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

[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

[The Cartographist]

Redrobes - Ran out of time today. I'll try to get more clarification tomorrow.

jfrazierjr - That pretty much covers it.

[Redrobes]

Right direction ? The shape of the black can change pretty easily.
If not then I could give Seer my parchment model and he can take it to completion if you like.

[jfrazierjr]

I think what he is looking for is more along the lines of a normal parchment style map, but with the "surface" where the map color/symbols are located would be stained as to be unreadable. My first thought when playing with this was to create somewhat of a rough map and then use the burn tool to "erase" portions until I had the "points of light". That seems to be my understanding based on his comments to my last post. By black, I take it to mean obscured from viewing what's underneath as opposed to litterally black.

Joe