February 2021 Challenge: Nessa'Mor

[XCali]

What perfect timing.

Thanks for bringing this challenge. I was already considering redoing an old map and when I saw this I just had to jump in. And true to form, like always, I chose something quite ambitious in my remaster. But, I won't have it any other way.
This was my first Work in progress map project on the guild... And thanks to Mouse and many other who gave feedback, it kickstarted my love of making maps. So a big word of thanks!

The Arch city of Nessa'Mor.



After the terrible gloomlight war, the city was in desperate need of repair. The once proud natural stone arch had received too much damage to leave it as is. Thus the renowned builders of Golem Forge were called in to bring the arch city into new splendor.






Wish me luck!

[XCali]

“”What drives one to risk their lives over and over … to challenge the oppressive weight of the dark even with the smallest of lights? What indeed. Yet, that is the question that stalks me day by day as I attempt that very thing. I just hope that I can keep standing when so many before me have given up on this path.“”
-(A note discovered at the center piece of the war. A Zalia Lightpaw is its writer. What side she was on is still up for interpretation.)

### Latest WIP ###


Okay, so here I started tackling the cliff and some of the waterfall. Let me know how it went

P.s. Ignore the line behind the main pillar. It's just a guide for me.

[XCali]

Hi! Made some progress.

Hehe, as much as the way I did the buildings for the map way back then was quite fitting for the map, I did want to see what it looked like with some extra flare to them. Though it takes some time, I am looking forward to see it fill out.

Also, I decided to start the border today. Borders don't always make themselves easy. But I do enjoy trying new things with them.

### Latest WIP ###

[Adfor]

Oh I just love the changes you've made, I haven't seen this one!

Right back atcha, looking forward to the progress.

IR

[XCali]

Oh I just love the changes you've made, I haven't seen this one!

Right back atcha, looking forward to the progress.

IR

Thanks a bunch!




----
Hi, everyone.
Still quite a bit to go. But I am trying to throw in a few experiments while I'm busy with the lineart. It would be interesting to know from you all if the clouds work or not.
### Latest WIP ###

[ChickPea]

I remember you making this map first time around! Cool choice for a remake.

Your linework is looking really nice. I particularly like how you're doing the buildings this time. They feel a lot more organic, compared to the original. I love how you've drawn them too. It's quite a simple style, but it works beautifully.

Looking forward to seeing what you do next.

[Kisachik the Wanderer]

Hi Omri, good luck with your map.

Looks like you're off to a good start, though I hope you'll change the appearance of those clouds, they look green in some places... compression artifacts?

[XCali]

I remember you making this map first time around! Cool choice for a remake.

Your linework is looking really nice. I particularly like how you're doing the buildings this time. They feel a lot more organic, compared to the original. I love how you've drawn them too. It's quite a simple style, but it works beautifully.

Looking forward to seeing what you do next.

Thank you so much! It means a lot.
And yeah, I totally agree that the new style works better than the old. The old one did serve its purpose back then, but it was still a lot of sameness in one space.

Hi Omri, good luck with your map.

Looks like you're off to a good start, though I hope you'll change the appearance of those clouds, they look green in some places... compression artifacts?

Thank you

I totally get why you thought that. But actually it was intentional. That said, I am SUPER THANKFUL you said something, because it inspired me to do the next go at the storm so much better.
Btw, the green is when a storm is very intense, I've seen it with my own eyes. Though, some people have seen it much more green in the world, google 'green storm clouds' if you want to see.



-------
Okay, so I took a swipe at doing my clouds better this morning and I have to say I feel much more relaxed now with them.

For anybody interested in how I did them. I got my colors (about four) then I put the gradient on a layer at the back using 2 of the four colors. After than I started with a dark back drop for the clouds and using a Basic soft brush, and sometimes a Basic gimp grunge brush, I started painting in my light colors on VERY low opacity at first, but somewhere I upped the opacity. Though I will suggest using long sweeping strokes.

Getting it to look like it was hanging over the sea and land was a bit complicated, but at the same time not really. Hehe, I used overlay green on the sea to give the sea the colors emanating from the clouds, then added a cast shadow on it. The land side was just a shadow and making sure the cloud had enough highlights and shadows.

### Latest WIP ###


Anyway, let me know what you think.

[Kisachik the Wanderer]

Now these clouds mean business. These clouds look like an approaching blanket of rain, wind and thunder that will cover an area completely in all sorts of get-indoors-quick stuff.

I didn't see that in the first ones, that's why the green looked out of place. They just had too wispy of a texture, like everyday clouds on a mostly sunny day.

Now there's this heavy monstrosity approaching, saying "Who ordered 500,000 tons of rainwater? Never mind, we'll just leave it on everybody's doorstep."

Hopefully that arch won't need to be rebuilt for the second time...

[XCali]

Now these clouds mean business. These clouds look like an approaching blanket of rain, wind and thunder that will cover an area completely in all sorts of get-indoors-quick stuff.

I didn't see that in the first ones, that's why the green looked out of place. They just had too wispy of a texture, like everyday clouds on a mostly sunny day.

Now there's this heavy monstrosity approaching, saying "Who ordered 500,000 tons of rainwater? Never mind, we'll just leave it on everybody's doorstep."

Hopefully that arch won't need to be rebuilt for the second time...

Hehehe! I love that visual! You made my day.

And a good thing you mentioned it! I needed to add the storm drains!