Regional Map From Upcoming Novel Series

[Valarian]

I'm going to disagree with the consensus here because I like the map - texture, river colour, fonts and all. The thing with the fonts is that they've got to be legible even when shrunk down to paperback novel size (either a single page or dual page spread). This almost rules out most of the handwriting style script fonts. I love the texture of the map.

Don't change a thing
(Except maybe the forking rivers)

[Karro]

I'm going with Valarian on the texture: I don't think it's too much. At least, not by much.

The fonts, though: they've got to be more legible. You might want to consider cleaning off the texture from where the fonts go, to help legibility, but you probably ought to consider changing the font up entirely to a legible one, even the larger fonts. For instance, this map was made in "Circa 3059 ??". I can identify Circa and the numbers well enough, but the last two letters are completely opaque to me.

I'm not sure that the forking rivers are quite a problem - normally they are, of course, completely unrealistic, but at this scale (with that 30 Mile marker) the forks appear to occur roughly 10 miles inland. This is within the range for a river delta type formation. However, if they are intended to be deltas, that's not entirely clear from context. On the other hand, if they're just suppose to fork downstream... as mentioned it remains rare (though maybe not entirely impossible) that a river splits and forks in the downstream flow.

Anyway... good luck with the novel. It's the same thing that drew me here: having been working on a novel for the last decade+ (and gone through many iterations) my decision of about two years ago to reboot everything and start from scratch on that project necessitated (in my mind, anyway) a new map, and I wanted to go digital for the flexibility that offers.

Given that this is for your novel, the question, though, is: is this map for your own personal use (as mine is) to help illustrate to yourself while you write or intended to go with the novel or otherwise for public consumption (i.e. like on the novel's website or something)? If the former, then many of these factors don't matter, as the only relevant criterion is whether the map meets your personal needs. If the latter, then the legibility and everything become an actual concern.

[Ascension]

For fonts websites, there are a bunch of links in the reference material subforum here so that we don't all have to start plugging our faves again.

[Auth]

Thanks for the great feedback! I have made several modifications in the attached version:

- Texture scale reduced 50%
- Texture relief reduced 60%
- River names removed
- River/lakes made brighter

After a quick search online, I couldn't come up with any 'hand-writing' style fonts that seemed to work well with the map... I will however look at any suggestions if anyone has any.

And for those who have praised this work and mentioned gleaning some ideas for your own maps, that's awesome. I am humbled that something I've created can be a source of inspiration for others.

EDIT: ...and wow. As I was writing this several more replies have been made.

Once again, thanks for all the feedback. I am actually planning on making 2 maps: 1 public, and 1 private. I originally created this map to be more my style, and although I like it, I am already planning on creating a different version for myself to blow up and get printed on a 48"x36" canvas to place in my office. So the map I'm sharing with you is intended to be the 'public' map, so I have no qualms making modifications to make it more appealing to a larger audience.

And right after this post I will be searching through the reference material subforum for fonts, thank you.

Until then, can I once again get critique on this new modified version? Thanks!

- Auth

[Auth]

This is a great looking map and I have given you some reputation for it.
Like the others I do feel the sandstone texture is too much. Way too much at the moment, actually. I would consider dropping it entirely or at least tone it down a lot. You have some great looking hills and mountains for example, but the sandstone texture distracts me!

Oh, and as always, what kind of story are you writing? I am writing some novels myself, so always interested to hear about other worlds

I have a small website up with a few details about the project, and although some of the info is a tad outdated (info is almost a year old, and I'm making changes daily), you are more than welcome to come poke around.

www.awakeningsaga.com

[Ascension]

Much better on the texture and very nice...feel like running my hand over it. I hope you don't mind but I just had to play with it a bit. I used the dodge and burn tools to create some slopes on the mountains.

[Clercon]

I really like your map. The second version looks better then the first. still though I think that the colour of the rivers and the sea don't really blend. The rivers are a bit too blue and the sea too grey. But it's a fantastic map :-)

[Sigurd]

The second version feels less cluttered than the first. Its a nice map.


Have you experimented with changing the colours of physical features (rivers etc...)? You might give your political labels more focus while still presenting features in an organized way. Finding a blue river name on the whole map might be easier for example.


Sigurd

[Gandwarf]

For me the second map is a big improvement. Like Sigurd said, it feels less cluttered.
I also *really* like what Ascension did to some of the mountains. You might want to try and put in that effect.

[Naeddyr]

The second map is oodles better, and man, now that Ascension did the highlighting, I finally realise this is the same kind of mountain-chain style I'm going to use for my current map. I also really like the forests, with the tree trunks boking out from the southern edges.