Here we go! A huge update. First of all, some progression shots:
Stage 1: The map from the Tokyo National Museum historical archives + concept notes.
Stage 2: Research + began outlining + concept solidification. Edo period-style border added.
Stage 3: Finished outline.
Stage 4: Outline drawing begins.
Stage 5: Brushwork outline finished.
Stage 6: Color base added.
Stage 7: Landmass tones added. Coastal outlines added. River colors altered.
Stage 8: Colors, shades, and other details added to geographic features. Woodblock (ukiyo-e) gradient added. Weather gradient added. Handmade washi paper texture added.
Stage 9: Gradient perfected, roads added.
Stage 10: Adding icons now.
That's where we are now, more or less. Very close to finishing. It's been a long and arduous journey, but I am extremely happy with the result. Collaborating with SK has been incredibly rewarding for both myself and Maiko.
The photoshop file football has been tossed to me now. I'm going to tinker with icons and move locations to where they need to be. And then, of course, Maiko's hand-written labels will be important. We are not going to include all of the settlements that we outlined. Most, but not all. Icons will be separated into population sizes (cities), major Shinto shrines, and major Buddhist temples. More temples and shrines than what are shown on the outline will be included. I'd also like to figure out some way to elegantly inform viewers which towns have castles. Perhaps a simple square or diamond enveloping the dot?
Also, my handmade washi really altered the color of the water. We might have to play with that so it is a little less "lime" colored. There also appear to be some repeating artifacts in the paper ... perhaps a leftover from the texture we were using beforehand. The texture of the main handmade washi gives the overall background a subtle and beautiful boost.
I will post the finished map when it's ready. We are working on this while putting the finishing touches on parts of our PDF playtest packet (which is basically the rough draft of our core rulebook), so there's a lot going on. Any general comments or suggestions would be much appreciated!
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