Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Cartographer?

It seems I have become a cartographer. Over the years I've done a LOT of maps. I just finished some work for Crafty Games on their Fantasy Craft line and am starting on a half-dozen more for Rogue Games and their Colonial Gothic line (which I do a lot of work for anyhow).

I think it all started when I was 17 and joined the Navy. I was a quartermaster which deals with navigation and charts. I was always fascinated by maps and charts but it really sunk in when I worked on them regularly. Later when I was in the Army as an Infantryman I dealt with land navigation and maps a LOT as well. Add my gamer-geekery and I was soon making maps for everything. I think the original maps in The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings had a huge impact as well.

Anyhow, I dig maps. Hand drawn LOTR-type maps the most but with my Photoshop skills I can do all sorts of maps now. It's a pretty cool way of taking something you love and making it a day-job.

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