Here's a little bit bigger sample. Fixed the feathering effect on the ocean woodcut, and added an overlay crumpled paper pattern (which, now that I look at it again, makes things look too cluttered).
I really like how the forests are done, and the whole piece is very crisp and streamlined. The only thing that doesn't really fit - at least to my eye - are the parallel lines adjacent to the coast. Maybe it would look better with some noise, or randomized somehow.
Here's a little bit bigger sample. Fixed the feathering effect on the ocean woodcut, and added an overlay crumpled paper pattern (which, now that I look at it again, makes things look too cluttered).
I really like this style, Diamond. Very clean and very clear. I like the forests as they are and don't think you need to do anything to them.
Great stuff.
Royal: I'm very sorry for your loss, your mother was a terribly attractive woman.
My Cartographer's Guild maps: Finished Maps
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Yeah, I think the temptation is to over-work things, especially the forest. As it is now, the forests have just enough detail with that light pattern on 'em so that they're defined, but don't overwhelm everything else. I wanted the mountains to be just a bit bolder than other natural features, seeing as they're the spines of the land, and I think that turned out okay.
I think the only other thing I want to do is come up with some simple swamp and desert icons; probably just very small two- or three-pen stroke symbols.
Then it's off to the races!
nice stuff so far!
The woodcut effect is similar to one that I've used a few times, though your stands out more (which isn't a bad thing).
The forest detail doesn't really show up clearly on my monitor, but I'm not missing it, it's pretty clear to me what's forest, so I wouldn't change it unless you get a lot of people going "what are those grey blobs?"
My finished maps
"...sometimes the most efficient way to make something look drawn by hand is to simply draw it by hand..."
Overall I like it, but I'm not sure the 'crinkled paper' effect really adds anything to it. *shrugs*
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I'm fine with the paper thing but I think that some grunges brushes might go a longer way to providing some miscellaneous bits rather than the wrinkles. I always save that sort of stuff for the very end cuz sometimes it isn't needed. This looks pretty smashing, though, and if you didn't change a thing I'd still like it.
If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
-J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)
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Thanks, guys!
I agree. It's unnecessary.
That's what I was thinking too. I think I'll be better served finishing a map first and then playing around with stains/grunge effects, etc.
Since my overall map is going to be 9000x9000 pixels, I think what I'll do is create the entire continent first, at that size, and complete all terrain features. Then, split the thing into 81 1000x1000 sections. Since it's the text and additional special features which suck up so much puter memory, I figure I'll save those things for the individual sections.
It's going to be a massive undertaking, but I think it'll be worth it in the end... I hope...
Holy cow, have fun with that. Yeesh, sounds like a ton o work.
If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
-J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)
My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps