May 2014 Entry - The Sahuagin point of view

[Francissimo]

Yeah, really nice! I like the cities!

Thanks! i have reworked on that point a bit. I also add some waves, sea weed and try to represent oceanic curents instead of roads.
### Latest WIP ###

[Francissimo]

I reworked a bit building shapes and start labeling and add a border. Pictures on the border are from Sahuagin - Eberron Wiki
Do you think it is ok to use those pictures i didn't create for my borders?
### Latest WIP ###

[Twonineone]

The idea is wonderful and I love how you have decided to work to, but at first glance seems that the sea overwhelms the land. Seems like the isles are hollows, like depressions in the sea...I don't know if you see what I mean

[Francissimo]

Yep i see what you mean, a friend of mine had the same perception about islands. My problem is that i don't want those islands to become central, they are like the sea on usual maps, so effects musn't be too strong. I think of reworking a bit the shadows, maybe the waves effect, a white line all around the land is part responsible for the depression effect.

[Ilanthar]

Nice work Francissimo! Curiously, I'm not fond of it at small size, but it become very good when zoomed at real size.

By Francissimo
a white line all around the land is part responsible for the depression effect.

That's exactly what I'm thinking. I think this is making the islands pop up, although I don't see it as depressions.

[Twonineone]

Yep i see what you mean, a friend of mine had the same perception about islands. My problem is that i don't want those islands to become central, they are like the sea on usual maps, so effects musn't be too strong. I think of reworking a bit the shadows, maybe the waves effect, a white line all around the land is part responsible for the depression effect.

I don't know if the problem is the white line, I'm just a newbie, so I look your map as not expert. If this perception belong only to me and your friend, we are probably wrong (unless your friend is a map maker ), so just ignore me

EDIT: the problem will be probably solved with a little shadow outside the isles edges. Do you think it could work?

[Francissimo]

The first instinctive feeling you have when you look at a map is something very usefull for a map maker, you completly loose this feeling when it's your own map you've been working on for hours so your comment wasn't useless and that's why feedbacks are so important
ps: i have try adding some shadows on the lower parts of islands and it looks kinda better to me so that was a usefull remark thx!

[Twonineone]

The first instinctive feeling you have when you look at a map is something very usefull for a map maker, you completly loose this feeling when it's your own map you've been working on for hours so your comment wasn't useless and that's why feedbacks are so important
ps: i have try adding some shadows on the lower parts of islands and it looks kinda better to me so that was a usefull remark thx!

Oh nice, I'm really happy to be useful ^^

[Meshon]

I love the ocean currents. I just recently came across these Marshall Islands stick charts which are much less about representing precise geography, and all about representing movement. It makes perfect sense that the Sahuagin would want to know that sort of thing.

Also the underwater topography looks great, it's very detailed and much like what I would expect the very intelligent Sahuagin to produce.

cheers,
Meshon

[Francissimo]

I love the ocean currents. I just recently came across these Marshall Islands stick charts which are much less about representing precise geography, and all about representing movement. It makes perfect sense that the Sahuagin would want to know that sort of thing.

Also the underwater topography looks great, it's very detailed and much like what I would expect the very intelligent Sahuagin to produce.

cheers,
Meshon

Thanks Meshon! The fact sahuagins are very intelligent was an important factor for the theme of the map, as it allows me to make a detailed map credible for such an evolved civilisation. the idea to represent oceanic curent came to me because the map was badly empty without roads
I've add a subtle wave effect on oceans, a north trident and a scale bar. Not sure but that's probably the final version
### Latest WIP ###

Working with a map where noticable elements are all supposed to be underwater was quite challenging and fun. I needed to work only with shade of blue, and the texture work to represent the water had to be subtle, i did my best to find the balance between a texture on ocean that suggest water and waves and at the same time don't reduce too much the visibility of buildings, sea weed and oceanic curent.