My first top down pirate island

[ThomasR]

Here's my first top down map. Inspired by the recent works of J.Edwards, blessed be his name. I'm experimenting on worn borders.
Done with ink pens and white posca on craft paper.

[Mouse]

I like the idea, though I'm not keen on the white highlights. Maybe its just a bit 'new to me'

(I'm skimping on praise here in case I run out of words before I get to the end of all the maps you've just uploaded!)

[Wingshaw]

I think this is a really good map, Thom. And I can see the homage to John's style here, quite clearly (which is high praise).

Unlike Mouse, I think the white highlights are quite good, although perhaps they should be applied also to trees, cliffs and suchlike; it looks a bit strange that it is only used on the mountains and sea waves.

One thing that I think would improve this further is if you changed the colouring of the image outside the parchment. The use of craft paper really works, but it is let down by the fact that the areas outside the map are the same texture/colour.

A very nice piece.

THW

[onez]

I love the white highlights!
Have you tried adding shadows (with markers or watercolour or similar)?

I think it would look awesome!

[Mouse]

Ok - my bad! LOL!

The white highlights are in, but I think both TheHoarseWhisperer and Onez are right in that the highlights are a bit lonely without any other form of shading.

[Chashio]

Nice job, Thom
I agree with the other suggestions and comments. Also, perhaps, the highlights on the mountains seem a little too uniform to me... If you broke them up a little, make them with less solid, straight lines, change the angle of the lines every so often? Perhaps even go over a few peaks a second time to enunciate altitude? Just some ideas.

[ThomasR]

@ THW : thanks for the high praise (indeed) ! And thanks for the advices too. You're right about the highlights on other features, the problem is that I dumbly didn't think of it and it might prove difficult with my 0.7 mm posca. Digitally it would be quite easy and I'll make sure I do it next time, thanks again. The black background is something I tried in two other pieces, here and https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=35658. I'll have to try it on a full digital map as there is always a difference of tone between linework and filling (be it digital or jumbo black posca).

@ onez : Thanks ! I've thought about using markers to add shadows. I guess it's what you did on the Skeppsholmen piece and it's the one that gave me the idea The fact is, I've been busy and haven't had much time to run errands and the art shops I visited didn't have what I was looking for but it's on my shopping list !

@ Mouse : Thanks !

@ Chashio : Thanks ! As I said a little above, I felt limited by the size of the posca and knew I couldn't achieve the look I was really aiming for. It was more an experiment which turned out better than I thought. I'll make sure I use your advice when I go digital on a simile project, playing with opacity to get snowy patches and different exposition but mostly, the ragged texture of the peaks.

[Josiah VE]

Very nice! Definitely has J. Edward's 'vibe'
At the moment the white highlights are my favorite, I think they're lacking shading to complement them.

[ThomasR]

Thanks Josiah, I'll get the next one a more detailed shading, probably digitally.