Desert Region Updated [WIP]

[pete_p]

Hi everyone,
It has been a very long time and I have finally managed some time after moving country...

My previous post http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...ad.php?t=19004

I have reconsidered the map style (thanks Max for your off-site assistance) and have started a new design.

The map is for a Late Antique/Early Medieval setting (400-800 AD) Mediterranean and Middle East, largely realistic, setting.

As there is a lot of largely dull desert, I decided to make the features the focus. However, I have ran into a major problem.
I cannot make any nice town icons. I have had numerous attempts, but just cannot come up with a decent "look".

The ones in the attached map are really just to give an idea of how poor my artistic skills are.

I appreciate any help.

Thanks in advance,
Pete

[pete_p]

Hi everyone,
I've been trying to improve the towns and canal on this map and can't make any progress.

Does anyone know a way I can improve the canals please?

Also, any suggestions with the town icons? I tried 3D and it improves them, but any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks all for your help,
pete_p

[jshoer]

You know, one thing you could try is making your more rudimentary icons work for you. You have established a pretty simplified, minimalistic style for this map that I think fits well with the kind of environment you are trying to portray. So, you might try maintaining that simplicity. For instance, maybe "cartoonify" that mountain to make it more like a symbol that an early cartographer would draw.

Just an idea. If that's not what you want, try taking a look around here at other desert maps...lots of people have different ways to represent tents, forts, etc...pick one you like and get out some scrap paper and start doodling it over and over again.

If you come up with some variants, post them up and we can look at them all and give you more directed feedback.