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There is another thread where we've been discussing our mapping styles; since it's a thread for a specific mod I figured I'd start a drawing thread and stuff..
So ... how do you draw your maps? What do you use? Inspiration?
Me; I use a pad of 25 x 30 graph paper, outlined in marker and colored in with colored pencil... I've found inspiration for shapes in many things ... including a cat paw (that was an interesting fight to trace around the paw lol)
pictures would be good too (and as soon as I'm home I'll figure out how to linke something lol)
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For certain scenario's I use the Gaming Paper glued (3M spray glue) to foam core board. You can use both sides in many occasions. From there I can get detailed and draw a good map.
In a few cases, for buildings with a second floor, I will make the second floor out of a second piece of foam board and use small columns to hold it up.
I created a "druid's circle" for a certain scenario by cutting the stone blocks out of blue foam and paining them, then glued them to the map. This 3D look made the scenario more interesting.
I built the Fallen Fortress out of wood columns and wood flooring. It stands 30" high. We use this prop for new players to introduce them to PFS.
Unrelated to PFS - I built the Battle Market for the Legacy of Fire out of wood for a fun 3D experience. I have loaned it out twice already so other groups could try it out.
I like a good map and when I don't have a suitable flip map or map tiles, I enjoy creating a good quality map for the players to enjoy.
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I do two different methods. Which usually depends on if the scenario has a lot of premade maps from gamemastery. Since I have access to almost all of the gamemastery flip-mats and map packs I use those when the scenario calls for them, hand drawing the rest of the maps for said scenario when needed. Otherwise I will print out the map full scale using a program called posterazor. When I do draw maps, I use the basic flip-mat and permanent markers. This allows me to draw in a larger variety of colors and thicknesses. I use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to erase the permanent marker afterward.
NOTE: Do not use the Magic Eraser on wet marker maps, it will erase the grid lines and any background that might be on the map. I have personal experience in this one.
I bought a magnetic dry erase board that amazingly enough already had 1 inch grid spaces marked out with little dots. Drawing a map is as easy as playing connect the dots. Also, each axis is flagged either with a letter or a number so on my notes I can mark down "trap at B17" or other such nonsense.
Also, each player mini is attached to a 1 inch magnetic marker so that the minis are much more resistant to being knocked over accidentally by rogue dice or table bumps.
Venture-Captain, Missouri—Cape Girardeau
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I use the Game Mastery Flip-mats and Map packs when they are called for. But for all other maps, I hand-draw a lot of them on Gaming Paper using Sharpie markers to outline solid objects and add color using watercolor colored pencils; a quick damp smudge will blend these like they were painted.
Lately, I have had a friend who owns a lot of plaster molds make me a bunch of crates and boxes that I am in the process of painting. I am SO tired of drawing them on maps! I also have started mounting the maps on foam board as sections that can be added as the group travels from room to room... the idea being to try to keep the suspense! Especially useful for maps like Blakros Museum!
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I wish that the folks at Paizo would include large scale PDF maps that could be printed on 24 X 36 paper. The only people that ever get to see the artistry that they put into the modules are the GM's. I have on rare occations blown up portions of the maps supplied but the quality at that point takes a lot of imagination to use. Obviously this would only work for the PFS modules that are already distributed only in the PDF format.
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I wish that the folks at Paizo would include large scale PDF maps that could be printed on 24 X 36 paper. The only people that ever get to see the artistry that they put into the modules are the GM's. I have on rare occations blown up portions of the maps supplied but the quality at that point takes a lot of imagination to use. Obviously this would only work for the PFS modules that are already distributed only in the PDF format.
+1
+1
+1
I would so much enjoy being able to print out maps at full size and use them when I run games.
Heck, I'd even be willing to pay a couple of bucks for a "maps pack" pdf to go with an adventure path book or a PFS scenario.
This would be total awesomeness to sit down and run with.
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I wish that the folks at Paizo would include large scale PDF maps that could be printed on 24 X 36 paper. The only people that ever get to see the artistry that they put into the modules are the GM's. I have on rare occations blown up portions of the maps supplied but the quality at that point takes a lot of imagination to use. Obviously this would only work for the PFS modules that are already distributed only in the PDF format.
Sometimes they look pretty decent blown up. Like this one or this one.
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StuffSometimes they look pretty decent blown up. Like this one or this one.
From the pictures they do look very good. I'm a little surprised. I enlarged the maps for 'Voice In the Void' but the items in the room look like they were from a bad '80's 8 bit video game. No smooth edges at all. The curves on the 2nd map that you showed look very good; are they as smooth as they look in your picture?
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From the pictures they do look very good. I'm a little surprised. I enlarged the maps for 'Voice In the Void' but the items in the room look like they were from a bad '80's 8 bit video game. No smooth edges at all. The curves on the 2nd map that you showed look very good; are they as smooth as they look in your picture?StuffSometimes they look pretty decent blown up. Like this one or this one.
OK, After reviewing my technique it looks like maybe I have a printer setting problem. A little more research is required.
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Sometimes they look pretty decent blown up. Like this one or this one.
What are you using to get the images? I'm using a PDF image extractor, but most are pixelated.
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Sometimes they look pretty decent blown up. Like this one or this one.
Wow, that Sothis Pathfinder Lodge map would look pretty darn sweet printed onto vinyl like the GaleForce9 maps </thinking class="wishful">
Mine were printed on 10x A4 cardstock.What are you using to get the images? I'm using a PDF image extractor, but most are pixelated.
Unsure which version of Adobe PDF reader I'm using, but using the selection tool, I can simply click and drag maps off the page, dropping them directly into a Windows folder. The file (which is named something like pdf-file-name.bmp) can then be opened in an image editing application. Zoomed up, most will still looked pixelated/blurred, quality will depend on the source image, some are better than others.
Cheers,
DarkWhite
I draw on whatever paper we happen to have sitting around the table, and it's usually a spur of the moment sort of thing when they ask for a defined map, or I have a complicated enough location that I think it wise to suggest they map it out so they don't get lost and I won't have to keep describing the same things.
Funny story though the last time I had my own map with lots of details on what was where, and one of my players was drawing his own map for the players. At some point we compared maps. He's a computer engineer and I'm a biologist. His map looked like an engineering diagram and mine, in their words, "looked like somethings intestines". :)
Of course, being that the location was a manifest far realms cyst, that might have been a good thing.
