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Thread: Avani's Western Lands

  1. #1
    Guild Apprentice Wag's Avatar
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    Wip Avani's Western Lands

    Howdy Folks!

    So after posting my last work in progress when it was very near completion, I realized that the comments and criticisms would have been invaluable earlier in the construction of the map. Ergo, with my regional maps started, I am posting the works far earlier to get more feedback and hopefully an even better end result.

    So, the first regional map of Avani is its Western Lands. Currently I have roughed in my mountains, rivers, and forests and with more space to add further details plan on adding any swamps and marshes. I'll also be adding more cities of various sizes and roads if I can swing it. I am considering adding borders between kingdoms, but have no decided for certain.

    Stylistically, I'm hoping to lean toward a more aged parchment paper look. I am going to experiment with a larger, yet still subtle, color palette. I have incorporated the Woodcut look around my land's borders this round after struggling with it on the overworld Avani map.

    Text and map legend is in very early stages (meaning almost nonexistent at this point) and will be expanded on once most of the mountains and colors are complete. Also locations and roads will be added at that point as well. The major rivers will be somewhat revised and minor rivers will be added as well.

    All these things being said the two maps I have included to start are some of the earliest versions. The first is very roughed in, while the second is beginning to provide more detail and some slight color.

    If anyone has any suggestions or criticisms I would love to hear them. Keep in mind that the text, rivers, and other landmarks will be put thru a "displacement" filter to give them more depth and attempt soften them at the same times.

    Otherwise, I'll just keep plugging away at it and post updates when I can.

    Thanks folks!

    Wag
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    Last edited by Wag; 01-16-2009 at 12:02 PM. Reason: Spelling & Grammar

  2. #2
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Steel General's Avatar
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    Coming along nicely. I like both versions, though my preference is slightly skewed toward the color one.
    My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...

    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.



  3. #3
    Community Leader Torq's Avatar
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    I like them both but the colour one really does it for me. One thing that struck me as a little incongruos was the grid. Its line are perfectly straight even though the texture on the map paper makes it look crumpled. I like the crumpled look and the grid individually but I'm not sure they are working together perfectly.

    Torq
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  4. #4
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    The colored map is just...beautiful!!! Excellent map with a great style!

  5. #5
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Ascension's Avatar
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    I'll add another vote for the second one, though I think you might be able to discard the texture of crumpled paper or lower the opacity of it way down to be more of a subtle hint. Why I like the color is that it really makes the map "go" for me and is why I think others like it too...color just makes it more interesting to look at as a whole. And your treatment of the style still retains it's authentic look of aged parchment...I'd like to see more like this. Good job.
    If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
    -J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)


    My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps

  6. #6
    Guild Member Rahva's Avatar
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    Aye, I like the color one too. If it were to go into print (like in the front of a fantasy book where maps usually end up) the black and white one would look perfect though.
    I'm not too sure about the grid. If you're going for semi-authentic navigational map I imagine the grid would be bigger. If it's were a campaign map I don't know if there should be a grid on it to begin with.

    I absolutely love your mountains and your trees. Of the fonts you used I think the fancy curly one fits the style the best. Oh, and I also love the coastlines!

    Looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

  7. #7
    Guild Apprentice Wag's Avatar
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    Thanks to all for your interest and comments. I wish i had a bigger update but I don't. I did make some of the changes suggested tho starting with the relief of the canvas. It is now much more subtle. The gridlines are also more subtle as well. They may or may not go away completely as time goes on.

    The cities are now smaller which looks better to me. Also, there are more age marks on the canvas which lends to a little more depth. It may be a tad overdone. I'll give it some more time to see how it sinks in.

    Still to add is lots. Names, labels, minor rivers, minor cities, villages, more color variations, hills, possibly landmarks, possibly castles, map key, roads, swamp, new (and colored!) compass, and much much more.

    Keep in mind this new version is only slightly different.

    Thanks again for your interest!
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  8. #8
    Guild Artisan Hoel's Avatar
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    I like it. It's has a nice hand drawn style and i like the grunge/aging.

  9. #9
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Ascension's Avatar
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    That looks great and it looks very different from other maps....a real winner and style-definer.
    If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
    -J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)


    My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps

  10. #10
    Guild Apprentice Wag's Avatar
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    Thank again for the comments folks.

    I've made some minor updates to a new version including some roads, more cities and towns, some relabeling, the remaining mountains along the maps border, a tad more color, a trial compass (very similar to my previous map) and a few other very minor details.

    I've got a lot more landmarks and regions to label and color, more details to add into those regions, plenty of labeling, still needs a key, and generally lots to do still.

    Let me know what you think of the roads. I'm personally not thrilled about them yet. Like anything I have to let them grow on me a little first.

    Thanks again for your interest!

    Wag
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