Reply With QuoteAh the joys of being self taught...even with helpI think you are really starting to get the hang of PS. It feels quite alive.
Ok this setback thing really bugged me so I bulldozed my way back to where I wasActually I like the way the tree mass is coming along alot better, added some minor pathways along waterway, thru trees and between some houses. Not so happy with the dirt / grass condition in the manor hold, think I'll need to go back and rework this. So another minor update but it's sure looking different than the start! Becoming a tad more comfortable with PS, but still need lessons LOL.
Ah the joys of being self taught...even with help
Art Critic = Someone with the Eye of an Artist, Words of a Bard, and the Talent of a Rock.
Please take my critiques as someone who Wishes he had the Talent
For what it's worth, your latest version is better than the one before it. And I personally prefer the mud/dirt outside the manor/keep now. A few things I thought of for this map (which you're probably going to hate me for):
Your trade house and inn are facing the main square at an angle - you'd think they'd prefer to have the road right at their main doors.
The wagon maker looks like his/her shop opens onto a yard (which makes sense), but the main road is prime real-estate (I'm assuming the road lower-left to upper right is the main road); s/he'd also want a large front door, and perhaps a lane from main street to yard?
The mill is a very important building, and the miller would also want a path.
And, last, if that space in front of the manor/keep is somewhere carriages pull up (perhaps made by the local wagon maker?), you could try adding some lines in the mud to look like wheel ruts. It might make you happier with the mud there.
Just some things to think about (might be too late for some of those, I know, but the wheel ruts should be doable). Otherwise, great looking map. Definite improvement in the trees, and I like the colours around the dye vats.
Korash, thanks the learning has been quite a journey for me here
THW Trade house / Inn Placement at an angle was intentional, helped to focus the setting inward to the well and more or less facing the Manor Hold. This to me helped bring the illusion of the town center (which is actually on the outskirts) back towards the middle of the town/map. I Also added a bit of building profile for the traveler to see the front building face as they entered from either direction, so there is some method to my madness :-)
I've not finished up with the paths, so we will see more mud trodden lanes LOL as well as maybe more trees, more roof coloration etc I work sporadically all over the place and tend to quit what I'm doing in the middle when tedium sets in. I'll give the roadwork ruts (good suggestion) some thought, have to work out a scale in my mind first.
I've not really made up my mind which road will actually be the main access, this will more depend on the story line (which is getting more extensive by the hour!). From a minor aspect of the story line the main road is really the road from upper left to lower right, but alas I really didn't consider this when I started the doodle. The roadway from lower left to upper right actually works better from a building placement standpoint. Ahh, the dilemma!! thanks for the crits, good thoughts to ponder, if not on this then the next.
This is getting better and better Vellum!The setback you've had seemed to have helped as well. ^^ The latest version looks really great!
Small update, worked on this some tonight just to get back in the swing of things for the new year. Messed with the border, not liking this atm. Need a few more named places, going to do a bit more research on what may or may not be located in this type of village. Played with tree texture some. If ya all have any suggestions shoot em up
I really like the hand-drawn ink houses and geographical elements. If I were to make one suggestion it would be that the overall composition might be improved were you to employ the same pencil and ink style on the trees and forests - for consistency.
Cheers,
-Arsheesh
Arsheesh the style consistency idea is a good one, I'll try it with the next effort. I didn't do any tree line / forest work in the original freehand sketch as I really haven't found a technique that I like to accomplish this. Any thing on the site here that I should look at that would work? Or elsewhere for that matter.
It looks great to me. I know there are a few hand drawn guides in the tutorials forum, a thread of collected mini tutorials.
Originally Posted by Vellum
Also, have a look at some of Larb and Schley's town maps for a good example of what I'm talking about.
Cheers,
-Arsheesh
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