Q&A for How to Make a Map

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  • Question
    How do you scale a drawing correctly?
    Kelly Medford
    Professional Artist
    Kelly Medford is an American painter based in Rome, Italy. She studied classical painting, drawing and printmaking both in the U.S. and in Italy. She works primarily en plein air on the streets of Rome, and also travels for private international collectors on commission. She founded Sketching Rome Tours in 2012 where she teaches sketchbook journaling to visitors of Rome. Kelly is a graduate of the Florence Academy of Art.
    Professional Artist
    Expert Answer
    You can use ratios to scale a drawing to the proportions of a different size. You can buy a little wheel that will show you the ratios.
  • Question
    What sort of pencil can you use for shading?
    Kelly Medford
    Professional Artist
    Kelly Medford is an American painter based in Rome, Italy. She studied classical painting, drawing and printmaking both in the U.S. and in Italy. She works primarily en plein air on the streets of Rome, and also travels for private international collectors on commission. She founded Sketching Rome Tours in 2012 where she teaches sketchbook journaling to visitors of Rome. Kelly is a graduate of the Florence Academy of Art.
    Professional Artist
    Expert Answer
    Use a soft pencil like 4B or 6B for shading. You can turn it on its side to get a more uniform and even shading, especially in large areas.
  • Question
    What is a cartographer?
    Community Answer
    A cartographer is someone who makes maps for a living. They usually make actual geographical maps, but sometimes they can be employed by to make fictional maps in books.
  • Question
    How do I show a city?
    Community Answer
    You may mark cities on the map with any symbol you like, like a dot or square.
  • Question
    How can I make an easy map of Canada for an assignment?
    Community Answer
    Will your teacher permit you to trace the country's outline? That would be the easiest way to get started. Then you could fill in cities and towns and natural features.
  • Question
    What is the process of making a map?
    Aslamsisjd
    Community Answer
    Check out the article. You should start by planning it out, then make a rough copy with little color and detail, and then make a copy with color, detail, and a key.
  • Question
    How do I draw a fantasy map of a journey to school/work?
    Community Answer
    Draw the map using whichever details, colors, and styles you'd like. Then, mark the path that the person took to school/work somehow, like using a dotted line.
  • Question
    Is it a good idea to draw buildings in the map?
    Community Answer
    It depends on the kind of map you're making. Most maps don't include buildings, but some city maps will include little pictures of a handful of the city's major buildings/constructions (such as the Empire State Building and Brooklyn Bridge in New York).
  • Question
    How do I convert a paper map I make to a digital map?
    Community Answer
    Take a picture of your paper map with a phone/camera and upload the photo to the computer. On the computer, use a program like GIMP and turn the contrast up to remove shadows.
  • Question
    How can I indicate elevations in a mountainous region on my railroad maps? I would also like to mark signal block locations, coal mines and coal branch railroad lines. Do you have any tips for me?
    Community Answer
    Basically, you can use whatever symbols you’d like. The internet’s a great place for inspiration. Maybe colors can be height? That would mean that areas have less variety.
  • Question
    How do I make nautical maps?
    Community Answer
    A nautical map is very similar to a geographical land map. Instead of drawing cities or rivers, you can indicate underwater mountain ranges or port cities. It is all up to you!
  • Question
    How do I scale a map without knowing the kilometers?
    Community Answer
    Use an atlas or an existing map for a reference. You can also use Google to convert kilometers to other measurements.
  • Question
    Is it possible to create 3 dimensional maps?
    Community Answer
    Yes, it is. Teachers, such as those teaching architecture or interior design, ask students to make 3D maps. You can use a board as your surface and stick on handmade trees, cones denoting mountains, blue strips showing rivers and oceans and so on. It can be a lot of work to create one but also a lot of fun.
  • Question
    I'm creating a map of a planet from the different hemispheres, and I need huge paper, where could I find cartography/atlas paper?
    Community Answer
    You can order paper online from craft and art suppliers. If you don't know any, type "atlas paper online" and you'll get the websites or stores of you type "atlas paper sellers".
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