What am I doing wrong?

[Vivorcha]

I started mapping a year ago, and I just can't seem to get the hang of it. My land shapes, mountain ranges, and rivers always seem to look unnatural.

The attached map is my last attempt. What am I doing wrong with regards to mountain ranges and land shape? It just doesn't look right. I'm using Gimp 2.8 and a drawing tablet.

For context, the mountain range to the north is supposed to be dividing the continent from a plateau. There's an ocean to the east of the continent.

[Chick]

There is a section of this forum called Tutorials, I recommend you start there. It has lots of good tutorials and techniques for GIMP and for mapping in general.

So start reading and practicing. None of us was born knowing how to do cartography or digital art, we spent many hours of study, practice, and work to learn to do it well. The best way for you to get better is to do the same. Read, study, practice, post maps for critique, and practice more. You'll get there, but it will take time and effort.

The good news is that CG is about the best place you can find to learn. I'll look forward to watching your progress.

[Diamond]

I think your general land shape looks fine. Where you're running into problems is the mountain layout. I'm no tectonics expert, but to get a crossed set of ranges like that, I feel like you'd need four plates all pressing against each other pretty evenly. Not only that, but each plate would need to be pressing outward equally on two sides. I guess you could say one or more of them is being subducted under its neighbor, but that doesn't make a lot of sense with the land layout.

[Cybersmily]

Hi Virvocha,
Like Diamond, I not an expert either. I use a guide line that mountains push up the land out of the water. So I will put mts/hills in the center of peninsula or surround a lake/sea. The other thing I think about with mountains is they are usually the source of rivers. If that helps.

[AMXPariah]

I agree with Diamond. Your land shapes don't look unnatural, but the mountains do. I suggest this tutorial for hand drawing mountains: http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...ight=mountains
Also, for some inspiration on how your mountain ranges became crossed, just check out this video on the geological history of the US: http://youtu.be/4Ach204Zsuw It's a good example of huge plates aren't the only thing affecting mountain ranges; it shows how the Appalachian mountains were formed by tons of terranes smashing into the east coast over time. Keep practicing

[Ascension]

There's also the matter of scale. If this map represents only a couple hundred miles across then you won't have all of those mountains. If this represents a thousand miles or more then I drew a handy dandy 10-minute pic for ya as a guide.

[AMXPariah]

That's one huge barbarian, Ascension.

[Ascension]

I was feeling goofy. I usually feel that way. Rarrr.

[Deadshade]

Like Chick I suggest to read and do some tutorials. There are many and excellent on this forum.
As for your attempt the coastlines are fine but the mountains are not.
As it has been already said, it is extremely rare that mountain ranges make a cross and if they do, then only on a smaller scale.
On continental scales they do what Ascension showed - basically parallel lines.
Rivers are easy - just a wiggly line going from the mountains towards the sea and collecting other smaller wiggly lines on the road..

[Bogie]

I was feeling goofy.

I hope Mickey doesn't find out.