Making a map really fast. Need some help, advice and criticism.

[oneman]

Hi guys.

I'm a novel writer and my book is now printing. I'm very short on time(have a bit less then two days left) and need to create a relevant map for my fantasy world. Hopefully i found Cartographers Guild. This place is awesome! I've already found a bunch of tutorials that should help me alot. And usually I wouldnt make a post like this before I got through most of tutorials, but then again, I'm really short on time.
So, I'll need some help. I'm posting what I have by now after a day of work and noting broblems I ran into(I'll also update problems once they arise). The map is meant to be skecth-type black&white. Advice, criticism and links to relevant tutorials are highly appreciated.

I'm really new to mapmaking. By that i mean that I have an astonishing two days of experience. I'm not too proficient in Photoshop either. I used tools(brushes) I've found on the web.

1. Rivers. That is the biggest problem now. Whatever I do they just do not seem natural. Drawing them with a single-weight brush tool doesnt seem good.
2. Sea texture of shorelines. Added a sample of what I'd like to make(but I do not know how to make it in PS).
3. I have a desert planned(the blank zone under the huge forest ontop), but have hard times findeng PS brushes that can help me with it.
4. The large island on the op right seems out of place(like falls off the whole style of map) and I'm thinking of what better to do with it, so I'll gladly hear tips on that as well.

Thanks in advance!

[Gidde]

Hi oneman! That's an ambitious deadline you've set yourself! I think you're doing just fine so far.

1. Rivers -- why not just skip em? It's going to be really hard to get them looking right in this style unless you have a tablet (I assume you're using a mouse, since you've JUST started). But you don't *really* need them on a map of this scale.
2. The ocean effect you're looking for is called "woodcut" and there is a tutorial here: https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=15560
3. There are some dune brushes here that may work for you: https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ead.php?t=9361
4. Is the island necessary to your story? If not, just get rid of it If you need it to stay, it's the roundness of it that's driving you crazy. Try just roughing up the coastlines and you'll like it better.

[randigpanzrall]

Hi oneman,

Your map is quite cool so far!! But when this gonna be published, it would be better ( at least in my eyes) not to use parts of the real world like Cuba or Halmahera f.e.

[XCali]

Hi oneman,

Your map is quite cool so far!! But when this gonna be published, it would be better ( at least in my eyes) not to use parts of the real world like Cuba or Halmahera f.e.

Just a note @Randigpanzrall, I can't image if there would ever be a copyright on a real world's outline. It would be outlandish if they went that far. So, I think it will be perfectly fine. That said, for getting the fantasy feeling right, it does help to make something that is fantasy.

Good luck, Oneman on getting map done.

[ThomasR]

Yeah, I wouldn't worry that much either.

[oneman]

Thanks everyone. Especially Giddie.

1. Rivers -- why not just skip em? It's going to be really hard to get them looking right in this style unless you have a tablet (I assume you're using a mouse, since you've JUST started). But you don't *really* need them on a map of this scale.

I cant skip them because it feels like something really important is missing.
Yes, I do work with mouse and every twist and turn of every river takes like 10+ tries until its not too round, not too straight or not too sharp.
Hopefully I found(oh, this amasing forum ) a few theory guides on rivers and an example of river style that I really like(uploaded the example). Its a lot of work, but the result is cool.
I'm almost done with the rivers outlines(just the first step: no refining, no thickening on route, no ponds), so I'll upload it now for comments\criticism.

2. The ocean effect you're looking for is called "woodcut" and there is a tutorial here: https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=15560

Thanks a lot, you are a lifesaver. With that giude I should be able to do what I wanted

3. There are some dune brushes here that may work for you: https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ead.php?t=9361

Must be my inexperience, but for now I cant manage to make something decent with those . Thanks for the link though.

[randigpanzrall]

XCali, you are right. A copyright would be quite freaky... no no, i just understand oneman, that he is publishing a book or novel or something and the map should become Part of it....therefore I ( that's my personal opinion) I would avoid, that some of my readers recognizes that I used some existing Islands...

Nevertheless I love the map and wish luck to oneman !!

[Gidde]

Lots of critique here -- since you're on a schedule, gotta lay it all on you now rather than being gentle. Please forgive me

The style you're going for with the rivers looks cool, but your actual rivers are doing some weird things.

First, you have several splitting on their way to the ocean. That's ok if it's a big delta, but yours aren't, because deltas don't form on big slopes (i.e. from the mountains to immediate delta on the inner sea there) and the others just split once or twice, or aren't a big enough river to make a delta system (i.e. the Mississippi or the Amazon).

Then you have a few that start very close to the ocean and run parallel to the shore for a while which is strange; water goes downhill on the shortest path, and often it MAKES a shorter path if there isn't one already. So you're not going to see that parallel-to-the-coast action happening often. Just let it go straight(er) to the ocean.

[oneman]

Thanks for fair criticism
Also, thanks for making me know that I have some recognizable real-world islands. More or less fixed that.

Have a few new questions:

1. Compasses. I'd like to put one to balance picture a bit. But I do not know if there are some rules\recommendations in doing so... Or I just put in any I liked most?
2. Can you guys suggest a few fonts that might look good with my map or fantasy maps as a whole? I'd really appreciate that!
Uploaded on of the awesome works on this forum. Probably someone knows which font is used there? And if there are some non-spoken rules like «Hey, b@stard! Dont use fonts that other map-artists already use!».

Thanks in advance.

[Azélor]

1. Compasses. I'd like to put one to balance picture a bit. But I do not know if there are some rules\recommendations in doing so... Or I just put in any I liked most?

To make it quick, just put an arrow with an N above it. It's simple but does the job.
You might be able to find one online that you can use for commercial project.