Hello folks! My name is Jeff and I am very much new to the cartographic arts. I am impressed with the beautiful work that I see displayed by this group and I am in awe of the talented people that use this site. I am a map user and lover who wants to become a map maker. I am particularly interested in making beautiful maps for use in the real world using GIS technology (ArcMap and QGIS) combined with creative design work.

I do farmland preservation work for a living so I do make rudimentary, practical maps using GIS software, but I want to learn to add beauty to my map work. My goal is to learn to make maps that I would want to hang in my living room.

I am going to start reading the forums, but any advice for a newbie would be appreciated.