Immaculate work IMO. I'd love to hear more about your process.
Immaculate work IMO. I'd love to hear more about your process.
Aww, this new version looks amazing, IC ! Who needs red ink when black can be so great ?
The good materials are definitely, definitely hard to find. Mine is very minimal, and because I was unable to find the perfect waterproof/bleedproof/eraserproof ink for the paper I prefer and use the most, I ended with accepting a compromise and now draw almost only with archival fineliners. I try again from time to time, because the quill on paper is such a great feeling, but even if I managed to find inks relatively adapted to my paper, and drying enough to be safe with an eraser (most of the time... >_>), their weak point is when I'm about to add watercolor. Oops ^^
Thanks for all your answers. Your comments give me a lot to think about.
But now...
I have an idea that I'd like to realize.
A map of a fantastic world, looking as it was drawn by a cartographer living in that fantastic world.
Not a modern artist. Not an all-knowing creator.
Just a map that could be created and sold in that world.
What do you think of that idea? Any of you have tried this before? You know and can give some examples of such maps? Exept Thorin's map ftrom The Hobbit, of course,
I'm sure many people have thought of doing something like that. It is actually pretty difficult though. I think there was even a challenge that sort of paralleled that idea here a year or two ago "map like a monster" (or something to that effect) where the challenge was to map the area from the perspective of the denizen living there like orcs or whatever. There are two things to consider, the first is what s the most important information these people are after, for instance in a lot of old maps it was just place names and the order they come in and the relative direction they were in, and of course rivers which were either navigable or represented serious obstruction to travel, but they didn't care so much about distances or exact geographic locations, sort of like subway maps. This most clearly demonstrated by how often the maps conformed to the page to the page making Britain into a rectangle-ish shape for instance. The second consideration is that people making the maps wanted to do the best job they could the most professional manner they could.
This version of the Old World is looking awesome, already.
As for your question... I'm kinda working on a commission that follow this idea. And it's quite a challenge
Sometimes fantasy maps cause me a ludonarrative dissonance.Especially those that look like satellite images
Work in progress.
I'm drawing this map for practice. But I'm thinking of preparing something bigger in the future.
Some kind of practical map. Maybe map of stagecoach routes - with stops, inns, travel times, etc. A map that gamers could normally use while playing. without any ludonarrative dissonance
I searched my RPG stuff for any maps meeting your criteria and just found one, coming from a fanproject for the german rpg "Das Schwarze Auge": Windhag
It seems the designer had ideas similiar to yours. Your styles/concepts are fairly close.
You style is great, I harbor a slight bit of envy for how well your titling is, that's my problem area currently.
As to your latest question, I draw maps for the sheer fun of it. While I would do commission work, I don't know that I would enjoy it, as this is really just a hobby for me.
Laying a pen to paper is a whole other world. With no Ctrl-Z as you were dealing with earlier, it can be a bit nerve-racking, but once you realize that minor mistakes usually translate to character, the path forward is a lot more fun.
Keep posting more stuff, I want more!
IR
Relaxation and fun. Getting off the computer in the evening and escaping into magical worlds unknown and mapped, until now! I am of the same opinion as Adfor about commissions. I dont think I would enjoy the commissions as much. Every time I turn a hobby into work I start to loose interest in the hobby.
And that may just be practice for you, but that sure looks like a final version of a map to me!
Thank you for showing the process behind your work, it's very inspiring. Your maps are clear and efficient. I like how you manage to keep the shapes and details simple while maintaining a good an coherent aesthetic.
It's a mix of both. When it comes to drawing, maps are always a good way for me to relax as they feel like an invitation to take time and explore. This or drawing trees... There's something mysteriously soothing to it...There may be faster and more efficient ways to draw maps. But none gives me as much satisfaction as an old-fashioned nib and a bottle of ink.
And what is your motivation for drawing? Relax, regular work or something else?
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