Where do publishers get maps? And more map questions!

[Ath-kethin]

After paying $200 to commission a map, which the cartographer then turned around and sold commercially as a $5 download, I decided to buy some mapmaking software and learn to use it myself.

Are my maps as good as those made by Dyson Logos or any of the fulltime professional cartographers? Not even remotely. Are they good enough to make it a better use of my money? Absolutely.

 

[RivetGeekWil]

After paying $200 to commission a map, which the cartographer then turned around and sold commercially as a $5 download, I decided to buy some mapmaking software and learn to use it myself.

Arr my maps as good as those made by Dyson Logos or any of the fulltime professional cartographers? Not even remotely. Are they good enough to make it a better use of my money? Absolutely.

Were the conditions for your exclusive use? The artist should have specified this when you contracted them. In other words if they were a professional, this shouldn't have been a surprise.

 

[gamerprinter]

First, I'm not available for commissions at the moment, as I have my own publishing gig I'm working on. Unlike most publishers, I began in the industry as a cartographer, and have since become a publisher - most publishers begin as author/game designers, not artists, so I defied that standard. Which means as a publisher, I'm not on the hunt for a cartographer, nor even most of my art needs (I do that myself).

But if I were a publisher and I wasn't me, I'd visit the Cartographersguild.com as my first choice. Then I'd go to Facebook and visit the cartography groups (there are many), and request a commission from there. As mentioned above, it helps to have a rough draft, or at least a detailed textual explanation of your exact needs. Discuss any budgets and pay in private - most cartographers don't speak their rates freely online.

 

[Ath-kethin]

Were the conditions for your exclusive use? The artist should have specified this when you contracted them. In other words if they were a professional, this shouldn't have been a surprise.

No. I couldn't afford it as an exclusive, and it wasn't a surprise. I knew the terms when I commissioned the map.

But the fact that it wasn't a surprise made me no happier that I paid $200 for a map that would cost you $5 if you bought it.

 

[MGibster]

Where do the cartographers hang out? Is there a subreddit? A Facebook group? Do I have to start trolling DeviantArt?

I kind of want to run an adventure where the PCs have to go to the seediest parts of town to where the cartographers hang out in order to find one.

 

[J.Quondam]

I kind of want to run an adventure where the PCs have to go to the seediest parts of town to where the cartographers hang out in order to find one.

Gotta watch out for those cartographer's guild thugs. They get sneak attack damage with their pointy compasses.

 

[Dioltach]

I once read a series of comic books (originally French, I believe) about a guild of cartographers. If I recall correctly, the entire continent was covered by a single city, which made mapping both vital and very dangerous. The guild cartographers were Indiana Jones-type adventurers.

(I borrowed the comics from my BIL, who is a professional cartographer - real-world maps, not fantasy.)

 

[gamerprinter]

No. I couldn't afford it as an exclusive, and it wasn't a surprise. I knew the terms when I commissioned the map.

But the fact that it wasn't a surprise made me no happier that I paid $200 for a map that would cost you $5 if you bought it.

I wouldn't do that to a client. I recently created a custom Spelljammer deck plan as a private commission for a regular client, who suggested I publish a book of my own Spelljammer deck plans. I decided to do that, and asked his permission to use his recent commission in the book I'm creating, as giving him credit for his permission on the credits page. He said, he'd be proud to do that. So if I intend to publish something I created on a commission for someone else, I at least them know what I'm doing and get their permission.

 

[Ath-kethin]

I wouldn't do that to a client. I recently created a custom Spelljammer deck plan as a private commission for a regular client, who suggested I publish a book of my own Spelljammer deck plans. I decided to do that, and asked his permission to use his recent commission in the book I'm creating, as giving him credit for his permission on the credits page. He said, he'd be proud to do that. So if I intend to publish something I created on a commission for someone else, I at let them know what I'm doing and at least get their permission.

Again, I understood the terms when I commissioned the map. $200 if the cartographer could sell it themselves (non-exclusive), and much more - I can't remember exactly but I think it was over $500 - for an exclusive version. I didn't have $500 or whatever, so I took the less expensive option - I needed a very specific map for the product.

The situation sucked, but I had no real choice for what I needed. Luckily, my product sold pretty well, but even now, years later, I don't think it would have justified paying for the exclusive version.

 

[Lanefan]

I just do my own maps, tedious though it may be; but then I'm not trying to sell anything either.

I'm half-tempted to suggest just asking around among your own gaming group and see if anyone's keen on doing this for you for a fee - sometimes it can be surprising what talent is already sitting at your table.