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DonSimpson — Galactic Map
Published: 2010-04-08 09:15:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 3240; Favourites: 49; Downloads: 119
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Description
An alien map of our galaxy, done as a costume prop back in 1996. It's somewhat schematic, but the Orion Arm is at the top. This uses fonts of my own design, and was done in Freehand as a 8.5 x 11 inch file at a resolution of 600dpi. The download is nowhere near full resolution.UPDATE: Recent articles indicate that our galaxy is the sort that has two major arms, so this, being based on earlier surmises, is obsolete. Maybe I will do a more up-to-date version later.
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Comments: 38
I love that font; I'd love to see that on some metalwork.
1996, huh? I think it'd be cool to see this reworked to account for the more-recently discovered bar at the center of our galaxy.
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I have a leather vest with that font on the back (as part of a large eye and triskele design).
I try to keep up with science news, but I'd totally missed that ours is a barred galaxy. I have googled the diagrams, and am considering. 
Alderson, who did computer work for Jet Propulsion Laboratory, wrote a Fortran program that converted the near stars data into XYZ coordinates (for both ecliptic and galactic XY planes), which let me build an edition of 3D star maps using glass beads (coded by size for absolute magnitude and by color for spectral class), which I sold to various science fiction authors and fans in the Los Angeles area.
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Wow, really?! Do you have a photo of one?
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Yes, really.
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Wow, 600 dpi =O
I loved your idea, these circles mixed with some kind of tribal, very creative and original.
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Thank you.
600 dpi is the best my printer will do. It's an ancient one I got at a garage sale, but it was made for office work, so the quality is good.
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Great font Don.
I could see signing a sword blade with this script.
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Good idea. I'm tempted to ask you to design a sword.
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I'd love to collaborate with you on a piece Don.
I have a new sample of a forged twist pattern in 3/4 stainless square bar I'll be posting soon,which would be quite lovely for a short sword or dagger handle.
I just got a commission to use it for a (narrow)vertical style door knocker so the material cost is covered.
But as for a sword,I'm not really a bladesmith you understand,I'm really only a hiltmaker at this point.
Designing it though would be a lark.
I just watched the Lord of the rings trilogy again this week and was very inspired by the Elvish made daggers and swords...
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Well, I definitely already have too many projects....
The Lord of the Rings movies had some great designers. I think there is a book available that is just on the armor and weapons.
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I should find that then.
I know Weda Workshops is where much of the stuff was designed if not made as well.
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I heard they got pro swordsmiths to make the "hero" weapons.
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Yes,
What I read was that Peter Jackson was given the difference in the price point between making replicas and making real usable weapons ,and that it was so close he opted for the real thing.And i DO know Viggo Mortesen was carrying his sword with him everywhere he went for a full year before shooting to become completely familiar with it and to make it a part of him...
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Which is the sort of thing that would make having real weapons worthwhile, even if they cost lots more.
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I agree.
and i also like the notion of NAMING a sword.
It gives it a personality,a character,and a uniqueness which seems commensurate with it's power as an amulet of protection,defense,and in some rare cases offense.
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I agree about the effect. One would, of course, choose the name very carefully....
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I think I can see my mothership from here...
----
"If they have moving sidewalks in the future, when you get on them, I think you should have to assume sort of a walking shape so as not to frighten the dogs."
-(Jack Handey)
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Thank you.
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I love making computer fonts and then doing this sort of thing with them.
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wonder if those fonts are available somehow?
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Not yet. I've been considering it. Some have been lost in disk crashes.
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Wow, that is -neat-!! I love how inventive you are ^.^ That font/script/writing is so cool!
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Thank you.
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