Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 39

Thread: Equilas (commission WIP)

  1. #1
    Guild Journeyer Guild Sponsor Klaus van der Kroft's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Santiago, Chile
    Posts
    221

    Default Equilas (commission WIP)

    Well met!

    A few days ago a good friend of mine asked me to help him with a map for his own campaign setting, Equilas. While not much of a mapping expert myself, I decided to give it a try.

    He handed me his original hand-drawn map (the black and white one) and asked me to slightly distort its shape, in order to disguise a bit the star shape while still maintaining it.

    Here's the original map, for reference:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Mapa Équilas.jpg 
Views:	169 
Size:	2.61 MB 
ID:	59492

    Here's the first modified version I drew yesterday. I tried to vary up the coastline without going too far away from the original:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Equilas_small.jpg 
Views:	133 
Size:	434.2 KB 
ID:	59494

    And here's the testing I've been doing today with mountains, forests and a bit of colour on a corner of the picture. Never actually used colours before on a map, and the forest style is an experiment I'm trying for the first time (based on Torstan magnificent tutorials), so I defer to your better judgement and humbly ask for opinions. The portolan lines were drawn using Gidde's rhumb line diagram for the strokes:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Barat.jpg 
Views:	234 
Size:	1.21 MB 
ID:	59495

    Here's the download link for the full-sized version (13mb): Download Link

    Any and all opinions are more than welcomed. Thanks beforehand!
    Last edited by Klaus van der Kroft; 12-01-2013 at 12:30 PM.

  2. #2
    Guild Apprentice A.Woods's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    42

    Default

    I think you were definitely able to maintain the general star shape while making it appear more realistic. I feel it could use some refining though, the bottom right point in particular seems a bit off.

    As for the details, in my opinion your forest experiment is a success! I think they look great and I like the colour. That's my two cents anyway, really good solid start on this map, looking forward to seeing the final product.

  3. #3
    Administrator Facebook Connected Diamond's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Stafford, VA, USA
    Posts
    7,454

    Default

    Now THAT is cool. I think you did a good job with the shape. Those forests and mountains look amazing. The only thing I'm not sold on are the multi-colored portolan lines; they're kind of distracting.

  4. #4
    Guild Artisan Freodin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    513

    Default

    Wow...

    I'd say you did very well with the overall shape and your forest "experiment". But while I am really impressed with your forests, the way you did the frozen/snow/ice area impressed me even more. You really captured the cold and snowy look without having to resort to "pure white".

    I am really looking forward to see how this completes.

  5. #5

    Default

    I'm not fond of the general shape, but I really like what you did with you mountains and forests. And as Freodin says, your snowy zone is particularly well done!

  6. #6
    Guild Expert Eilathen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Kurald Liosan
    Posts
    1,334

    Default

    I also think that your shape looks very good. It is recognizable but way more map-ish (if that makes sense ) than the original. Looking forward to the progress.
    I'm trapped in Darkness,
    Still I reach out for the Stars

  7. #7
    Guild Journeyer Guild Sponsor Klaus van der Kroft's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Santiago, Chile
    Posts
    221

    Default

    Much appreciated, guys. Thanks.

    Regarding the portolan lines, yes, I think you are right about them being too distracting, Diamond. My friend thought so too, so I'll be moving into a less invasive wind rose.

    I'll try to have some progress done once I get home this evening.

  8. #8
    Guild Expert Guild Supporter Lingon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Sweden
    Posts
    1,212

    Default

    Very cool land shape, very nice mountains For the lines, you could try lowering the opacity and applying a small noisy blur to them, and perhaps also removing a few?

  9. #9
    Guild Journeyer Guild Sponsor Klaus van der Kroft's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Santiago, Chile
    Posts
    221

    Default

    Thank you very much, Lingon. Regarding what to do with the lines, I'll be trying some permutations with some different styles, but my friend seems not very convinced about using portolan diagrams.

    Here's a small update; started working on the mainland mountains. Also deleted a few mountains from the island, as I had made a mistake reading the original map (left some room for a few cities later on).

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Equilas 4.jpg 
Views:	109 
Size:	2.56 MB 
ID:	59528

  10. #10
    Guild Journeyer Guild Sponsor Klaus van der Kroft's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Santiago, Chile
    Posts
    221

    Default

    Got a bit more work done today; added some lakes, rivers and forests. The reference map said "Cloudy Forest", so I tried playing a bit with fog. Does it look like fog/cloudy forest? Or just a bunch of cotton candy trees?

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Equilas 5_cropped.jpg 
Views:	148 
Size:	2.21 MB 
ID:	59575

Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •