Generica
I couldn't come up with an idea for a trap map so I did this instead just to be doing something. It's a lot of something for just doing something but it's something at least - gives me something to do while I wait for next month's challenge. My goal was to just keep in practice and the map evolved and evolved and suddenly I had 6 variations (I'll put the others in the next post). I didn't want to get bogged down in a world map that I'm planning based on the various world's religions and mythologies 'cuz that will take some time to do properly and at poster size. I wanted to "go further" with my journey of terrain painting, more like height map painting. Basically, just a bunch of difference clouds that I then painted over to get something that could be used in a 3d viewer. Pretty standard stuff, not really new or anything, but I've been messing around with terrain painting for 5 years now so I wanted to do something better. I probably should have taken this into Wilbur to really refine the erosion but I'm not very smart so I always mess it up. Sure, the tuts for it are easy enough to understand and follow but I don't like how the rivers come out (I get very long straight rivers when painting a height map, even with Wilbur's noise, and the deltas are totally screwed). So, knowing that I mess it up, I decided to just do it my way in Photoshop and do as good as I could. The hardest parts were, of course, rivers, labels, then making the labels readable - didn't totally succeed on that last part but I sit close to my monitor so I can read them just fine. Anyway, it's sort of my atlas style "kicked up a notch". Hope you dig it.I call it finished but I'm posting it here to catch anything that I might have missed or just something that needs a bit more attention.
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
Here are the alternate versions of how the map evolved. Pic 1 is my standard satellite style, pretty dark but I like it that way. Pic 2 is a lighter version 'cuz most folks don't like my dark maps. Pic 3 I call semi-atlas 'cuz it's all lighter. The 4th pic is for if I want to go and do this in a hand-drawn style - clearly not finished. The last is for if I go and do an antique style.
Edit: pics 2 and 3 should be swapped but this darn uploader won't put 'em in the right place for some reason.
Last edited by Ascension; 02-21-2011 at 01:21 PM.
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
Stunning work, Big A.
lol, you remind me of those master chefs who say, 'here's a little something I threw together' and produce a feast fit for a king. The labels look perfectly readable on my monitor. There are a hellauva lot of dungeons though!! It's an adventurer's dream! Then again, I guess the scale is so tiny that they're a good one hundred miles apart from each other on average.
They're just rumored locations, some are just good caves for spelunking with no monsters in 'em at all other than bats and roaches. And thanks, man.
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
It's as ravells said, astonishing. It all seems so beautifull and easy in your hands all, I'm far from being half ready do to beautiful maps too T-T !
Big applause to you !
Mika.
I agree with Ravell's. I think you have your mapping down. Time to work on your toponyms
Astrographer - My blog.
Klarr
-How to Fit a Map to a Globe
-Regina, Jewel of the Spinward Main(uvmapping to apply icosahedral projection worldmaps to 3d globes)
-Building a Ridge Heightmap in PS
-Faking Morphological Dilate and Contract with PS
-Editing Noise Into Terrain the Burpwallow Way
-Wilbur is Waldronate's. I'm just a fan.
My two cents. Wish I could "throw together like that " I prefer alternate 1st row Middle " Not specifically because it is lighter but because having better contrast all the intricate textures pop out. Lots to catch the Eye !! Other than the smallest point text is all seems to be well readable to me . Of the two atlas style ones on the bottom I prefer the darker one seems to give it an older more antique look to it.
"Aye The skies be clear , the seas be calm and the winds be with us .....
ARGH!! but the damn compass be broken!! "
Capt. Noah Swalter Last voyage of the " Silver Crest"
Looks great, Asc ... I've been trying heightmap painting and can never come up with anything at all workable, so hat's off to you. That's hard stuff.
Gidde's just zis girl, you know?
My finished maps | My deviantART gallery
My tutorials: Textured forests in GIMP, Hand-Drawn Mapping for the Artistically Challenged
Awesome man, I love the look. I wish my coastlines came out like that. I'm still not happy with mine.
“When it’s over and you look in the mirror, did you do the best that you were capable of? If so, the score does not matter. But if you find that you did your best you were capable of, you will find it to your liking.” -John Wooden
* Rivengard * My Finished Maps * My Challenge Maps * My deviantArt
Do you mind if I steal your border concept for my Lite Challenge entry? I'm sure you don't but I though I'd ask first.
Cheers, Julien
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