RavensDagger's Amateur Mapmaking

[RavensDagger]

Hello!

I've been tinkering with maps for about six months or so now, mostly because buy a map from a proper mapmaker is expensive, so I figured I should learn how to make my own. Probably spent more on cartography software and assets than I would have on commissions, but I found a new skill/hobby, so it's okay!

 

[RavensDagger]

More maps!

These are older work, a bit rougher around the edges.

 

[RavensDagger]

Map for Dead Tired

 

[BenJepheneT]

Hello!

I've been tinkering with maps for about six months or so now, mostly because buy a map from a proper mapmaker is expensive, so I figured I should learn how to make my own. Probably spent more on cartography software and assets than I would have on commissions, but I found a new skill/hobby, so it's okay!

Those clouds are motherfucKING THICK

 

[RavensDagger]

Those clouds are motherfucKING THICK

Hah!

I was trying for a sort of... fog-of-war effect? Ie: the clouds cover an area the character can't see/hasn't visited.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Hah!

I was trying for a sort of... fog-of-war effect? Ie: the clouds cover an area the character can't see/hasn't visited.

I will be fair, I was scrolling fast and thought that those were weird snow or those white stuff when waves crash.

 

[Monk_Origins]

Looks good to me! All rivers merge and don't split, mountain ranges are clear, there are no lone mountains that can't be due to volcanic activity, cities are all on coasts or on riverbanks... Doesn't look like amateur work to me! Well, only thing that could possibly be added are cities/town/villages on common trade routes, since activity along the road will force smaller settlements to appear. Very good work!

 

[Panzerinsnow]

Map for Dead Tired

I like this style a lots, what software did you use to make this map ? It's like looking at some mobile game map I played when I was young.

 

[Ununique]

I like this style a lots, what software did you use to make this map ? It's like looking at some mobile game map I played when I was young.

I'm pretty sure Wonderdraft was used for these maps it costs 29.99USD.

 

[SaddyStorm]

Woah.

 

[Aaky]

cartography software is fun, but more time consuming than what it looks like it will be

 

[NotaNuffian]

cartography software is fun, but more time consuming than what it looks like it will be

Hurts even more when you are a cheapskate like myself as the free mode is genuinely killing me.

Inkarnate is my go-to currently, though I did made some continents with fantasy generator and the inability to split them properly into countries pains me.

 

[Ununique]

cartography software is fun, but more time consuming than what it looks like it will be

Ironically cartography (with software) feels like writing. Either I'm planning or I'm making it up as I go along. Planning makes the process more streamlined and quick whereas the "discovery" is making up why a specific kingdom or town is where it is and how that matters to the entire piece.

 

[BenJepheneT]

Ironically cartography (with software) feels like writing. Either I'm planning or I'm making it up as I go along. Planning makes the process more streamlined and quick whereas the "discovery" is making up why a specific kingdom or town is where it is and how that matters to the entire piece.

That's why I ALWAYS recommend doing the map yourself. Yes, you might suck at drawing at first but it does lend much authenticity when you start developing a style and writing your own "magic words"

Maybe it's just me but I fucking love seeing traditional hand drawn maps, especially in stories like this

 

[RavensDagger]

I like this style a lots, what software did you use to make this map ? It's like looking at some mobile game map I played when I was young.

Wonderdraft, and GIMP! Seeing as how people liked those...

First attempt at making a sort of 'town' map. Bit rough, but it was meant to be a small-scale thing as a proof of concept.

This one is strange. It's meant to be a sort of perspective map? Not an accurate one or anything. Call it an experiment.

Another experimental map, also unfinished.

 

[BenJepheneT]

Wonderdraft, and GIMP! Seeing as how people liked those...

First attempt at making a sort of 'town' map. Bit rough, but it was meant to be a small-scale thing as a proof of concept.

This one is strange. It's meant to be a sort of perspective map? Not an accurate one or anything. Call it an experiment.

Another experimental map, also unfinished.

Say... I won't be using maps anytime soon but it's nice to have the option: are you taking commissions?

 

[Monk_Origins]

Wonderdraft, and GIMP! Seeing as how people liked those...

First attempt at making a sort of 'town' map. Bit rough, but it was meant to be a small-scale thing as a proof of concept.

This one is strange. It's meant to be a sort of perspective map? Not an accurate one or anything. Call it an experiment.

Another experimental map, also unfinished.

Lovely work, especially the last one with the angled perspective! But the Green&Silver is unsettling me a tiny bit. Keeping in mind that I am a layman at best with much less experience than you, that map looks very off to me. I mean, looking at the fact that the region has many large lakes with jagged edges, that part of the planet should be a depression, meaning if there was heavy (apocalyptic) rainfall, the entire entire plain all the from west mountain ranges till eastern range should be underwater. but the other mountain ranges(near snowportal, three towers, and silverglade) going from north to south hint to at least 3 different tectonic plates... Another example, if we were to take the center-west region as a tectonic plate, I can see no-way that there could be a depression for the north-west lake to be formed. It COULD be a high altetude lake, but since there is no mountains impeding the water from joining to the lake south, its also unlikely...
Sorry for not making sense, as I said, I am a layman in this topic...
The map is the coolest map I have seen, though!

 

[RavensDagger]

Lovely work, especially the last one with the angled perspective! But the Green&Silver is unsettling me a tiny bit. Keeping in mind that I am a layman at best with much less experience than you, that map looks very off to me. I mean, looking at the fact that the region has many large lakes with jagged edges, that part of the planet should be a depression, meaning if there was heavy (apocalyptic) rainfall, the entire entire plain all the from west mountain ranges till eastern range should be underwater. but the other mountain ranges(near snowportal, three towers, and silverglade) going from north to south hint to at least 3 different tectonic plates... Another example, if we were to take the center-west region as a tectonic plate, I can see no-way that there could be a depression for the north-west lake to be formed. It COULD be a high altetude lake, but since there is no mountains impeding the water from joining to the lake south, its also unlikely...
Sorry for not making sense, as I said, I am a layman in this topic...
The map is the coolest map I have seen, though!

That one was for a very weird setting where the world was once very, very watery, and then it got hit by an ice-age, with only a few little pockets of civilization left alive. Fun setting, but... yeah, weird. And very much geographically impossible.

Say... I won't be using maps anytime soon but it's nice to have the option: are you taking commissions?

I don't mind Commissions. I can't really make mapmaking my focus, not when my goal is to be more of a writer than anything else, but if you don't mind it taking a bit of time, I don't mind making you a map?

Depending on the size and scope, you can expect the price to be anywhere from $40 to $100USD.

 

[jabathehut]

nice maps ravensdagger

 

[Monk_Origins]

Just 1 minute ago I started to read a new story on RR, Cinnamon Bun, and what did I see in the first chapter? Very familiar set of maps!