Western OZ - Commissioned Map

[xpian]

I thought it would be fun to include a progress animation for the creation of this map. I save all the proofs that I produce for the client...and there were a lot of them. So I made a multi-layer PSD and then saved out a GIF showing each step in order. The very first image is the one the client sent to me to start the whole process--just a kluge of multiple images he had found and pasted together. I have higher-resolution versions of this animation, but they're too big to fit within the Guild's server file size limit.

[Corilliant]

Whoa.

The linework is brilliant, and the colours really compliment their locations. The perspective is really cool, and I love the valley/chasm thingumajig.
The logo reminds me of the artwork done for the War of the Ring boardgames...very well done.
Nice to see a map from you Have some well-deserved rep!

EDIT: and I just saw that GIF. Amazing.

[xpian]

@Corillant - Thanks so much! Yes, it had been quite some time since I posted anything. This map was sucking up all of my time.

[ChickPea]

That gif is fantastic! It's amazing to watch all the different stages of development iterate in front of you over a few seconds.

[Domino44]

That gif is really cool! The map is fantastic! I just keep looking at it going wow...wow...wow.

[TimPaul]

It's a great map, with great artwork.

But I wonder how much research the author did on the lands of Oz? The Emerald City is in the middle of Oz, a fact that is mentioned in the many books many times.

The west of EC is well documented in the books as Munchkin Land.

But I understand when doing a commission, you bow to the clients needs.

I mention this simply because anyone familiar with Oz, is going to question things.

[Bogie]

Fantastic map, love the mountains and canyons!

[xpian]

@TimPaul - yeah, I wondered the same thing. I haven't actually read any of the writer's story yet (I would have been happy to read it, but that wasn't part of our process). I just went by what he told me he wanted. In all honesty, *I* looked at a number of OZ maps during the mapping process. I remembered some of the details, like the centrality of the Emerald City and the various quadrants like Munkinland and Quadling Country, but mostly I wanted to know what had come before. I especially wanted to refresh my memory on how Emerald City had been depicted...I was hoping to keep my interpretation in line with what had been done, but not to copy any previous version. I also wound up looking up various images of turn-of-the-century balloons (likely gas, not hot air) when preparing to draw Eye o' the Witch. And I should note that the position of Emerald City doesn't preclude it being in the center...the client has plans for more maps of other areas. So you could view this map as more "Southwest OZ" than purely Western OZ. Ultimately, it all comes down to what the client wanted for his story.

Everyone else - thanks so much for your enthusiastic responses! So many hours were poured into this project. It's really nice to know that people are enjoying it.

[Abu Lafia]

Great job xpian! One can see the amount of work you put into this map. I love the many little details and the distinctive styles of the different areas. The gif is fantastic btw!

[TimPaul]

@TimPaul - yeah, I wondered the same thing. I haven't actually read any of the writer's story yet (I would have been happy to read it, but that wasn't part of our process). I just went by what he told me he wanted. In all honesty, *I* looked at a number of OZ maps during the mapping process. I remembered some of the details, like the centrality of the Emerald City and the various quadrants like Munkinland and Quadling Country, but mostly I wanted to know what had come before. I especially wanted to refresh my memory on how Emerald City had been depicted...I was hoping to keep my interpretation in line with what had been done, but not to copy any previous version. I also wound up looking up various images of turn-of-the-century balloons (likely gas, not hot air) when preparing to draw Eye o' the Witch. And I should note that the position of Emerald City doesn't preclude it being in the center...the client has plans for more maps of other areas. So you could view this map as more "Southwest OZ" than purely Western OZ. Ultimately, it all comes down to what the client wanted for his story.

Everyone else - thanks so much for your enthusiastic responses! So many hours were poured into this project. It's really nice to know that people are enjoying it.

It's a great map, regardless of what has gone before in the world of Oz. And I've certainly been in your situation, where you are, that doesn't seem right, but you do what the client asks for.

And certainly if he's writing in the world of Oz, and it's in the future, much may have changed.