How can anybody ask for an unpaid map?

[Gamerprinter]

I both see this question and get PMs about it all the time: is there a career in fantasy cartography?

As most of the members know, I do create maps for commissions, quite a bit over the last three years - if I depended on it alone as an income, I would qualify as a starving artist.

There are those members, like Mike Schley who regularly does work for WotC. I have no idea what he earns, nor would I ask, but he's a lot closer to earning a decent income from fantasy cartography.

That's why I've ventured into the next step beyond taking commissions (though I still take commissions), and that is publication, or at least co-publication, or as an imprint under another publisher. I've got four or five irons on the fire at the moment, and eaching seeming on the verge of something really successful or dismal failure, like any venture.

I also run Gamer Printshop where I print publishers, cartographers and directly print private users for their maps. I do all this simultaneously, each contributing an income source, but I'm still struggling.

The point is, if I didn't have a diversified catalog of fantasy map related projects, I wouldn't have a decent income at all. I'm hoping for one of my half dozen product ideas and projects I'm involved in to bring a better income. It takes a lot of work trying to make a career out of this hobby.

Can you make a career out of fantasy cartography? Sure, but it ain't easy or guaranteed. Its still a whole lot of fun, though.

GP

PS: I use to do free maps, but that was when I had some free time. No such thing these days, my kitchen is full.