Hi, history buff here. I am looking for good map-making software for historical maps

[civfanatic]

I am a history buff who is interested in making good historical maps that incorporate lots of historical information, such as topography, major physical features, major cities and towns, names of provinces and other territorial divisions, locations of significant temples, find-spots of important epigraphic records, etc. I am especially interested in Indian history. For an example of the types of maps that I am interesting in making, see the maps in the online atlas below:

http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/

My question is, do you guys know of any software that would enable me to draw maps like this? I am an amateur when it comes to using computer software, and so far all of my "maps" have been drawn by copy-pasting map templates onto Paint or Photoshop, and then modifying them. For example, I would copy a blank map of India onto MS Paint or Adobe PS, and then add various elements to it, but this is very limiting. I also use a free online site called ScribbleMaps (which is based on Google Maps), but that site is better suited for making modern maps than engaging historical ones, and the interface is also very limiting.

Hopefully, some of you might be able to help me. This forum looks like it is home to a very thriving and passionate community.

[jbgibson]

Hi, Civfanatic- welcome to the Guild!

Really depends on the look you want. Crisp line work might be easier to achieve with one of the vector programs - Inkscape is excellent (and free). If you need a bunch of shaded colors or painting techniques or literal aerial photo content, a raster package might do - if you have Photoshop it's the default graphics package in many fields - pricey but full-featured. The Gimp is a decent equivalent that is free. I use Serif PhotoPlus, which is free for a simpler version, or reasonably priced for a recent full version. Sounds like from the "add many elements" requirement you need to manipulate layers, which is a feature of many graphics tools, whether raster or vector.

Look up a whole thread on here about different software guilders use - as many opinions as there are guilders :-).

There's an open source basemap of the whole world (at varying degrees of completeness) called OpenStreetMap - that could be s source for your basic outlines. If you're mapping for yourself alone, you could use any image you can get your hands on, but if it's for public display, you need to stick with original work or images with open licensing.

Tell us more of your project(s) and show us what you have started with. I'm sure with examples to see, we can better advise. Don't be afraid to just dive in snd try stuff - unlike paper and ink, all these electrons are cheap, and infinitely alterable :-).