Weylin Woods - WIP - Words of Wisdom are Welcome
Hey everyone!
As is blatant by my post count and join date I’m an avid lurker of these forums. Recently however I took it on myself to make a map based on the setting of my Larp group. For this I took much inspiration of the greatest source of fantasy maps around (you can take three guesses; first one doesn’t count). I thus tried to absorb and enact upon some of the wisdom the great artisans and masters of this place have shared, either through tutorials or shining examples. And so, based on what I gleamed here I set about trying to fabricate my own map. Frequenters of this place will surely recognize the influences I’ve borrowed from Vorropohaia or –Max- for example, or some of the brushes I’ve used such as the mountain set of Schwarzkreuz. And that’s just to name a few, because the number of magnificently talented people creating equally astounding maps on these forums is staggering!
So this is what I have so far, and as far as first attempts go I’m certainly satisfied. But since this is a map I’m making for a large group of my peers, I’m feeling the need to take it a bit further. However, as I have no prior experience, I’m somewhat dumbfound on how to proceed from here. That’s why I’m turning to this forum for advice and commentary. My major concerns are as follows.
It’s a pretty big map; however it includes some large empty spaces. Do I leave them as is to avoid crowding the place? Alternatively, how do I make these more interesting?
There are a few curved lines crossing the map. I’m guessing usually these lines on maps indicate the curvature of the globe (forgive my poor grasp of cartographic argon). In this particular map however they serve to indicate how much I warped the map to have the Weylin Woods occupy as much of the functional area as possible. Convenient for me, but perhaps this should not be indicated on the map? I do feel they add a bit of panache to the map, so if I were to remove them, perhaps replace them with something else? A grid perhaps?
As it stands all my points of interest outside of cities and historic battle are marked by the same triangular symbol. Quick and easy, obviously, but hardly inspired. Would I do well to illustrate every POI with its own distinct marker or would that be too messy? Perhaps simply differentiate between different types of POI, like tombs, monuments, natural features etc?
I’m missing a legend. I haven’t figured out how to incorporate one without cluttering any one area. Suggestions? It could probably incorporate the windrose and scale, thus freeing up the upper left corner.
Perhaps there are other cartographic faux-pas I’m unaware of? I hardly suspect others in my group to be particularly more knowledgeable about the subject then I am to such a degree that they would object, but if I’m going to invest, I might as well be punctuate
Right, that’s enough from me for now. Thanks in advance to you all!
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