Apprenticeships (idea)

by **TaCktiX** on Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:58 pm

I got into PhotoShop by way of my dad. He's a self-employed website developer who uses PhotoShop daily to get work done. I would tinker around with the program, mostly making cool text and layer effects (read: the anybody-could-do-it-in-5-minutes variety). At one point I was reading a full tutorial book and learning off that, but I lost interest (several years ago).

I really didn't know that much about putting things into practice until I started working on The Citadel. I can genuinely say that the entire map is made from scratch, with no images I overlaid with my drawing or anything (text is the exception, but who hand-draws text). Whenever I wasn't sure of how to do something, I would first throw it into Google with "Photoshop tutorial" next to it (rnel.net has a great number of them). That's how I figured out how to make the grass and concrete textures that have been with the map since version 4. Where even that has failed, I've just done trial and error (first attempt at trees), or asked for suggestions from other mapmakers (RjBeals said that he used a non-100% opacity brush and just brushed the tree into existence).

Really, if you want to learn how to make maps, the best way is to have some knowledge of an image-editing program, a clear idea of what you want your map to look like, and the patience to fumble around (at first) until the image and your vision start lining up.

by **WidowMakers** on Sat Jun 07, 2008 8:37 pm

First...
Tutorials, Tutorials, Tutorials.
Then...
More Tutorials, Tutorials, Tutorials.
Then...
Practice, Practice, Practice.
Then...
Watch TV, Look at a magazine, and try to redo what you see.
Then...
More Tutorials, Tutorials, Tutorials.
Then...
Practice, Practice, Practice.

People seem to want to get maps out fast and not have to learn the tools. With all of my maps I tried to learn a differnt aspect of digital imaging. My goal in these was not olny to make a good map, but to learn a new way to make them as well

1st) KOTM

2nd) 8 Thoughts

3rd) Great Lakes

And the rest of my maps used things I learned from making the previous. Even the work flow I have has evolved over the time. I learn how to be more efficient with folders (both in the file and on the computer. How to make a good small map and then design it so that I can scale it up without making it blurry. These are not things I learned from someone. they are things I figured out and developed myself.

If I had more time I would be willing to have an apprentice and help them out. But I don't have the time. My map making time has really lowered (as some of you older people may have noticed.) When I say older I mean site membership not age :-)

So here is what I recommend to anyone that wants to make a map that has not graphic program experience.

1) Get a program.

2) See list at top of post

3) Come up with a new idea or and expansion of an old idea for a map.

4) Plan it out before you post the idea.

5) Get ready to take the criticism.

6) Don't ever settle for OK.

So since I have no time to help someone along in a particular map, this advice above is what I can give. I hope this helps. It is how I got to where I am today.

Think outside the box.
To quote a line from a favorite movie series of mine

Yoda wrote:"Do or do not... there is no try."

It is not that it can't be done, it is that you don't know how to do it yet.

WM

by **seamusk** on Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:18 pm

I feel the best way to learn to do anything is to do it. Tutorials are nice, but until you have a goal in mind they have limited value. Maybe a cc map is that goal, but I learned Photoshop years ago for entirely different reasons. Actually some of these posts are making me feel old...

by **t-o-m** on Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:27 am

ive never used any tutorial, class, or anyone telling me/reading anything.
i think that i should do now...i dont have the patience though

by **Qwert** on Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:33 am

by WidowMakers on Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:37 am

First...
Tutorials, Tutorials, Tutorials.
Then...
More Tutorials, Tutorials, Tutorials.
Then...
Practice, Practice, Practice.
Then...
Watch TV, Look at a magazine, and try to redo what you see.
Then...
More Tutorials, Tutorials, Tutorials.
Then...
Practice, Practice, Practice.

Now these is good sugestion,and start to experiment with all things what program give you

by **RjBeals** on Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:00 pm

MrBenn wrote:I first used photoshop to remove a goalpost from my head on a graduation photograph... I quickly learnt to use the clone tool to take out all of the people in the background, and I even got rid of the white lines on the playing field!

You GOTTA post that picture benn. At least in AADOMM

by **MrBenn** on Sun Jun 08, 2008 4:54 pm

OK then... here it is - although I remembered wrong - It was a picture from my wife's graduation, and I didn't take out all the white lines ... here is a copy of the original picture, and my photoshopped version:

There's some obvious blurring to the right of the image, but other than that, I don't think it's too bad.

by **t-o-m** on Sun Jun 08, 2008 5:00 pm

cool

your head is weird though

by **InkL0sed** on Sun Jun 08, 2008 5:10 pm

Camera shy?

by **MrBenn** on Sun Jun 08, 2008 5:14 pm

It happens whenever we're exposed to daylight - I think it's something genetic?!?

by **AndyDufresne** on Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:31 pm

You should've used your avatar's head for yours.

But lets not get off topic now.

--Andy

by **laci_mae** on Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:49 am

max is gr8 wrote:I was thinking of a way to be able to keep all maps at this very high standard while increasing output, so I came up with a few ideas. The best way I could think of is apprenticeships. You get 1 or 2 people to "shadow" the production of a graphical map-maker, a game play manager etc. and hey presto if all goes well you have a few more map makers. So, what do people think, I need some people to endorse this I need some people to train and some people to be trained and if we get enough it can be a general insert of the Foundry Production

Consider this an effort to un-spam the thread (winking at you Andy!)

I do research in mentoring. It's been irrefutably shown to have positive outcomes for mentors and proteges alike. Unfortunately, assigning people to mentor or be mentored by others usually crashes. The informal relationship that is needed to manage the relationship must arise before constructive learning begins. That said, gimil's idea to simply PM a few more experienced mapmakers is probably your best bet.

Best,
Laci

by **oaktown** on Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:18 pm

the idea of mentoring was brought up months ago, and I think it's a good one, but as explained already in this thread nobody really has the time. Those of us who volunteer our time to follow topics and stamp maps are already cutting into our already limited map-making time.

That said, if somebody started a project that I was interested in, got stuck on the graphics, and PM'd me for help I would consider it... I took on Balsiefen's Scotland map when he had taken it as far as he could, and gimil has stepped in to work on a few maps lately. But rather than trying to explain how to do each step - which would be a lot of work - I'd probably just make the changes myself and email the photoshop file back and forth with the original mapmaker so he/she can see my layers and what I've done.

Note that I said it would have to be a project that I was interested in - if the map doesn't do anything for me, I would be less inclined to throw my time at it.