# Community Participation > Mapping Challenge Archive >  May/June Lite Entry - The HMS Victory

## foremost

Hello all!

Another great mapping challenge is out ( http://www.cartographersguild.com/cu...oy-maties.html ) and I think I'll test my mapping skill with this one. I aim to make a deck plan of the HMS Victory (as best I can). I don't expect it to be 100% accurate, but I'll be working off of the many virtual tours and pictures online in order to make it realistic.

First off, I just drew a simple border for the map. There are a total of 8 decks on the HMS Victory, and I plan on using each big rectangle to map one deck. Assuming my entry cannot be multiple pictures, I will need to print the border out 3 more times (the original making 4) and draw each deck. Then, I'll have to put them all together on the computer. Does anyone know how to do that?

### Latest WIP ###

----------


## dasneviano

Yeah man, easiest thing in the world (to put them together). I can help you if you don't figure out how to do it yourself!  :Smile:

----------


## foremost

That's the best aerial photo I could find of the HMS Victory. I was disappointed to find they don't have photos taken from the crow's nest looking down.

Now I get to attempt to draw the first couple decks. Once I figure out the shape, it should be "smooth sailing" (I hope).

----------


## - Max -

Maybe this  can help you?

----------


## foremost

> Maybe this  can help you?


It sure can! That's a Third-rate ship, whereas the _Victory_ is a first, but I'd imagine they share some things in common. HMS Victory - Fun Facts and Information contained a lot of info about what each deck holds...


I could turn the border sideways and do the decks that way, if I can't figure out how to draw them looking directly down. However, I'd also like to include the hammocks and goods stored in the hull, and it's be rather difficult to do that side-on, I would think. Maybe I can do two decks on the vertical sections and then those two horizontally (like the lower part of what you sent) below that...

It's a good thing this isn't due tomorrow, cause it's gonna take some work and decisiveness. Thanks for the photo.

----------


## - Max -

No problem, glad it helps. I'm loooking forward to see the progress on this map  :Smile:

----------


## foremost

I think I have found a nice way to do this - I'm going to map out the whole ship on one sheet of paper. In order to give each deck the most room possible, the paper will look like this:

___________
|__________|        Each deck will fit into (basically) a 7 1/2 inch wide by 1 2/8 tall space, which will fill the whole sheet and give each deck enough room to have details.
|__________|        The border will be much like my last one, but without the stuff in the middle. This is probably the best way to put this on paper, since I can't do it side on and
|__________|        retain the amount of detail I am looking for, and the looking-downwards view isn't that draw-able.
|__________|
|__________|        Looking forward to getting to work on this tonight and tomorrow!
|__________|
|__________|
|__________|

-foremost

----------


## Bogie

Sounds good!   I found this cross-section picture, thought it might help  http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/...3ef25e3354.jpg

----------


## foremost

Thanks Bogie! I think it's all about the angle I'm drawing this at.

----------


## foremost

This is the paper background I'd like to use for my map. When I scan my map into the computer, it'll be on white paper. I can add in the background with GIMP, right?
Considering that the map is going to be very complex, is there an easy way to put the paper texture in the back?

How to change a photo's background (using Gimp 2) - YouTube looks like something I can do, but it'd take forever to remove the pixels. I can't figure out how to add layers either - I can make a new layer under the first and fill it with the paper texture, but then I can't figure out how to go back to the first layer.

----------


## - Max -

Depends on how look the map itself? IS it just outlines, is there colours on it? Are you gonna all hand-drawn? Colours too?

----------


## Katto

Can't wait to see the WIP's or the final entry. I've studied the plans of he Victory for almost a week, because it is one of the most impressive ships ever built.

----------


## foremost

@ - Max -: It's sharpie (as usual) and just the outline. I am aiming for it to look something like this --> Picture 4 of 11 from Finished Maps

I'll try to do this in the form of a bunch of WIP posts.

----------


## - Max -

ok so that's kind of easy. Once you have your drawing finished and imported in GIMP on a new layer above your background layer, just set the drawing layer to multiply in the blending modes options and set the opacity at your will. I'd also recommend that you duplicate your background layer, put it on your drawing layer and set some blending mode with low opacity (try several blending modes like overlay for example) to make the whole thing more consistent.

----------


## foremost

Thanks Max, I'll give it another go when I work up the energy.

I just did a very rough sketch of what I'm going for. There are plenty of things on this sketch that will need to be changed. Among them: the proportions are far from perfect, I need to learn how to draw cannons, and I need to put this lower on the paper so I can get more of the mast. If anyone has cannon-drawing tips (or pictures), those would be very appreciated.

Also, keep in mind that I didn't use a ruler (and this took about 10 minutes). On the actual version, the lines will be cleaner and there will be more details.

Looking forward to adding more decks.

Comments, suggestions, tips, etc... are vital at this stage.  :Smile:  Thanks

### Latest WIP ###

----------


## Wingshaw

Interesting project. I used the Victory as a model for one of my challenge entries a few months back (although it was a side view), and I had detailed plans and such like (the type that ship modellers use; really high detail), but unfortunately I seem to have deleted them. If you follow this link (http://www.cartographersguild.com/at...ructible-1.jpg) you'll be able to see the clearest version that I did. I could possibly rescan the plans, and sectional views, if you need them, but it might take some time. Good luck with it.

----------


## foremost

Sounds cool! I didn't think anyone else would have done the HMS Victory, but I guess it's a very popular ship.

As an update, I completed the rough draft and will probably do a few more drafts (as if it was the real thing) before starting the final draft. Obviously, don't want to mess up and not be able to go back, so I'll have to use pencil, then go over it in sharpie. Hopefully when I erase the scanner won't pick up the faded lines. I've got a really good eraser though, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

----------


## foremost

I've made some progress this weekend and have started the final (project itself). I'll upload over the course of this next week the WIP pics.  :Smile:

----------

