More OCD Mountains: New Commissioned World Map for Novel

[xpian]

I've begun working on a commissioned map for a novelist friend of mine, and I'm having lots of fun drawing mountains again. In this progress image (actually a screenshot from my iPad, in the app ProCreate) you can see those isometric-style mountains taking shape, and a bit of my process...drawing lots of little chevrons and then connecting them and filling them in with details. I'm always trying to "mix it up" a bit and create more interesting ridge lines, so that the mountain range doesn't just look like a bunch of little triangular traffic cones.

Also, you can see how I'm working the rivers into the mountains. Draw the rivers first, then lay the mountains down around them.

[ArcaniteCartel]

I'm rather new to this. What do you mean by "isometric-style" mountains?

[Tom]

Really nice and very realistic! i love iso maps!

[xpian]

It means that the mountains seem to "stand up" from the map, as if you're looking down at them from a 30 degree or 45 degree angle. The other major style of mountain mapping we see around here are top-down mountains, where you're looking down on them as if from a satellite directly above.

Technically, the "isometric" name itself also refers to an intentional lack of perspective in the drawing. So, I haven't drawn the mountains at the top of the range as though they are taller and further away--not really--nor have I drawn the mountains at the bottom of the range in a way as to imply they're actually closer to the viewer. It's all an illusion. If I were doing an illustration of this world, rather than a map, I'd be taking perspective into account and trying to depict things as though they're being seen from a specific point in space.

[ArcaniteCartel]

Thank you. Appreciate the info.

[ChickPea]

Oh wow, those mountains look fantastic! Great job, so far. I presume the map will be line art only, and not coloured, since it's for a novel?

I'll be watching this develop with interest.

[snodsy]

Quite spectacular!