January 2015 Challenge: Crossroads of the world

[Lingon]

This seems like a good excuse to try something new I wouldn't get around to otherwise Here are some random shapes I drew, and filled in with dark grey. It became a meeting point for four continents and four oceans, hence my super-corny title which might not make it into a cartouche. Trying to keep track of hours spent, which I always forget, and so far it's going well – 1,5 hours. After this, I'll start building up highlights and make some sort of grayscale height map, and if there's time, I'll add color washes on top of that. But that's far, far into the distant future, so… oh, 3 days? Ok. No problem.

### Latest WIP ###

[Chick]

Interesting shapes! That's some lacework in the lower left, will be fun to see what you do with that

[Lingon]

Thanks Chick! I do like a big archipelago

Squeezed in 3 more hours today and did the highlights. Have to knock it back a little, bring back some deeper areas, I got over-enthusiastic with the white in some places and the mountains turned out a bit uniform in height, but something like this…

### Latest WIP ###

[Deadshade]

Even if this is indeed a hyperrealistic typical mountain range style (style that I rather like), isn't it too much ? I mean there must have been some impossibly huge magics at work to override all tectonic forces and create these impossible shapes.
Also even if one accepts these converging ranges, there should be a rather great altitude difference between the main central crest and the lower erosion created ridges and valleys - with naked eye they seem to be all the same white to me.

But the NW range can compete for the title of most realistic mountain range on this site. You have even a glaciation lake there

[Lingon]

Thanks Deadshade! Yes, it is too much, totally… No tectonics at work here I think, just a new airbrush and too little self control. Or actually, the airbrush isn't that new, I just haven't had time to use it very much so it just feels new, so I guess it's only the lack of self control. And as I pointed out, yes, there should be more height variation, it's too much white.

This is completely experimental, in technique and style and everything. Doing lots of mistakes and getting lots of ideas to improve it. As usual for the past few months, I'v ended up with more work (real work, that is) than I thought, but I'll do my best to finish… In order to save some time, I skipped the shading step I had planned, which would have made the ridges less uniform in height, and just painted the rivers before scanning and coloring it in PS. I don't like it, but it's better than grayscale I guess… I'd really like to add some labels, it feels very incomplete still, but here is where I'm at with this map tonight.

### Latest WIP ###

[Chick]

Well, that's what challenges are for! Trying out something new and different

Despite the flaws this map might have under the tight timeframe, the technique you are using could turn out absolutely beautiful. Keep going, I can't wait to see how it works out

[arsheesh]

Very interesting. Whether or not you finish it in time for the challenge I'm interested to see how this turns out.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Lingon]

Cheers guys I hope I can finish it, but either way, I'll definitely use this style some more, later…

Added some brown to the mountains, a frame, and some random labels (font is Linux Biolinum). I'd like to put more place names on it, and cities and maybe borders, but at this stage it at least has the feel I wanted to reach, so if I don't have time to add more details tonight, I'm ok with calling it done. Or "done".

### Latest WIP ###

[Bogie]

Good map, I can imagine that having 4 large countries meeting in the middle and separated by just a little water would lead to many conflicts.

[Lingon]

Thanks Bogie! Quick update, hopefully in time...

### Latest WIP ###