WIP - Tirathnael Region map
So, I haven't posted in a while. Mostly due to work. I havnt had anything to post... Anywho. So, I was poking around (at work) and found the map making in Word idea.
So I set to work, because I actually have that program here! (yeah... Im at work right now.)
During my down time today, this is what I have come up with. It doesnt use many of the techniques from the Tut, but the major idea is there. I loved the idea btw. (Wildoxmoan, you were Repped and Rated for that.)
I started with the boarder, and drew my coast line in the center with auto shapes. The mountains came next, done with two auto shapes, one an inverted V and the other, a blobby thing to show some sort of shadow. I then took those and grouped them together making one object. Replicating that into the two parts of the range was way easier then I thought it would be. (There is a short cut, CTRL-Click on the object and drag it. This can be done with multiple objects at once.)
I followed that with trees, three shapes there, one cloudy one, with two stems. I followed the same rules I did with the mountains.
Next came the swamp and desert. Again, all multiple objects grouped together, and replicated a massive amount of times.
I wasnt sure I was going to do it, but I decided to add color to the peice. This was a bit tricky, as I had to start playing with the object Orders. if anyone want to know how I did that, i will be glad to expound.
The lines around the coast, and the roads were done in the same way, buy making the object, and then futzing with the properties of it. They are all at verying degrees of line heaviness, and with different line types (dotted, dashed, dashed and dotted... ya know)
Im still working on what I want to do for text, if I want to add more to the map, maybe adding some different symbols with the forests. I also dont know what I want to do witht he compass. We shall see there
I am uploading this as a PDF file, for size, ease, and what not. Its a simple conversion from word.
Any ideas, and critiques would be most welcome! thats one of the reason we post here right!
DB
wow, it keeps amazing me what some of y'all are making Word doWhat's next, ascii character maps? lol
(and now that i've said it, someone's gonna do it, i bet)
I've seen some CC maps that weren't this well put together, lol
The only c/c that i could really make is that the tree clumps seem a little oddly placed in some areas, higher density vs lower density clumping. Of course that could be intentional to show the sparseness vs lushness of the forests.
My finished maps
"...sometimes the most efficient way to make something look drawn by hand is to simply draw it by hand..."
There is an area in the middle forest that I was screwing with some labeling stuff earlier, and I hadnt put them back. Mostly because I dont know what I want to do!
Alright. So, I havnt added to this for some months now. Its been... Well... Terrible. I have only added a few things here and there, and mostly I am working on labeling. The problem is, as far as I can tell so far, there is no real good way to label in Microsoft word, with the way that I have done this. Currently, the two labels that I have, has taken me about 5 hours of work. Its driving me a bit insane. Anyway, they are built by taking a text box, inserting word art, removing the color from the text box, and duplicating the whole thing. At this point you take the bottom box, and make the word art color the same as the background area you are going to place the label over. the other one will be lined up on top of that one, and you can change the colors according to preference. These are then placed together accordingly, and wala, you have a semi functioning label. It sounds easier than it is, I assure you ><
Starting to get back in the swing of things. I hope to have more of this, and more other maps to share!
Or... well I guess not. I will have to update later? I cant seem to figure out how to post PDF on the new site. Ill figure it out eventually I guessUntil then, I guess its settle for what I can tell you.
DB
And now I feel like a nub... Gots it. There is the update!!
MS Word? That's a really limiting program to draw in--I'm impressed. The only comment I have is that your font is very difficult to read over the mountains, even with the glow around it. I recommend something a little less frilly that has thicker letters.
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