Mapping Goat island - With real goats!

[Gamerprinter]

It depends on how many maps you need scanned over the long haul, whether the purchase of a digital scanner is cost effective or not. I really don't know the competitive rate for scanning is - I know what I charge, but I cannot say that it would be the same at Kinkos or other similar shops. But yes, most Kinkos can do digital scanning as well as copying. I'm guessing you could purchase a small scanner for the price of paying for 10 or more scans. I think it would be cost effective for you to pick up a small scanner.

And yes, webcam shots put me into convulsions - I have a spoon to depress my tongue, close by, just in case of that happening...

[Jalyha]

Grab your spoon then >.<

I tried tracing over my 1-minute concept sketch of the goat island map. My camera is so bad... I wish it would take a larger shot >.<

Anyway, it shows up a little better in ink..



My main problems are, obviously, the euipment, and the fact that I can't make that ^ look like the picture of goat island in my head, which is roughly something like this V

[Falconius]

If you are drawing or painting by hand and digitally editing then a scanner is a pretty useful tool to have, whether it's maps or not. The one I'm using now is part of the scanner/fax/printer thing. I would personally would prefer to have the flatbed scanner separate though since it is physically easier to use. For instance the top is much lighter and hinges from the thin part in the flat bed I left at my parents, it's easier to scan larger things in sections than it is in the printer/scanner one I have here where I kind of have to crush the papers in a little. If you are an artist and you are using the computer I think 50-60 bucks for a scanner is worth it. Even if you are not it can be.

[Jalyha]

Even if that's half your monthly food budget?

I kid... sort of. Okay so I think I will go for the $30 drawing tablet thingy, as soon as I can. Until then, if I get HORRIBLY desperate, I will find somewhere to scan stuff for me.

Then, if the fates allow, and someday I'm rich, I'll get the $60ish scanners >.<

(This is why I've never done anything digital before, lol

[Larb]

Jalyha: I believe those monoprice tablets should work fine on windows XP/vista/7 devices from what I looked up. Although not all the bundled extras support 7, but the device itself does.

I own a scanner but it is an old Canon N656u. I have not used it in forever though but apparently plenty of people have got it working on windows 7. It's a small A4 scanner but I always found it was suited perfectly to my needs.

Which reminds me given all this hardware talk. There is a software discussion forum but there doesn't seem to be anything for hardware despite some specialist stuff being used by many members of the community.

[Falconius]

I don't think hardware comes up too much really, there was a wonderful thread/tutorial on someones drawing tools and pens and things of that nature somewhere here. Other then the few instances where it's relevant what is there to talk about really?

Hmm, scanner or tablet. That is a tough decision. I'd probably go with the tablet too.

To be honest, unless you are going for and staying on high end equipment/programs digital probably works out to be cheaper over the long than buying paper and pens and the other general art supplies one goes through while working by hand. That said you can achieve top grade stuff with just regular art supplies/tool which isn't always the case with digital. Thank god for open source software.

[Jalyha]

Well, seeing as it's 2014 and I'm still using the same supplies (except for Lizzie) as I had back in the dark ages of the 1990s, I'm thinking I should probably upgrade *something*.. I'll order that one, since we're pretty sure it will work

And I'm probably not going to use it as much as some do... I *do* need to move away from painting and into a different field, but I was intending to focus primarily on my writing.. not cartography (Although cartography is becoming an obsession O.o )


So... I figure with a tablet I can spend less, use it to achieve the map I need, and maybe take down notes/make illustrations as needed, but not feel too bad if I end up not using it after a few months time.


As for "all this hardware talk"... I think there SHOULD be a place for it. Not a long drawn out thing, but... like there's the one thread that shows the different software and the price range/a little info...

A list of common hardware would be nice too. I see lots of people ask "how do you" something, that requires a scanner or a tablet, and even the tutorials will say something like "turn the pressure opacity on your tablet OFF" and I'm like, unhhh...

I'm sure there's some other newbies just as confused as me

Anyway... I'm thinking since my cam makes everything smaller and squished/blurry, I'm going to need to draw BIGGER. And maybe paste some pics together, lol.

Like... a full page for the temple you can't make out on top of the cliff in the center of the island

Maybe, ...idk.

Or one of those "hand-drawn" style maps?

What do you guys think would work best? >.<

[Azélor]

Your drawing look pretty good

about your problem, I think photography, small printing companies, or other similar business offers scanning services for a small fee.

[Jalyha]

Thanks

Okay well, I just ordered the mono-whatsit drawing tablet. (The smallest one, for $23!) And if I need anything else done, I'll go the scanning services route, I suppose

Yay I'm moving into the right century! (Sort of )

[Azélor]

Thanks

Okay well, I just ordered the mono-whatsit drawing tablet. (The smallest one, for $23!) And if I need anything else done, I'll go the scanning services route, I suppose

Yay I'm moving into the right century! (Sort of )

There was a similar joke about Russia. ''In 1860, Russia finally enters in the 19th century'' So it could be worst since it took you only 14 years.

23$ for a tablet! I paid one around 80$ and it was the cheapest at that time