Making hex maps with the GIMP

The Goblin King

First Post

• Aug 5, 2008

• #1

I got the idea from http://inkwellideas.com/?page_id=9

I am still learning the GIMP so my method may not be the best way to do things.

First, download and install the GIMP. Its a free open source image manipulation program.
http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html

Next, install the hex brushes. They are in a zip file attached. They should go in
\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\share\gimp\2.0\brushes

Go File -> Open to open up a map. I've included some attached.

One important thing to remember is always be aware of what layer you are working on. Push Ctrl-L to bring up the Layer dialog and click on the Terrain layer if its not already selected.

Now you want to make sure the grid is set. Click Image -> Configure Grid and make sure it is set to Width 34, Height 19. If not click the chain under the boxes and change the settings. Click Okay then click View -> Snap To Grid

click the pencil tool and click the black dot below it to select the brush you want. start painting!

when done go:
File -> Save As
change file extension to .png
select Merge Visible Layers
click Export
click save

 

Attachments

• hex brushes.rar

  24.1 KB · Views: 2,093
• map files.rar

  1.3 MB · Views: 1,758

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The Goblin King

First Post

• Aug 5, 2008

• #2

reserved

 

garyh

First Post

• Aug 7, 2008

• #3

Thanks for posting this, Goblin King! This is very cool and very user friendly. I was able to start making maps very quickly. And while I like fantasy novel style maps, there's something very old school D&D about making world maps in hexes that really appeals to me. This is perfect for that.

 

Jürgen Hubert

First Post

• Aug 7, 2008

• #4

Did you also take a look at this tutorial?

 

The Goblin King

First Post

• Aug 8, 2008

• #5

Jürgen Hubert said:

Did you also take a look at this tutorial?

Click to expand...

nice! thanks for the link.

 

garyh

First Post

• Aug 9, 2008

• #6

Here's the first map I'm particularly proud of using GIMP. No labels on the geography or cities, but otherwise it's pretty much fleshed-out. Scale's probably 1 hex = 50 miles. Looks like a good D&D campaign setting to me... scattered cities, including a city in the east that's a gateway to a desert (I imagine that there's civilization on the other side of the desert, and this city as the key end of a hard trade route), a lost city down in the jungles, lots of forests and mountains for elves and dwarves, respectively, swamps, coasts and seas for pirate-y fun, and finally, the classic fantasy Giant Evil Land with a Volcano to the southwest.

 

Attachments

• 
  Gary Hex Map 1.jpg

  261.6 KB · Views: 6,264

kensanata

Explorer

• Aug 9, 2008

• #7

This reminded me of a temperate forest brush I still have lying around. I never used it, but if anybody is interested in a fancy forest, give it a try. Remember to paint the trees from the top to the bottom.

 

Attachments

• Temperate Forest Brush.zip

  2.2 KB · Views: 385
• 
  Forest Example.png

  5.7 KB · Views: 5,024

I

InkwellIdeas

Adventurer

Publisher

• Aug 10, 2008

• #8

Thank you

Thanks so much for posting these links. I'm so happy to see people creating maps using the brushes! I've update the inkwell ideas article with the instructions for setting up a grid. Thank you for posting that!

Also, if you are building a world, I'm particularly happy with the Worldbuilding Religion Design and Local Area Design articles on the inkwell ideas site. They are part of a series that I'll be continuing shortly. A different project has taken up most of my time at the moment, but I'll get back to those eventually.