Thread: Test map of Otajom

If your going B/W only in this map, I would say put a bit more spacing between each mountains. This is mostly a problem in the upper left and a bit in the upper right. A large number of side by side shaded b/w mountains tends to blend into a pig pile of stuff... of course, it could just be an optical illusion since you "trimmed" part of those mountains and the image edges end in the middle of a field of such mountains and it may be fine if the large number of mountains were in the middle of the image. *shrug*

I like the coastline a lot. The mountains look good too, but at the moment they are overpowering the map a bit. I'd suggest dropping the shading down from black to a mid grey. Equally toning down the line thickness you are drawing the peaks with would help. I'd recommend using a line thickness the same or smaller than the thickness you are using for your coastlines. Remember, your mountains are an illustration, whereas the coast is a boundary. On a map the boundaries should be as prominent or more do than the illustrations (well, that's just my opinion).

The alternative would be to bump up the line thickness and darkness of your coastlines.

Another possible way to extend this map would be to have the mountains drop down into smaller hills as you go to the edge of the mountainous region. This would allow for a more gradual transition to and from the mountainous region.

It's a very promising style so far. Definitely keep posting and we'll keep chipping in with opinions!

Thank you for the comments.

I have tried a quick redo with wider spaced mountains, a smaller edge and a greater range of mountain sizes:



Not so overpowering now but the scale looks a bit off to me so the next attempt will be to create a more defined ridge system, as for the shading i hope inspiration will strike

Korba

Originally Posted by Korba

Thank you for the comments.

I have tried a quick redo with wider spaced mountains, a smaller edge and a greater range of mountain sizes:



Not so overpowering now but the scale looks a bit off to me so the next attempt will be to create a more defined ridge system, as for the shading i hope inspiration will strike

Korba

Cool... Like I said in my post, I don't think the spacing was so much the problem as the location of the clusters near the edge of the map in the sample you had. It just kind of made my eyes go blurry (kind of like those illusion pictures where you have to stare at something and let your eyes cross to see the "hologram" image instead of the "noise".

I think i swung to too few mountains, have redone with a really simple shading and a few more mountains so the range effect is back.



Next thing is to try and make the central mountains pointed and fade to rounder foot-hills. Thanks for viewing and your patience.

Korba

Originally Posted by Korba

I think i swung to too few mountains, have redone with a really simple shading and a few more mountains so the range effect is back.



Next thing is to try and make the central mountains pointed and fade to rounder foot-hills. Thanks for viewing and your patience.

Korba

To be honest, I liked your 2nd set more. I think there is far to little shadow at this point. You might also do as Torstan suggested and go with a more mid grey for the shadow instead (or not, try it and see what you think)

I kind of liked the second mountains better than the third also. The third set just seems a little too flat.

After a dreaded attack of real life I'm ready to plod on with these mountains



I should have probably redrawn the whole set in the lighter grey so the black borders may look a little odd. Good suggestion though thank you on the lighter grey, i think it could work ok. I look forward to your comments.

Korba

That works a lot better. They fit with the rest of the map now.