here it goes

[NeonKnight]

Again Welcome to the group!

[RobA]

Hey mmmmmpig, glad you found the time and was inclined to introduce yourself.

Welcome to the guild. Hopefully, you will find a little bit of what you are looking for here!

-Rob A>

[RPMiller]

I'll echo the words of those above as my way of saying welcome. It sounds like you have some great skills that you'll be able to bring to the fore as well, and be able to help those of us less skilled than thou.

Again, welcome to the Guild.

[mmmmmpig]

Thanks all for the very pleasant welcome.

Cartographist: succinct is okay with that whole "brevity is the soul of wit" thing.

Midgardsormr: everyone has something to teach, I am already in awe of your Middle Earth knowledge

Neonknight: Thanks.

RobA: It was late and I was bored, might as well write a short autobiography

RPMiller: I would not presume to say that anyone here is more or less skilled. Their focus may be different than mine or yours, but I cannot judge one's skill. That being said, since I have a background in studio art, my critiques can sometimes be harsh (studio art instructors as well as graphic design instructors are not know for gentleness, I sadly learned from them), so I will lay low for a bit to see the lay of the land as far as acceptable comments and crits. I don't want to go all gorillacrit on someone and alienate people.

[pyrandon]

Welcome, mmmmmpig, welcome. I thought your intro was great--and I feel like I now know the guy hiding behind the red rock. (I do wish you'd explain your name, though!)

After being on the receiving end of your first critique I'm thinking you have no grounds for apologizing for harsh critiques--unless by "harsh" you meant honest, insightful, and pleasantly worded. If that latter's correct, harsh away, my friend!

So, what do you hope to gain here that will revitalize your love of maps? Are you thinking artistic, fantastic maps juts for the enjoyment? Or just being in a comminity of serious balls of goof like us?

Regradless, I'm glad you're here. (Especially after quoting Hamlet!)

[RPMiller]

RPMiller: I would not presume to say that anyone here is more or less skilled. Their focus may be different than mine or yours, but I cannot judge one's skill. That being said, since I have a background in studio art, my critiques can sometimes be harsh (studio art instructors as well as graphic design instructors are not know for gentleness, I sadly learned from them), so I will lay low for a bit to see the lay of the land as far as acceptable comments and crits. I don't want to go all gorillacrit on someone and alienate people.

I was speaking of my own lack of talent compared to yours. I try hard to not speak for others. As for honest and useful critiques, I think you'll find them in every WIP thread. I have yet to see an unhelpful or harsh criticism, and sometimes I've worried that I may have gone too far, but I remain honest and hope that in so doing I'm being helpful.

I feel like I now know the guy hiding behind the red rock.

I think that is a ham actually.

[mmmmmpig]

Pyradon: it is indeed a ham. With cloves. Because it is tasty. mmmmm pig....

anyway, I was eating a ham sandwich one day when coming up with a log-in name. It was a kind of serendipitous moment.

The critique of your sea map was not harsh because I like the direction it could go. The harshness comes out when things need a bunch of rework. Basically it becomes less pleasantly worded. I don't attack the individual, but I am not kind to bad work.

As for what I hope to gain here? Yes, yes, and yes. I am trying to re-kindle a love of the line that I have kind of lost. I am really quite burned out on transportation maps. Bleck! To start with I want to get moving on more artistic maps and maybe start to transition into more gaming system specific maps. Hopefully (and this is a pipe dream hope) I can get some commission stuff going and get some jack on the side for my endeavors. As for the idea of a community of map geeks, I am soooo alll over that.

RPMiller: I must have worded things awkwardly. What I was getting at is that I wouldn’t consider my skills to be any better or any worse than anyone else’s out here. I may have different experiences or different exposure, but there have not been any maps that I have seen here so far that I have felt were not at least competent, if not great. So far, all I have seen has been skilled.