I recently became aware of this site and decided to join in. Here are a few words about myself.

Right from early childhood, I enjoy reading tales set in real or fantasy lands, where log arduous journeys are involved and the write is good enough to vividly evoke the geographical landscapes therein. I would doodle and sketch out journey paths as I read a book. Later I would look at the sketch and re-live the journeys in my mind. An escapist hobby, to be sure but very soothing in the context of a somewhat harsh childhood environment. The hobby has stayed with me all these years.

Of course, in more recent times I started using programs such as Microsoft Paint. Now I am into GIMP - only discovered it in the last 3 months or so! I hope I will learn much from the Cartographers Guild in terms of skills and techniques for creating geographies at continental/regional scales. and I hope I might contribute an image or two no doubt to be shot down!