Khayne Island

[Daelin]

Ohai.

It's indeed been some time since I last posted anything meaningful on CG. Well, here is another map, then.

Can't quite think of anything to say about this. Thought I'd limit myself to something small, like a lone island, not get bogged down in 100+ hours of work, like some of my previous monster maps. So this map was just made to get myself fired up and back into creative mode after a year off being a responsible adult. Pretty much had to learn Photoshop all over again. Rehashed some of my old techniques but way simpler doing this Khayne Island. Tried a few new things. Don't know if they worked any good. Does that even look like a volcano?

Anyway, here it is. Hope you dig it.

[Wingshaw]

Nice. I really like the inclusion of the atoll.

Welcome back.

THW

[snodsy]

Very nice to see more of your work, a couple things stick out to me, wouldn't the shadow on tower 4 offset/distort when it goes down the cliff and hits water instead of a straight line shadow? The island also seems to hover above the water some. Love the cliffs, forest and mountains. Not sure about the volcano, maybe not so symmetrical?

[Deadshade]

A coral reef looks normally exactly opposite.
The waves break outside so that you have white foam outside of the reef and not inside. Inside it's calm and darker color.

[waldronate]

A coral reef looks normally exactly opposite.
The waves break outside so that you have white foam outside of the reef and not inside. Inside it's calm and darker color.

For many atolls, the lagoon inside of the reef accumulates sand and the water is shallower there. I think that's what's being shown here ( see picture at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atoll for an example - the white outer rim is the waves breaking; the turquoise inner lagoon is due to water depth).

[Daelin]

...wouldn't the shadow on tower 4 offset/distort when it goes down the cliff and hits water instead of a straight line shadow?

Absolutely. And did I try, but could not work out the way to make it look right. Thought ah screw it, I ain't bovvered.

Not sure about the volcano, maybe not so symmetrical?

I'm not sure what you mean. What part looks symmetrical to you?

the turquoise inner lagoon is due to water depth).

Exactly. I likely wasn't very successful in producing the right look, then. Made the light blue too blurred at the edges, me thinks. It does look a little like surf, I will admit. Here's the actual photo I based the map on:

Light blue inside.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

This is a cool looking map! May I ask about the workflow for making the buildings? I'd like to try something similar when I make a city map.

[Daelin]

May I ask about the workflow for making the buildings?

I used the rectangle tool in Photoshop; every building that is not a basic rectangle is a combination of 2 or more. For coloring I used a randomizing technique so the roofs wouldn't have such a uniform look. Very simple, really.