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Thread: First try at a handdrawn map

  1. #1
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    Wip First try at a handdrawn map

    I finally started drawing my first map and would love to get some critique and suggestions.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
    Guild Adept Obbehobbe's Avatar
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    Are you satisfied with the map yourself? I don't know what kind of approach you want with the map. If it's supposed to be black and white and clean - then it's a nice map. What would you like to do with the map?
    "That sounds... incredibly complicated, but there's no doubt the result is fantastic." /Diamond

  3. #3
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    You are right I should have posted a little bit more information. I am creating a p&p campaign and decided to draw one of the areas of the continent to make the world more complete.

    My goal was to only draw the defining features of the landscape an omit a lot of details. I was thinking about adding in some features with colored ink, but I don't have any with me.

    The one thing i really dislike is the coastline, the wave lines absolutely didn't turn out as expected. And i would be happy to hear some alternatives.

  4. #4
    Community Leader Guild Sponsor Korash's Avatar
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    One thing you might want to try instead of the waves, is some lines that run parallel to the coast for a little bit and make the lines lighter the further they are from the coast. 3-4 lines per group would be enough I think. Look through the Finished Maps forum and I am sure that you will find examples of what I am talking about.
    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

  5. #5
    Guild Artisan Freodin's Avatar
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    The ash barrens part is a little lacking, but wasteland / deserts is always rather tricky to get right and looking good.

    The rest of the map: very tolkienesque! You could try the alternative that Korash proposed for the coastal lines, though I have to say, I like the little waves.

    Good job, all in all!

  6. #6
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    Very nice! i especially like the Droas(r?) grasslands! Maybe there could be more of little details like that, especially the mountains look a bit empty for me...
    Labeling is always difficult when you do it with ink, maybe write larger?
    the waves aren't that bad! what i like to do is similar, but i connect some waves to one line.
    Keep it up!

  7. #7
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    Thank you all for the nice feedback.

    I got a lot of new ideas and thing I need to try out. Definitely need to look into how to best draw deserts.

  8. #8
    Guild Expert rdanhenry's Avatar
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    When preparing a map for yourself as a writer or even more so as a GM, it is a good idea to only detail it as much as you really need to in order to get started, so you allow yourself as much freedom as possible to define in more detail as best fits the progression of your story/game later. (It is more important for a GM, since a writer can go back and change the map during writing if need be, whereas a GM probably has committed to his players basic facts of geography by the time he may regret them later.) Also, spending a lot of time on the map at this point tends to take out time that should be spent on writing/adventure prep. This is definitely enough to get started with.

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