Hello from California

[taqito]

Hi! I hope everyone is doing well.

Seems this forum helps newbies like myself get their specific needs out there and knock their first of 5 thread discussion out of the way. So, without further ado, around a year ago, I discovered the joys of computer assisted cartography when using GIMP to make a hand drawn regional map digital. I really only needed 4 or 5 tools to do this, so I'm hoping to see some good beginner tutorials for GIMP as well as find ways to make photorealistic and textured maps.

Furthermore, I am curious what kind of exercises an aspiring cartographer can do to help get them used to creating digital maps. For example, I tend to want to hand draw sketches when I'm brainstorming, but I imagine most of the software users here will start a map from scratch right on their computer. So, I was wondering how you all get your creative juices flowing. Any advice is welcome!

-Taqito

[Zetsuei]

Hi there! I just joined today from California too and I just saw your post when I got home from a DND5e session with some friends! I'm not sure how long you've spent looking at the site before you made an account but the main tutorials are here: http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=4276 and here:http://www.cartographersguild.com/forumdisplay.php?f=48 from what I've found so far.

As far as the second point goes it probably depends on why you're making a map; a map you intend to have players play a campaign within, I would think to have different inspirations from a map you want to be the setting of a novel you're writing. For myself I someday want other people to explore my world in a tabletop game so I've been taking inspiration from things like videogame rpgs, the Critical Role series, and books I'm reading (Malazan Book of The Fallen right now).

I have 0 drawing talent so personally I'm starting at the computer (after I imagine it that is) since I only have to have one "crappy" first draft to refine instead of two if I drew something by hand and then tried to recreate it in GIMP.

[taqito]

@Zetsuei Thanks for the reply! I'll definitely check out those tutorials!

I have 0 drawing talent so personally I'm starting at the computer (after I imagine it that is) since I only have to have one "crappy" first draft to refine instead of two if I drew something by hand and then tried to recreate it in GIMP.

Dude! I'm with you there. I'm trying to avoid drawing by hand because of the huge extra step but I'm just SO SLOW with GIMP and the learning curve is so real. I guess first thing is to do those tuts and get practicing.

Thanks again and good luck to you!

[Chick]

Hello Taqito, Welcome to the Guild!

To get you started, there is a great tutorial in the sticky section of Tutorials, called
Quickstart Guide to Fantasy Mapping: http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=4276

From there, 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!!

GIMP and Photoshop are very similar, so all the tutorials for either one apply to the other, occasionally with minor differences that you can usually figure out pretty easily.