Coastline and isles

[norgoroth]

Hey there,

I've made this piece to demonstrate how I usually draw coastlines and isles.

My question is: Did I draw the coastlines and isles "right" and what can I do better? Sorry for the bad quality.

-Nils aka norgoroth

[Chick]

Hi norgoroth. There are some good things and some bad things about your drawing, but I think the best thing you could do is go to the Gallery section (link at the top of your screen) and just look at a lot of maps, seeing how others do them. It can take some time, but it's fun, and I think you'll get a lot of good ideas that way!

[norgoroth]

Thanks. But now I'm curious, what do you think is "good" and what "bad"?

[Chick]

Thanks. But now I'm curious, what do you think is "good" and what "bad"?

Well, to start with, the jagged lines are both good and bad It's good that you didn't draw smooth circular lands, but bad that the jags are so sharp, angular, with no smooth sections at all.

That's the reason I suggested you go look at a lot of other peoples' maps, thinking that you could get a better idea of what good coastlines look like. Here for example is one of mine where the coastlines are fairly realistic-looking with some smooth, some slightly angular, and a few sharp angular sections.

http://www.cartographersguild.com/al...chmentid=74804

Go and look at what others have done, you will see a lot of nice styles and maybe get some good ideas

[norgoroth]

Go and look at what others have done, you will see a lot of nice styles and maybe get some good ideas

Well, I should do that.

[Korash]

I will say that you do have a distinctive style I think it works, but chick is right in that things are quite angular. That might be the style you were going for, and like I said before I think it works, but it does make things a bit "abstract". The one suggestion I could add to what chick mentioned about looking at other's work, is maybe use a sharper or thinner pencil. If you are using a soft lead don't press as hard and the features would be cleaner and more "readable".