17th-18th century Caribbean

Hi all, this is my first post ^^. I've followed this forum a little and I must thank everyone for the precious hints I've found here and there.

Now, to the map! I intend to play a game set in the 17th century Caribbean (an historical campaign) and so I'm realizing a regional map. I want it to be an antique style map. This is what I've done until now.
I must say that i don't have much time, so i won't update it often. Anyway, because of the huge labeling work (at least for me xD), I could use your help. Do you think something is wrong? Do you have any advice about labels positions, font size?
Any kind of advice (not only about the font) will be really appreciated. Thank you and pardon me for the bad english :D.

Everything looks good to me except that the lines are too crisp and clean. Of course, they would have been this way fresh off the press.

To be honest, I really don't like those outlines around the landmasses. They're way too obstructive, especially in a map like this. The archipelagos, like the Bahama Islands and Lesser Antilles, are so confusing I almost can't read them. They lines also randomly jagged or smooth, which looks odd. And because they are made by an automated process (I assume, so correct me if I'm wrong), there's also a few "pixel artifacts" here and there.
If you insist on keeping them, I suggest at least placing them closer to the coastlines, without that much space between them. That way they don't stretch out too far and start overlapping with lines from other islands, which just makes a mess of thick and thin lines.
But hey, that's just my opinion, and you definitely shouldn't listen to that. :P

How you actually turn this into an antique style map, I think you can find a great tutorial for, somewhere on this forum.

Oh, and welcome! :D

I concur with Daelin: the coastal lines are too far from the shores and clutter up the map. Remember that they should serve a function, and that function on this map will probably be rudimentary bathymetry—the sea floor would not be rigorously mapped, but there would likely be indications of where the continental shelf falls away, where the shallows are, etc.

Color will probably help to clarify things, too.

As for the font choice, it looks pretty good to me. I don't think you should curve the text unless it serves a function. Having every label curved is too much, in my opinion. Nor should they be angled unless there is need for it. Note that it should probably be "Greater Antilles" and not "Grater…"

You did not mention what software you are using. If it's Illustrator, you might be able to find a slightly distressed brush to stroke the coastlines with so they do not appear so computer-generated and will better match the quality of your lettering. I don't know if Inkscape has that capability yet or not.

I like it, it's simple and very clear. I see nothing that demands a change; I even like the font.

Thank you for the warm welcome ^^.
I will try to modify the coastal lines or simply change them with something else. I'm using photoshop only by the way.
About the crisp and clean look, well it's not finished yet and I will work on it. But I don't know how right now :D.
The curved text was just a choice. I can always change it. While "Grater..." is clearly a mistake xD. Thank you for noticing it :D.

And thanks to Ascension that inspired many things with his tutorials and his wonderful maps :P.

Ok, I've changed something. I've used scattered brushes to draw the outlines to make them less clean, even if the results are not superb. Is it better now? Do you still think I should change the outlines around the land masses? Thank you.

welcome :) ... it looks much better now, really good work - have some rep for your first entry :)

Yeah, see, that looks way better than before. Though, personally, I'd make them an even more subtle gray, but this works really well.

I don't think the crispness of the lines will be a problem once you replace the white background with a parchment texture, which is the look you're going for, right?

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Originally Posted by tilt

welcome :) ... it looks much better now, really good work - have some rep for your first entry :)

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Thank you, but can someone please enlighten me about the meaning of "rep"? I'm not kidding! ç_ç

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Originally Posted by Daelin

Yeah, see, that looks way better than before. Though, personally, I'd make them an even more subtle gray, but this works really well.

I don't think the crispness of the lines will be a problem once you replace the white background with a parchment texture, which is the look you're going for, right?

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Yeah, that's what I'm going for, but I've not managed yet to obtain something I like. I'm a total amateur with photoshop and it won't be an easy task to reach what I want :D. Thank you.