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Thread: Hand Drawn Map

  1. #1
    Guild Apprentice Arthnek's Avatar
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    Map Hand Drawn Map

    Here is a hand drawn map for my upcoming 4th edition campaign. D&D fantasy with various character races meets a sort of Robert Howard / 1930's style fantasy world.

    India ink on parchment. The original white parchment (the color background is photoshop'd) is a nice big piece of high quality paper stock. The map itself is approximately 28" tall by 80" wide.

    Still working on the edges and then I plan to water color it.

    [IMG][/IMG]

    The name of the setting is "Empires of Sky".
    Edward M Kann
    Writer Guy / Sometimes Artist
    www.rocketshipempires.com

  2. #2
    Guild Apprentice Arthnek's Avatar
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    Here is a closer detail. As you can see (I hope), there is an enormous amount of detail that gets lost when you back up and show the entire map in a single image.

    As far as a prop I am toying around with making a second copy printed on tan vinyl and then glueing this inside some material (fake reptile skin) so I can create my own dragon hide map as a prop for the game table.

    [IMG][/IMG]
    Edward M Kann
    Writer Guy / Sometimes Artist
    www.rocketshipempires.com

  3. #3
    Guild Apprentice Arthnek's Avatar
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    Ok. Last one. This is a closer detail of the East edge of the map. Hopefully close enough that you can make out some of the names of places where you'd never even spot them in the full image.

    Edward M Kann
    Writer Guy / Sometimes Artist
    www.rocketshipempires.com

  4. #4
    Guild Apprentice Arthnek's Avatar
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    Suggestions for improvement are always helpful and welcome. I believe this is the first hand drawn map I've posted.

    Art
    Edward M Kann
    Writer Guy / Sometimes Artist
    www.rocketshipempires.com

  5. #5
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Steel General's Avatar
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    While admittedly not the biggest fan of hand-drawn maps, I like this.

    Looking forward to seeing the finished version.
    My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...

    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.



  6. #6
    Guild Journeyer
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    ooo - I like that! Nice choice of colour for the paper. There's a good consistency over the whole map and I like the perspective on the lettering.

    One suggestion, or rather observation is the way you have 'Empires of Dawn' divided by your sword compass. It makes me read it as 'Empires of.....Dawn' Darkening the sea area a touch darker than the land area will help distinguish the two apart. at first glance I thought it was a big desert despite having 'Sea' plastered across it - probably just me.

    Looking forward to seeing more.


    Cheers
    jez
    Last edited by jezelf; 09-16-2008 at 07:59 AM.

  7. #7
    Administrator Redrobes's Avatar
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    Woah, 80" ! Thats big

    I write a zoom map browser so you can zoom into areas and get more detail. You seem to be doing the same kind of thing but in real paper map. Are you ever going to scan it all in or just water color the whole thing and leave it as a one off ?

  8. #8

    Praise Gorgeous Map!

    Gorgeous Map - I love the hand-drawn work and the slight 3/4 angle of the map view. However, the Ice Fields, with the rather consistent jagged angle, seems out of place to the rest of the map. Something about that turns me off.

    However, this map still deserves REP - so I REPped you!

    GP
    Gamer Printshop Publishing, Starfinder RPG modules and supplements, Map Products, Map Symbol Sets and Map Making Tutorial Guide
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    Artstation Gallery - Maps and 3D illustrations

  9. #9
    Guild Apprentice Arthnek's Avatar
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    I agree Gamerprinter. I am struggling with how I should draw the ice fields. In fact I'll probably re-do this (third times the charm right?) and pull all the best elements into a smaller and more cohesive environment. That will allow me to drop out the weaker elements, get rid of blank space..fix the problem with the sword, etc...

    However this third time I think I will try to make the lettering more interesting. I need to tighten up the angle and maybe learn to do some more interesting cartographic lettering for the larger bits. (I wish.)

    If all else fails I guess I can scan it before I hand letter it and if I hate the hand lettering I can use the scan to do a computer lettering job.

    On the scan issue. I have an oversize roller scanner at work. It can accomodate up to 36" wide and since it rolls the paper through can scan anything as long as I like. So I scan the entire map in one shot. Unfortunately this means the original file is like...bigger than the Death Star in file size. So I have to first reduce the file size before even attempting to size it for the web or photoshop it much or anything.

    I'm going to start the redesign on this today and hopefully this week will get the revised version posted to show for suggestions.

    As far as the sword goes I think I will try my hand at drawing a custom border on a second sheet of paper, scan it, scale it and drop the map in beneath the border. I'll still use the sword but incorporate that into the border...a design feature off a Hyperborea map that I adored.

    Thanks for the comments and encouragement.
    Edward M Kann
    Writer Guy / Sometimes Artist
    www.rocketshipempires.com

  10. #10
    Guild Apprentice Arthnek's Avatar
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    Oh and yes. When I get a final version I like I'll print a copy on watercolor paper off the huge oversize color printer at work and then play around with watercoloring the entire thing.

    That is if I don't change my mind and go with the touchy feely dragon hide idea.

    I am a big fan of props for games and I always like the idea of big super enormous maps for the characters to unroll...cover most of the game table with and plot around during a game. Add some lamps in the room and some lighting...a fire in the fireplace and some epic music and it really evokes a cool environment for play. A bit of appropriate ale type beverage in some steins at hand is also a good thing.
    Edward M Kann
    Writer Guy / Sometimes Artist
    www.rocketshipempires.com

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