Cordeauna Island: An experiment in color washing

[ladiestorm]

During the Oct/Nov Lite Mapping Challenge, I created a map of Spyrmenchi Island, https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=39900 , in which I had the idea of creating a new technique to use in CC3+, a technique I called color washing. I've always loved water color paintings, and I've seen a couple of water colored maps a few years back (hand painted) that I thought were just stunning. I wanted to see if I could simulate the water color look in a digitally made map.

My first attempt at this new technique was Spyrmenchi Island. While I ended up producing a pretty cool looking map, I considered the experiment a failure, because I didn't manage to create the look that I wanted. It didn't have the look and feel of being a water color image. Well, if at first you don't succeed, try, and try again!

Well, thanks to Mouse discovering a trick that would allow me to do what I originally wanted, I was able to create Cordeauna Island, my second attempt at color washing. I still have to fine tune, and refine the process, but I consider my second attempt at this experiment to be a success.



I created this map using CC3+, The Mike Schley Inks style, and a parchment texture I found at textures.com

The problem I had with the first attempt, is because I assumed that the Mike Schley Inks symbols for cc3+ were transparent. They aren't. the Inks style is a black and white style, and as such, the symbols are black and white. Which meant that creating the color wash to color the map elements didn't work. There was no bleed through to give the hint of color.

Mouse discovered a way to make the Inks symbols seem transparent, even if they aren't, and that was all I needed to create this technique. I hope you enjoy my little experiment! And for those of you that use cc3+, I will be creating a pdf tutorial on how to achieve this, but it will have to be after the holidays.

[Straf]

Everything's warm and fuzzy and then the harder edged coastline really makes the island pop out The lakes and rivers seem a little 'lost' to me though. I don't know if they could be given a bit of a defining edge, although that may spoil the overall look. The colour wash seems to work, but it may be a bit too saturated?

[Mouse]

As I said over at the Profantasy Forum - nice work Storm

However, I agree with what Straf said about the rivers. Maybe less blur?

Other than that, a lovely new soft style (and I'm glad you're writing the tut - I'm no good at these things!)

[Ilanthar]

I agree with the others about the rivers (it gives an interesting feel, though), and I would have reduced a bit the illustration near the title (it looks a bit pixellated at this size, imho).

Apart from those, I really like it, the color choices are particularly intersting and original. Well done !

[ladiestorm]

thanks everyone I do agree about the rivers... next to the darker colors they do need to be more there... but then, I'm still working out the kinks as far as color shading is concerned.

And I didn't realize the sea monster would pixelate at that size... I wanted it to like it was sort of framing the title in the map. I do need to work on refining this technique a little more, I admit. I'm just glad it worked!

[ChickPea]

Lovely soft-focus style on this one. It's very pretty and I like it a lot.

[Elterio Delgard]

I would like to know how you managed such a refined style for the mountains... Its beautiful!

[DanielHasenbos]

Great work Storm! I like the soft colors very much. They work together very well. As the others said, the rivers and lakes could use some more sharpness, but apart from that it's a very fine map (:

[ladiestorm]

@ Elterio - this map was created entirely in cc3+. I used the Mike Schley's Inks for cc3+, and used a parchment texture that I found on textures.com. I actually found quite a few good parchment textures there. And I have some good ones from Mouse, as well. I'm afraid that unless you use cc3+ as your digital format, anything I could tell you wouldn't be useful to you. But to answer your question... the mountains are symbols from the Mike Schley's inks style for cc3+. Then I used the color wash technique to give them the hint of color. CC3+ is a fastcad system using sheets instead of layers. It relies on the order placement of the sheets to determine how the map is drawn... so that some things appear in front of others. Then there are effects that alter the look of what is drawn on the map... sheets are to cc3+ sort of like what layers are to photoshop, I guess... and the cc3+ effects are comparable to photoshop brushes, I think.

So to create this look, I had to place the order of my 'sheets' so that my background... the parchment is the last thing drawn. This makes the black and white symbols I'm using seem transparent. Then I used blending, bluring and transparency effects, along with my color choices to simulate the water color look.

The cool thing about this particular technique... is that it can create so many different types of looks... as long as you are using the cc3+ program. I'm sure there is a way to do this in photoshop and Gimp... but I don't know those programs.

@Daniel - yes, I agree for the next map, I will make the rivers and lakes stand out a bit more... but I'm still really pleased with how this map turned out!

[Elterio Delgard]

ack... I hate computer drawing because I don't understand anything and end up corrupting files >.< I draw by hand mostly because I ain't able to draw on a tablet XD Sounds even harder to draw on a comp. The movement of your hands are not entirely correlated with the strokes.

I wish I was able to draw on a tablet though... So much opportunities.