Help me pick software!

[MadCartographer]

Real quick. let me get you opinions. I posted this in my welcome thread but then wondered if anyone would see it.

I am looking to make the antique looking maps much like the old Lord of the Rings stuff. I am a writer by nature and that is my passion. Although I LOVE what I see here I really do not want to spend a HUGE amount of time on my maps as I am using simple ones to illistrate my books. I do not need all the color and relief... What I need is something that I can do that will show readers what I am writing about. It will also help me to figure distances and help me as I expand.

I am using GIMP at the moment. I am working through the tutorials but I am already spending way too much time. I also already have CorelDraw and paint Shop Pro. I know I can do what I am looking to do in GIMP but is there an easier program out there for Antique Style maps? Something that is REALLYYYY easy? Again, I am not looking for the awesome quality as it will be on a single page or two of a book.

Also, it is wrong to ask people here to let me have their old GIMP maps so I can change them? I could use their antique backgrounds and their font styles. Or is this a big NO NO!

Try Campaign Cartographer 3 by ProFantasy, it's very easy to learn and not pricey at all.

http://www.profantasy.com/

I use it and I cant draw a lick, this is cartography for us ppl that cant draw and dont want to take to much time doing it.

also, there are some nice tutorials on utube, have a look at that 1st.

[euio]

For a programme just as powerful as GIMP, but far more intuitive and user-friendly, look at Paint.NET. I've used both GIMP and Paint.NET, and consider PDN far superior to GIMP.


I've not seen anyone else use it on this site, though, strangely...

[Gamerprinter]

There are a couple of users of PDN, here. Look in the both this board and the General Discussions board on thread discussing PDN specifically. There might even be a PDN tutorial, though I am not sure.

Still there's a stronger core of GIMP users here, and am not sure if PDN is capable of using scripts to automate various complex functions like GIMP, if not, you've got many capable user's like RobA that use script features extensively. That alone makes GIMP more powerful then PDN.

Again PDN might let one use scripts as well - I don't know. I'm only a minor user of GIMP, relying on Xara Xtreme and hand-drawing/scanning for most of my work.

Still there are a few PDN users here.

GP

[Sigurd]

Honestly, in the situation you describe I'd find a cartographer you get along with and pay\entice them to do your mapping.

Unless you want to do it, I'm not sure you'll have the results you want.

Its perfectly possible to request a map with layers you can modify without harming the over all look of the map. You'd also be much more polite adapting the map of a cartographer you had a relationship with.

I tend to think that maps and illustrations are a poor use of your writing time if they are not something you enjoy.


Sigurd


No, I'm not applying. This is just honest advice.

[industrygothica]

I'm with Sigurd on this. If the mapmaking is not something that you particularly want to do, why not pencil out a rough sketch and upload it to the mapmaking request forum? There are those who will only charge a small fee, and others who will do it for free. Some may do it for free, pending publication on your novel... This way, you get a badass map and get to spend more time writing.

I can't help but think that any reputable publisher would have their own resources for any art that accompanies their products. Of course, having never written a fantasy, or any other genre of novel, this is pure speculation on my part.


-IG