Perhaps not a map, but a Request/Opportunity Nonetheless!

[The Cartographist]

Redrobes – You are a machine! (A high compliment indeed!) YES, this is heading in the right direction. [Unfortunately, I’m at work right now and my system doesn’t seem to allow me to view a full-size version, only the thumbnail—hopefully that will not affect my comments.]

First, I love the shape of the scroll. I think that it is almost perfect--could it lengthened slightly in the horizontal to make the overall logo a little more rectangular?

On to some specific critiques:
- I like the glowing “points”, but you could make them a little less bright? The glare that they’re throwing off looks really good, but I don’t want them quite so bright.
- Can you make the colors of the lands around the points brighter? I don’t want them to be garish or fluorescent, but I do want them to stand out.
- I really want the areas of ‘illuminated’ land to be separated by the blackness that surrounds them. In other words, rather than one large area with three points, three smaller areas each with its own point. Obviously, the placement of those points will affect the title text that you overlay above the scroll (or vice versa).
- The coloring of the scroll itself requires a couple of comments:
First, could you make the general color more of a tan parchment color, including the back of the scroll. Currently, it is a bit too gray.
Second, could you also make the “blackness” that covers the map on the scroll more black. I think that it doesn’t have to cover the entire front of the scroll, specifically the edges, but should cover almost all of it except for the ‘illuminated’ lands.
Third, the pattern on the scroll is a bit regular. Is there any way to make it less so? (Although this issue might go away entirely when you blacken the black.)

I think that I may have some more minor bits and pieces, but that’s mostly it. Really, really nice.

[Redrobes]

Is this getting warmer ?

[SeerBlue]

here is a more refined render, it is done in sketchup,SkIndigo, Indigo, and PS.
Hopefully, it is closer to what you want, though I don't think it is really the quality you need.Hand drawn maps and PS are something I need alot of practice with. I posted it mostly to show what can be done with the apps listed above, and perhaps to get some others to give those programs a go.
The nice thing about this route is that once the SKP file is made, the font can be changed, the image changed,Textures changed, and the whole thing rerendered in Sketchup/indigo.
And all the programs are free, Sketchup6, SkIndigo plugin, Indigo renderer, and a few ruby scripts which make creating scrolls easier.
So if your itching to make a logo, and try out some new apps, give them a try.

[The Cartographist]

Redrobes – Yes. Getting warmer – the change to the texture of the scroll helps a lot. I would like the general color of the scroll to be a lighter tan/parchment color.

With respect to the “blackness” covering most of the map, I want it to be darker, inkier. Actually, very similar to what SeerBlue did with his second take on it.

[The Cartographist]

I had made up a brief example—three images. First is the map, unblackened. Second is a black shadow. Third is the final map with shadow. However, I did this before seeing SeerBlue’s second take. The way he handled the black is better looking to my eye than my feeble GIMP-fuzzy-brush attempt.

[Redrobes]

I dont think I am following this. You want the scroll to be lighter but the blackness darker. You want all of the scroll covered with darkness except the lit points and you want the lit bits of the map to be stronger coloured up to but not including garish / neon colours.

So I get the back of the map - thats tan.

The front is all very dark / black except the lit points ? And the lit points should be tan or coloured ?

Are you able to provide a sample of colours representing what you want especially w.r.t the map towns after being lit ?

Edit -- Ahh crossed posts again... so the tan bit for the towns ? Is the tan just on the back then ?

[The Cartographist]

Redrobes - You're not getting it, because, as I read back, I see that I'm not explaining it very well. I'll try again once I'm able to hush a (just started) crying baby.

[SeerBlue]

To do the smudges/inky blackness that covers most of the map I used an improved clouds plugin in from CWeids terragen site, it gives alot more control over the creation of clouds than the PS render clouds. It is linked, under free downloads on the left, at this site http://cwied.com/Terragen/ Then it was just dry media brushes to do staining/scratches on different layers. SeerBlue

[jfrazierjr]

Am I understanding this that you want a standard light tan parchment as the base. Over which will be draw a map. Overwich will be stains, burn marks, etc so that only a few small parts of the whole remain visiable. The parts that are burned/stained/etc are so badly messed up as to totally obscure anything below. Over top of all of this is some nice font with your "points of light" text.

Joe