Maps: The Galaxy Edition

So when I first started writing, I had no desire to place my stories on earth. So I would create maps (See previous posts) of places, and then make a planet for that map. And then came the big question;
Where is this planet?
That was when I decided that all of the planets that are home to all of my stories were in a Galaxy together, The Galaxy of Wonders.
Very cliche, very predictable, but still it sticks. It is a galaxy teeming with life and marvels. And then I mapped it out. It was a simple process.
All I did was take a piece of paper, gel pens, a pencil (outline everything so I could organize it), and a little bit of time.
Add a few special things, notable stars or what-have-you and you have a galaxy.
So, if you find yourself in the same boat as me, try it out. Map out a galaxy and remember, you make the rules for this.
In one of the galaxies I made their sun is a blue star!
There is no sky to limit you. Just the endlessness of space.
You aren't held back by science, or history, or even math! You get to create whatever you want.

Also, you can totally rewrite what science says. Don't be daunted by it! Put life on Mars! Or Uranus! Say that Pluto isn't nearly as cold as what scientists believe! Say there's a planet that nobody has ever seen because it is always exactly opposite of Earth!
Have fun.
Be Creative.
Let me know what you think!
A bientot!

Maps Part 2

This is the map that I posted last time. I have been working on it quite a bit as you can see, adding rivers and lakes, and castles (pardon the drawing skills). This is about the time when I would start giving the map a story, this one just hasn't gotten one yet because my mind is a little blocked.

In any case it will probably get one...eventually. In any other case...I usually have a story for it by now.

But right now I am just contenting myself with adding to this map.

Maps are nothing so hard to do unless you are a Perfectionist. The only thing that is ever perfect is Christ.

Hils are just curves, and if you want to make hill homes just connect the two ends of a hill and put a door there.

Lakes can be whatever shape you choose. I made a lake look like a duck once.

Rivers tend to be connected to some larger body of water, like an ocean or lake.

Mountains are traingles, to save time. cause otherwise... well, look at the finished map below.

What do you notice?

There are many things going on on this map.





Now look at this cropped closeup.


Mountains, and little huts are all over the place. These mountains took an hour to do.




So a peice of advice.

Don't get crazy with you maps, or your hand will have more pencil on it than the paper will.

On Maps

   The Start of a new map is like the start of a new story. And Every Map has a story in it, it's just up to the map maker to find it. But, the best part about a map that you make, is it can hold whatever you want it to.
   The map above is one I started a while ago and have yet to work on some more. Below is a labeled version (many thanks to the Paint Program) so that you know what is what. Also I will be adding a list of my favorite information gathering sites and some links to photos that I think you followers will enjoy.

As you can see, it is much more informative.

Maps are special to the maker because they are the only ones who truly know what is really going on as they draw those maps.

So, I challenge you, make your own map, put whatever you want on it color it with colored pencils, have fun, and don't get discouraged if something doesn't look right. Nobody is perfect, and you would beleive how many times I erased when making this map.