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Thread: Greetings

  1. #1

    Post Greetings

    Hello, everyone.

    Recently I've gotten back into making maps. When I was younger, I used to make up maps all the time for no particular purpose, really, except that it was fun. (I would guess that I'm not the only person here who did the same, heh.) But yes, now that I'm older, wiser, and have much greater access to technology, I decided to scan the map and play with it in GIMP. It turned out better than I'd hoped, but I still thought there was a lot more I could do (specifically I was looking for ways to add random noise to the coastline.) So then Internet happened and I stumbled upon this place!

    And here's where I say that I'm truly impressed by you all (well, to be fair I haven't seen all of the maps on here, but you get the idea). I can only hope that my skills some day match yours.

    Currently I'm (slowly) developing the below map for use in some sort of fantasy/steampunk sort of setting, although I suppose that really has no bearing whatsoever on the map itself.

    Anyway, I look forward to possibly posting here more than once, although I do have a strong tendency to lurk so you may just as well never hear from me again.
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  2. #2
    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Welcome to the Guild.

    Lots of GIMP users here to help you out!
    Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User

    Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!

    Any questions on CC3? Post them with CC3 in the Subject Line!
    MY 'FAMOUS' CC3 MAPS: Thunderspire; Pyramid of Shadows; King of the Trollhaunt Warrens; Demon Queen's Enclave

  3. #3
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Steel General's Avatar
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    Welcome Aboard!

    Post early, post often, lurk less!
    My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...

    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.



  4. #4
    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Behold my Mighty +5 Axiomatic Flame Burst Cudgel of Repping!
    Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User

    Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!

    Any questions on CC3? Post them with CC3 in the Subject Line!
    MY 'FAMOUS' CC3 MAPS: Thunderspire; Pyramid of Shadows; King of the Trollhaunt Warrens; Demon Queen's Enclave

  5. #5
    Community Leader jfrazierjr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nexan View Post
    Hello, everyone.

    Recently I've gotten back into making maps. When I was younger, I used to make up maps all the time for no particular purpose, really, except that it was fun. (I would guess that I'm not the only person here who did the same, heh.) But yes, now that I'm older, wiser, and have much greater access to technology, I decided to scan the map and play with it in GIMP. It turned out better than I'd hoped, but I still thought there was a lot more I could do (specifically I was looking for ways to add random noise to the coastline.) So then Internet happened and I stumbled upon this place!

    And here's where I say that I'm truly impressed by you all (well, to be fair I haven't seen all of the maps on here, but you get the idea). I can only hope that my skills some day match yours.

    Currently I'm (slowly) developing the below map for use in some sort of fantasy/steampunk sort of setting, although I suppose that really has no bearing whatsoever on the map itself.

    Anyway, I look forward to possibly posting here more than once, although I do have a strong tendency to lurk so you may just as well never hear from me again.

    Welcome to the Guild Nexan!

    Where exactly would you like to go with this map? I see you have some shaded portions to show elevation. Is this merely a placeholder or something you want you final map to have(if so, check out HandsomeRob's or Patrickas's posts for starters) Or would you like to go toward a partial elevation shading and also texture mapping(see some of Jezelf's work). Or would you like to get to something that might be considered more artistic(check out my entry in the September Mapping Challenge) in style (not talking about skill level here, just style). Or even something else entirely. If you can find a map style that you would like to emulate we can point you in the right direction.

    Also, I would highly suggest going through RobA's Gimp Regional Map Tutorial. Even if you don't want this style of map, his tutorial will introduce you to a wide range of techniques in GIMP itself (if your fairly new to GIMP).
    My Finished Maps
    Works in Progress(or abandoned tests)
    My Tutorials:
    Explanation of Layer Masks in GIMP
    How to create ISO Mountains in GIMP/PS using the Smudge tool
    ----------------------------------------------------------
    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

  6. #6
    Professional Artist Turgenev's Avatar
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    Welcome to the Guild, Nexan. You've a nice start on your map. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.
    Cheers,
    Tim

    Paratime Design Cartography

    "Do infants have as much fun in infancy as adults do in adultery?" - Groucho Marx

  7. #7

  8. #8

    Post

    First of all, thank you all for your greetings and advice! Second:

    Quote Originally Posted by jfrazierjr View Post
    Welcome to the Guild Nexan!

    Where exactly would you like to go with this map? I see you have some shaded portions to show elevation. Is this merely a placeholder or something you want you final map to have(if so, check out HandsomeRob's or Patrickas's posts for starters) Or would you like to go toward a partial elevation shading and also texture mapping(see some of Jezelf's work). Or would you like to get to something that might be considered more artistic(check out my entry in the September Mapping Challenge) in style (not talking about skill level here, just style). Or even something else entirely. If you can find a map style that you would like to emulate we can point you in the right direction.

    Also, I would highly suggest going through RobA's Gimp Regional Map Tutorial. Even if you don't want this style of map, his tutorial will introduce you to a wide range of techniques in GIMP itself (if your fairly new to GIMP).


    Looking back I'm not sure why I attached that map instead of the original scanned one below. The first one I attached is more of an experimental sort of thing. I had planned to make as much a realistic map as I could first, getting as much detail as possible and attempting to create a world from the basics, so to speak; i.e. taking into account various geologic forces, with special attention to tectonics, river flow, and prevailing winds. (I made some mistakes in that area, I think, at the very outset, so a major overhaul may be on the way.)

    The final goal, though, would be to make more artistic maps. Well, and to play with science in the earlier maps. But mostly the former. A quick glance at the finished maps section brought up these three, which are all somewhat like the ultimate goal:

    http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=3081
    http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=3190
    http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=3082
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Nexan; 10-20-2008 at 06:22 PM.

  9. #9
    Community Leader jfrazierjr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nexan View Post
    Looking back I'm not sure why I attached that map instead of the original scanned one below. The first one I attached is more of an experimental sort of thing. I had planned to make as much a realistic map as I could first, getting as much detail as possible and attempting to create a world from the basics, so to speak; i.e. taking into account various geologic forces, with special attention to tectonics, river flow, and prevailing winds. (I made some mistakes in that area, I think, at the very outset, so a major overhaul may be on the way.)

    The final goal, though, would be to make more artistic maps. Well, and to play with science in the earlier maps. But mostly the former. A quick glance at the finished maps section brought up these three, which are all somewhat like the ultimate goal:

    http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=3081
    http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=3190
    http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=3082

    Ok.. so your are looking for the more ISO looking mountains and stuff. Start by taking a look at this map. The artist did a nice tutorial which I LOVE (thought I have yet to have time to make a map in ISO style yet). Go to his site here, Click on the Swap Menus "image" right above the scroll on the right hand side. This changes the icons above the Swamp Menus icon and look for the Workshop icon. It looks like a green jar with paint brushes sticking out the top. There is a very nice tutorial, and though it is in black and white, the concepts can be used for color drawings also (mainly using the smudge tool to make nice mountains and other color blending effects.)

    Also, view this thread for a link to an offsite hosted Video tutorial on making some ISO mountains.


    Either of these could be done in GIMP or Photoshop with some slight variation in technique.

    Hopefully, this is enough to get you started.
    My Finished Maps
    Works in Progress(or abandoned tests)
    My Tutorials:
    Explanation of Layer Masks in GIMP
    How to create ISO Mountains in GIMP/PS using the Smudge tool
    ----------------------------------------------------------
    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

  10. #10

    Post

    Quote Originally Posted by jfrazierjr View Post
    Ok.. so your are looking for the more ISO looking mountains and stuff. Start by taking a look at this map. The artist did a nice tutorial which I LOVE (thought I have yet to have time to make a map in ISO style yet). Go to his site here, Click on the Swap Menus "image" right above the scroll on the right hand side. This changes the icons above the Swamp Menus icon and look for the Workshop icon. It looks like a green jar with paint brushes sticking out the top. There is a very nice tutorial, and though it is in black and white, the concepts can be used for color drawings also (mainly using the smudge tool to make nice mountains and other color blending effects.)

    Also, view this thread for a link to an offsite hosted Video tutorial on making some ISO mountains.


    Either of these could be done in GIMP or Photoshop with some slight variation in technique.

    Hopefully, this is enough to get you started.
    Hey, thanks, those were both very interesting and helpful tutorials!

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