Illustration Tutorials and Advice Superthread
- Thread starter Krall
- Start date
It depends a lot on what you want to do and the time you want to give to mapping.
Inkscape is simpler, more intuitive but if you want to give "effects" or ancient look somewhat less easy. It's better for modern looking map, something you could found in a history book or Wikipedia.
GIMP however, is less simple, and ask more time to be familiarized with its tools.
It's the more fitting for effects, for great looking maps.
I would think you can go with Inkscape without too much knowledge about mapping, not with GIMP.
By the way, Krall, could you add this tutoriel for GIMP (in french) from the Scriptorium? (http://www.le-scriptorium.com/uploads/file/Aides_de_jeu/Divers/cartographie.pdf)
Krall
Banned
I've never really used GIMP, but I can endorse (and offer advice/help with) Inkscape. It's a purely vector graphics program, which means you draw paths and shapes, rather than colouring in pixels - this means it's easy to move around borders, coasts, etc., and that you can zoom in and the image won't look blocky and pixellated.
Sure, though I'm not sure how much help it will be to people, as I doubt the majority of AH.commers speak French.
Edit: Since I posted the OP over a month ago I'll have to get a mod to edit the OP, which might take a while.
Seraphiel
Banned
Um Ive run into a bit of a problem, on Inkscape.
I was well on my merry way to making a nice looking map and I got to the point where I could fill in my countries when I found out that I had not connected my borders. How does one do that, as in in connecting a path to another path, creating an enclosed space.
EDIT: And if you dont know what Im talking about
here is the .svg.
I was well on my merry way to making a nice looking map and I got to the point where I could fill in my countries when I found out that I had not connected my borders. How does one do that, as in in connecting a path to another path, creating an enclosed space.
EDIT: And if you dont know what Im talking about
here is the .svg.
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Hi, sorry if I'm asking a stupid question.
I have a basic border map but I'm really not sure how to go about making it into a detailed one. I'm struggling to find any appropriate basemaps, or methods that don't involve me putting aside my time until next birthday (I don't mean to sound rude and ignorant here, sorry, but I really can't spend ages).
The map is here (you'll notice it's a Victoria II one). I would like to just make a Europe map out of it.
What is best way to go about this?
I have a basic border map but I'm really not sure how to go about making it into a detailed one. I'm struggling to find any appropriate basemaps, or methods that don't involve me putting aside my time until next birthday (I don't mean to sound rude and ignorant here, sorry, but I really can't spend ages
).The map is here (you'll notice it's a Victoria II one). I would like to just make a Europe map out of it.
What is best way to go about this?
Krall
Banned
Hi, sorry if I'm asking a stupid question.
I have a basic border map but I'm really not sure how to go about making it into a detailed one. I'm struggling to find any appropriate basemaps, or methods that don't involve me putting aside my time until next birthday (I don't mean to sound rude and ignorant here, sorry, but I really can't spend ages
The map is here (you'll notice it's a Victoria II one). I would like to just make a Europe map out of it.
What is best way to go about this?
Sorry for not replying before - for some reason I keep on just not seeing this thread when there's a new post.
Anyway, so, you want to make a more detailed version of your Victoria 2 game map. That's a rather vague goal, and I'm really not sure how to help you get there beyond directing you to the basic map-making tutorials linked to in the OP. What sort of details do you want to add?
Sorry for not replying before - for some reason I keep on just not seeing this thread when there's a new post.
Anyway, so, you want to make a more detailed version of your Victoria 2 game map. That's a rather vague goal, and I'm really not sure how to help you get there beyond directing you to the basic map-making tutorials linked to in the OP. What sort of details do you want to add?
Don't worry, it gets submerged under the other stickies quite quickly.
I'd like to make a 19th century style map - like this. Obviously it doesn't have to be exactly the same or as detailed.
Unfortunately I'm not very good at photoshop, gimp or inkscape but I'll give anything a go, and this discussion may be useful to someone in the future anyway.
I'm making an inkscape tutorial as we speak
EDIT: I have started the tutorial in the "Post Test Messages Here" sub-form, there isn't much there yet, but I will keep adding to it. I will re-post the thread in "Alternate History Maps and Graphics" when it is finished.
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I'm making an inkscape tutorial as we speak
That's really cool. I still don't know how to make stripes (other than making them one by one and that's tedious) in Inkscape and since you tend to use them, I'm really eager to see them.
Krall
Banned
Well, there are ways of making maps like that in all those programs - I don't know which one is objectively the easiest though, but I'd suggest Inkscape. Since it works on vector graphics rather than raster graphics it's a lot easier to edit something after you've drawn it, and it means you can zoom in or out without making the image heavily pixellated. It's also the program that I'm most familiar with, so I can actually give you advice on how to do things using it.
I'd suggest starting with LSCatilina's Inkscape tutorial - it's enough to get you familiar with the basic tools and functions you'll be using, and once you're at that basic level of competency more complicated effects are pretty easy to figure out/do. If you need any help or want to know how to do something in Inkscape, please don't hesitate to ask.
I tend to draw one stripe, then copy and paste it, then copy and paste those two stripes, then copy and paste those four stripes, etc. It's somewhat tedious and can cause the program to lag, but it's not as bad as making each and every stripe manually.
I've added Blender to the Wiki. It's what I've been using for my illustrations of Eyes Turned Skywards.
Krall
Banned
Sorry for the late reply - I do keep missing this thread.
I'd add Blender to the OP, but it's been more than a month since I posted it now so I can't edit it. I'll try PMing a mod to see if they can edit it in.
This is a really simple problem which I should know the solution to, but can't find.
I'm adding borders using the magic wand tool and stroke (photoshop or gimp). However, on shared borders this builds up, so on countries with three or four neighbours you get really thick lines (example here). How can I fix this?
I'm adding borders using the magic wand tool and stroke (photoshop or gimp). However, on shared borders this builds up, so on countries with three or four neighbours you get really thick lines (example here). How can I fix this?
Krall
Banned
I'm afraid I don't have any experience making maps in GIMP or Photoshop, so I can't help you there.
Do any of our GIMP and Photoshop using map-makers know how to solve this issue?