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Thread: here it goes

  1. #1
    Professional Artist mmmmmpig's Avatar
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    Post here it goes

    Where to start?.....

    My father was a simple man of simple means... okay that is too far back.



    I started out in college as a studio art major, but in order to keep my scholarship I needed to find a major that was much less subjective. For some unknown reason, I decided on mathematics. I took a cartography course in my Junior year of college. It was like coming home. It was comfortable. It was warm. It made me happy. It was the perfect blend of the aesthetic of art and the analytic of math.

    This class was the last class to be taught with any traditional cartography. My first map was a map of Ohio using flexible curves, and Leroy lettering sets. After that map was done, the professor let us use Adobe Illustrator. I got my minor in cartography and went on to get a masters degree in Analytical Cartography/Spatial Analysis Methods/Geographic Information Systems. Since I got the masters I have ben working at an engineering architecture in transportation planning. I have made a boatload of maps for public involvement purposes and government NEPA documents. The stuff I do on a daily basis can vary from an intersection map that is 2 x 2 inches, or a city map that is 72 x 44in.

    Lately, I have found that drawing where new roads might be in 2035 is not as exciting as it used to be. I figured out that I have been stagnating in my current job, and it is not nuturing my creative side in the least. The people I am working with are not really that innovative, so basically what I have been doing for the past 3 years is what I see me doing for the next 3 years. No movement and no growth. Therefore I have slowly been regaining my artistic chops, only this time in a digital medium. I am trying to get some graphic design stuff done, some more artistic stuff done, and now I am looking to blend together that whole art and science thing.

    That is why a I am here. Now if I could only learn to be more succinct.
    Something witty and pithy

  2. #2

    Post

    mmmmmpig,
    FEW statements could be more succinct than "Something witty and pithy". As far as your introduction, succinct is NOT the order of the day, as if you are too succinct, we don't get to know you.

    Reading your background and understanding your feelings of stagnation, you have definitely come to the right place.

    I think I might have done it before, but if not, WELCOME.




    ~ Some call me Tim.

  3. #3

    Post

    Well, that explains the tremendous quality of your very first post. Welcome! I'm looking forward to learning lots. I doubt I have anything to teach, but one never knows.
    Bryan Ray, visual effects artist
    http://www.bryanray.name

  4. #4
    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Again Welcome to the group!
    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

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    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>

  6. #6
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
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    Default

    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.
    Bill Stickers is innocent! It isn't Bill's fault that he was hanging out in the wrong place.

    Please make an effort to tag all threads. This will greatly enhance the usability of the forums.



  7. #7
    Professional Artist mmmmmpig's Avatar
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    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.
    Something witty and pithy

  8. #8
    Community Leader pyrandon's Avatar
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    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!)
    Don
    My gallery is here
    __________________________________________________ _______
    "Keep your mind in hell, but despair not." --Saint Silouan [1866-1938]

  9. #9
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mmmmmpig View Post
    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by pyrandon View Post
    I feel like I now know the guy hiding behind the red rock.
    I think that is a ham actually.
    Bill Stickers is innocent! It isn't Bill's fault that he was hanging out in the wrong place.

    Please make an effort to tag all threads. This will greatly enhance the usability of the forums.



  10. #10
    Professional Artist mmmmmpig's Avatar
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    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.
    Something witty and pithy

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