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Thread: Detailed Atlas-Style Topo Map, “Deianerra”

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tiana View Post
    For the record: I use Other World Mapper for mapping-specific needs, I use Clip Studio Paint for drawing, I use Corel Painter for painting, Affinity Photo and Designer instead of Adobe's suite, Lazy Nuzmei to cheat, and I've been using free video editing software VSDC for my screen capture videos. I've also started fussing with making music and I use Audacity and Bandlab (free).
    Lazy Nezumi is a about the greatest cheat in the world. I wouldn't be able to draw a straight line without it. This is one little app that I have to say is worth every penny you spend on it. Every Cartographer should have this tool in their toolbox!!

    Del

  2. #12
    Guild Journeyer Peter Toth's Avatar
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    Thank you Del, Tiana and Jo,

    I highly appreciate the advice, the critiques, the pep talk, and the tips you've offered to help me become a professional fantasy cartographer. Perhaps this Christmas, or whenever I acquire a better computer, I’ll fully commit to pursuing this decades-old dream, and start advertising my work on my own private webpage. But is it realistic to aspire to earn a living catering to the very few who enjoy atlas-style maps rather than the classical "Tolkien Style" ones? I have to admit that my artistic style is still very experimental, so I very much rely on all your valuable criticism.

    By the way, Tiana, your website is full of absolutely beautiful, aesthetically pleasing maps. Very inspirational!

    It’s a pleasure to hear from you all.

    Peter

  3. #13
    Professional Artist Tiana's Avatar
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    Thanks, Peter. I have a few real cool maps, it's true. And for the most part I haven't shared them here specifically even though I skulk around in the forums. Tons of great stuff. I do actually like my own work. Rare feeling for me to have, but teenager me would be SO impressed.

    Everyone's got their own style. Your high res image is great. Can totally imagine this map being cracked out in some kind of 1950s urban fantasy setting. Sure, it's not the Tolkienesque, but let's be honest: in 200 years writers from OUR generation will be inspiring writers of their generations if we don't total the earth. I'm sure perhaps some of the people who may be remembered as great writers of the early 21st century will be obvious already, but some may be among us now. Maybe they'll be like "We're writing a Toth style fantasy" or "I found an original Munro map".

    Tolkien wasn't inspired by nothing, but we act like he's the genre starter. He's just a foundational point for our generation, though, and a single man who stands arm in arm in a truly ancient tradition of storytellers who inspire new generations of storytellers. We are the storytellers of today's epics and tomorrow's muse. Whatever weird genre niche you call home might echo throughout generations, it just hasn't yet begun.

    People in the future might quote this post in a blog article about awesome things I said on the internet when I'm dead and be like, "Even her posts on the internet are self aware but goodness have you read her novels?" and they're like "right but have you read that Toth guy's work? It's just so real." And then they're like, "But the best thing about their work is how it's just full of maps. I'm gonna draw me a map. Beep!" (Or like whatever future slang replaces 'cool'... you strange monsters of distance archives and your weird lexicon *shakes fist*.)

    (Thinks about mortality)

    Maybe it's best to not put things off for too long. You could make an Artstation portfolio, without needing a website of your own. Anyway, if someone likes your style best then you're who they'll hire. Okay, there are other variables. Price, delivery time, do they like the country you're from, can you communicate with them in a way they prefer, do they like the way you type... really there is a lot more to making a living off of selling your art than meets the eye... but everyone starts somewhere and you can learn as you go if you have a buffer for mistakes.

    Click my banner, behold my art! Fantasy maps for Dungeons and Dragons, RPGS, novels.
    No obligation, free quotes. I also make custom PC / NPC / monster tokens.
    Contact me: calthyechild@gmail.com or _ti_ (Discord) to discuss a map!


  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Toth View Post
    Thank you Del, Tiana and Jo,

    I highly appreciate the advice, the critiques, the pep talk, and the tips you've offered to help me become a professional fantasy cartographer. Perhaps this Christmas, or whenever I acquire a better computer, I’ll fully commit to pursuing this decades-old dream, and start advertising my work on my own private webpage. But is it realistic to aspire to earn a living catering to the very few who enjoy atlas-style maps rather than the classical "Tolkien Style" ones? I have to admit that my artistic style is still very experimental, so I very much rely on all your valuable criticism.

    By the way, Tiana, your website is full of absolutely beautiful, aesthetically pleasing maps. Very inspirational!

    It’s a pleasure to hear from you all.

    Peter
    You do have to be fully committed. 11 years ago, I was fully committed, and even started earning small amounts of money each month from commissions, but then the circumstances of my life changed drastically and I was forced to take a job at the only thing I knew how to do and that was driving a big rig. Needless to say, this left me very little time to pursue cartography or art. Then, yet again, the circumstances of my life drastically changed and I was stuck at home unable to work (and for a about a year, unable to even get out of bed). I again am no fully committed to making this a profession for at least the next decade. My advice I guess is not to quit your day job, you will definitely need a source of income because you won't be raking in the dough at first. Practice makes perfect, so perfect your style of mapping. You may create a whole sub-genre of mapping one day, you never know

    Del

  5. #15
    Guild Journeyer Misjay Maps's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by delgondahntelius View Post
    Lazy Nezumi is a about the greatest cheat in the world. I wouldn't be able to draw a straight line without it. This is one little app that I have to say is worth every penny you spend on it. Every Cartographer should have this tool in their toolbox!!

    Del
    I had never heard of this.. looked it up and added it straight to my wish list looks amazing

  6. #16
    Guild Journeyer Misjay Maps's Avatar
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    Hi Peter... This map is epic... no wonder it has taken so long to think about...
    I am no where near ready to tackle a world map and have never drawn one, so I can't really give you any feedback
    Except, if you are really loving the 'atlas' style, maybe go to the library and find one of those old huge readers digest atlases and really look close at how they drew the maps, the colours and style of the fonts, etc...

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