A World Map

[Skari-dono]

During the holidays I found an old map I made some years ago (at least 5, but I can't really remember) that I had made for a role-playing game. Since the game never got past the map-making step, I decided to put it to good use. I've been working on a different setting and I thought I could really make use of this map.

The original map was hand drawn and damn nearly complete. I had already named most of the towns and stuff, primary roads were on the map, and primary sailing routes were there too. I did the original coastline in Adobe Illustrator, then redid the coastline with the pentool in Photoshop. I used StarRaven's Calligraphic Map Symbols set for the whole thing (looks awesome) but I might change it for something else later.

I'd like to color it, but I'm not really good at making it look like an old map. Any good tutorials you can suggest I have a look at?

[Skari-dono]

By suggestion, I fixed the rivers somewhat. Admittedly, they are still not perfect but I think I've made a huge improvement. Also a closer look at Mistral to see a closer view of the new river style.

[Lukc]

I would warn you that your rivers are splitting in the wrong direction. As rivers flow towards the sea they tend to come together into single flows - except in river deltas, which are exceptional occurences.

[Skari-dono]

There is no pleasing some people

Only joking. I appreciate every and all comments, specially since I don't know much about rivers

So rather than split them up I should join them together as it gets closer to the sea? I'll have another look at this when I get the chance and hopefully I can avoid the attention of the River Police

[RobA]

There is no pleasing some people

Only joking. I appreciate every and all comments, specially since I don't know much about rivers

So rather than split them up I should join them together as it gets closer to the sea? I'll have another look at this when I get the chance and hopefully I can avoid the attention of the River Police

Nobody can avoid the attention of the River Police!!!




Keep working though, it's a good start!

-Rob A>

[Skari-dono]

I... wasn't actually expecting someone who is actually referred to as the River Police. I thought this was something like a grammar nazi or something.

Anyway, I've done some improvements to the map (I hope). I simplified most of the rivers, but I want to keep them multiplied near Mistral since that is sorta a thing there.

I replaced most of the map with other brushes (still keeping to StarRaven's brushes since they are awesome). I forgot to fix the roads before saving so I will do that soon enough. I have two versions here: one with a background and one without. I don't know if I'll keep the background or do some coloring, or perhaps both. For now, this'll do.

Again, close-ups of Mistral for both versions.



P.S.: I intend to rename Shinton/Isanbul later on and hopefully find something that does not sound as awful. I don't know what it is, it just doesn't sound right.

[Alex]

Might be this will help you with the rivers?

http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...he-right-place

[Lukc]

I recommend Shinbul or Isanton ... or flip them again and go for Bulshin and Tonisan ... or ... anyway, the weirdest rivers are east of Mistral, where they just branch around like mad. Water doesn't really tend to do that .

Otherwise, it looks nice.

[Skari-dono]

True and not, there are plenty of examples where they do branch around, although I admit that mine might be a bit of an extreme example. There are in fact several rivers here in Iceland that do behave like this, usually splitting up at one point and joining again at another. This might be due to some landscape feature that is no longer there, such as ice. Admittedly, I did wa-ay too much of this previously, but I don't think I need to fix any of the remaining rivers any further. But thanks for the input.

I like your suggestion of Shinbul and I think I will yoink that one if you don't mind

[Hai-Etlik]

True and not, there are plenty of examples where they do branch around, although I admit that mine might be a bit of an extreme example. There are in fact several rivers here in Iceland that do behave like this, usually splitting up at one point and joining again at another. This might be due to some landscape feature that is no longer there, such as ice. Admittedly, I did wa-ay too much of this previously, but I don't think I need to fix any of the remaining rivers any further. But thanks for the input.

Distributaries do occur, but they are short lived and don't go very far before either rejoining the main stream, or flowing into some larger body of water. They tend to occur where there is a lot of sediment being deposited which causes flooding and shifting of the channel. Mostly, this occurs in floodplains, particularly deltas, but it can also occur on a slope in a structure called an alluvial fan. Sometimes a river with a LOT of sediment in it starts rapidly branching and merging over an extended course, these are called "braided rivers".

Some Icelandic rivers certainly have a lot of braiding, but they don't show repeated branching over the entire length of the river, with no merging, to spread over a wide area.