustrate the differences between different types of projection. Once you understand the basics you can do it one of two ways. You can freehand your design, keeping the projection type in mind (this seems to be how most artists here do it). Or you can put down a grid and use that as a guide. I would say the grid is more useful with man-made structures than organic ones.

[Gamerprinter]

If you're wanting to make an isometric map then I would take a look at these two wikipedia entries:
Isometric projection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Axonometric projection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In particular this image should illustrate the differences between different types of projection. Once you understand the basics you can do it one of two ways. You can freehand your design, keeping the projection type in mind (this seems to be how most artists here do it). Or you can put down a grid and use that as a guide. I would say the grid is more useful with man-made structures than organic ones.

I cheat. I use a 3D application to create and place the objects that will be used in the projection, then I set the camera to isometric mode which creates the proper angle and the non-perspective view. Of course I then usually print the image in b/w and trace it with a pen on tracing paper to rescan and create a quality hand-drawn isometric map perfectly.

Here's a link to my March 2010 CG Map Challenge Entry thread which I create one of these...

[Moody]

I think people are going to need more details than that if you want them to help you. Try giving us a description of what you have pictured in your mind for your map.

So.. I'm trying to make a isometric map. I understand the isometric and the axonometric projection. I'm not quite sure which informations are necesarry to write in here that people can help me. All I can say is that I'm a complete beginner concerning making maps. How do I even start?

I want to create a map with a wide see, a continent in south-east and a island in north-west. There is a village on the coast of the continent and a lighthouse on the island. A mountain chain divides the continent in two pieces from north to south. Well.. this is the map in my imagination. I would add much more details while I'm creating the map. But...yeah. How do I even start?

Is a map like this oot.jpeg hand drawn then?

[Falconius]

You can work in 3d or by hand or with a graphics editor.

For graphics program or by hand I'd start by drawing a top down version of the map you are planning with all the areas that will have height or depth marked on the map, such as mountains and cities marked out. In GIMP there is a perspective tool you can use to take that flat image and essentially tilt it back into space. I use it by selecting a rectangle that I want to put into perspective, then cut and paste it (I'm sure there is a better way) and then take the box nodes and alter it until it looks right. If you want to stick to isometric, rather than one or two point perspective (which it appears the Hyrule map is done with) then you fold the box down in a manner that looks like a parallelogram / /. If you want a one point perspective then you fold it down so it looks like an isosceles trapezoid with the two edges pointing inward / \. Using that as a base I'd start a new layer and using your perspective map as a base I'd start drawing the features in where the map indicates, starting with the farthest away and moving towards the front keeping each object in a separate layer. By hand it'd be pretty much the same thing except you'd have to redraw your map in perspective by hand rather than using the GIMP tool. Then just draw the objects back to front like you would using the layers except using pencils and erasers.

3D would likely be a lot of work unless you are keeping it very simple. But if you take a look at Gameprinter's link there you may want to do it anyways since it looks pretty damn good.

I'm sure others have better methods though. Also you can just use graph paper and bang it all out by hand on there, there is also isometric graph paper available at art stores (it's triangles instead of squares).