Workspace?

[Jalyha]

So...


I must have complete silence and be at desk or table when working on bills/taxes/studying. When I'm painting or sketching landscapes, I can be virtually anywhere, and I must listen to certain music to get my creative juices flowing.

Mapmaking.... I've tried most everything. Music off, music on, different types of music.... each of these things while at my desk, or at the table, sitting on my sofa with my laptop, curled up on a beanbag chair in a corner... inside, outside, lights on, lights off, lights dimmed.... I've tried turning on a television in the background... rapidly turning it off again.

Nothing helps. I keep getting frustrated, overwhelmed and distracted.

So I got curious. What do you do (environmentally) while mapping. How do you set up your workspace? Is there anything you *must* have (or must not)?

How on earth do you guys manage to focus on these maps for weeks (months! years!) at a time, to get them so perfect??

So... yeah. That's my question. What's your cartography workspace like?

[Domino44]

For me I almost need something going on while I work.

I listen to music (often times soundtracks), I will also watch shows, yesterday I was watching football (American football) while I worked.

But thats just what works for me.

[Diamond]

Yeah, I'm with Domino there. I have to have something playing in the background. When I'm writing, it needs to be something non-distracting and thus non-verbal, so it's usually soundtracks or light classical stuff. I don't care what it is when I'm map-making, but it does help me to have something playing. Total silence holds its own sort of distraction.

[Jalyha]

Hmmm... I usually paint to something with a beat. Maybe if I tried something softer/smoother? :/

[Tracker]

Hello:
Due to my work experience and my up bringing I can work and or play anywhere with any type of sound or no sound in the area. I do prefer music in the background in a well lit area while I work on maps. It also depends on the map. world maps and topographical maps I can do anywhere. If I am working on a city map especially a modern to futuristic map I need more isolation. I still wish I could tell you why. I do not know.

Tracker

[Zach]

It would seem most people like to listen to music, and I do as well. When manipulating the images thenselves, music can be verbal; it doesn't distract me. If I'm trying to come up with names, or do anything with words... then I need to switch to instrumentals only.

If I were working really hard on a map, most noise wouldn't bother me. But I must be sitting down somewhere, and if I am using my tablet I need sufficient room to rest it. Still, I prefer isolation.

[Midgardsormr]

I don't generally listen to music while I work unless I need to drown out something else. It slows me way down because I pay too much attention to it. Plus when I've got my headphones on, sometimes I start singing or whistling without realizing it, and that just annoys everyone else in the room.

In terms of other workspace requirements, I need a visual field that is relatively low contrast. If there's a bright light somewhere beyond my monitor I have trouble with my eyes and headaches.

[Jalyha]

I don't generally listen to music while I work unless I need to drown out something else. It slows me way down because I pay too much attention to it. Plus when I've got my headphones on, sometimes I start singing or whistling without realizing it, and that just annoys everyone else in the room.

In terms of other workspace requirements, I need a visual field that is relatively low contrast. If there's a bright light somewhere beyond my monitor I have trouble with my eyes and headaches.

1) Annoying other people can be fun

2) !!!!!!!!!!! I think that's part of my problem!! I always have tons of light when I'm painting. I've tried this mapping thing with the lights off/dimmed but then it's distracting. I think maybe I should try just making sure the light doesn't hit the monitor?

[- Max -]

Silence, isolation and low light are usually my friends when working.

[Midgardsormr]

1) Annoying other people can be fun

Until they retaliate…

I've tried this mapping thing with the lights off/dimmed but then it's distracting. I think maybe I should try just making sure the light doesn't hit the monitor?

In my case, it's a matter of reducing the overall contrast that I can see. If I make the room too dark, then my screen is too bright in comparison, and I wind up with the same problem. If I have a desk facing the wall, I'll often place a lamp behind the monitor to brighten the wall.