Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: My first map :)

  1. #1

    Post My first map :)

    Here is my first attempt at making a map in photoshop. there are some obvious problems with it, but id like to know what i can do to fix it.

    i got stuck on making roads... i just dunno how to do it

    other critiques are welcome. thnx
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	mapv2.jpg 
Views:	102 
Size:	1.96 MB 
ID:	12634  
    Last edited by Steel General; 04-20-2009 at 06:09 PM.

  2. #2
    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Surrey, Canada, EH!
    Posts
    5,051

    Default

    Welcome to the Guild.

    Your map has a nice look to it. Good Job!
    Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User

    Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!

    Any questions on CC3? Post them with CC3 in the Subject Line!
    MY 'FAMOUS' CC3 MAPS: Thunderspire; Pyramid of Shadows; King of the Trollhaunt Warrens; Demon Queen's Enclave

  3. #3

    Post

    Quote Originally Posted by NeonKnight View Post
    Welcome to the Guild.

    Your map has a nice look to it. Good Job!
    thnx

    what can i do to make it better?

  4. #4
    Community Leader Gandwarf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    3,012

    Default

    Hi Aleron!

    Nice map so far. Some criticism:

    - The green labels are blending with the land. You might want to use another color or add a glow effect.
    - Your rivers are not always looking natural. The river on the middle southern peninsula for example. It seems to split in lowlands and then one part of the fork seems to end in the lowlands.
    - Try placing your mountain symbols more closely together to get the feeling of a mountain range.
    - At first I wouldn't use too many fonts, it tends to make a map look messy.

    Anyway, really nice first attempt. You should probably also look at some of the Photoshop tutorials on the forum.
    Check out my City Designer 3 tutorials. See my fantasy (city) maps in this thread.

    Gandwarf has fallen into shadow...

  5. #5
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Steel General's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Ft. Wayne, IN
    Posts
    9,530

    Default

    Not bad at all for a first attempt, mine was quite hideous looking.

    I hope you don't mind but I re-uploaded your map as an attachment rather than 'pasting' it into your post. This way it takes advantage of the preview feature of the boards.
    My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...

    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.



  6. #6

    Post

    Quote Originally Posted by Aleron View Post
    thnx

    what can i do to make it better?

    GREAT start!

    I tend to favor historical maps myself. In that direciton, I would think about how to make the colors less vibrant and more "natural" looking.

    - The land texture is quite nice.

    - Your border on the land is solid and defined but maybe overly sharp - perhaps increase the transparency on it and run a blur effect?

    - Your "coastal shelf" - the glow around the land - is also very pronounced - perhaps reduce the intensity?


    Have some rep.
    "The medium is the message." -- Marshall McLuhan

  7. #7

    Post

    thanks very much everyone

    i dunno how to attach as a thumbnail... hopefully this works -- woo it worked

    but neways, i tried to follow some of ur advice... this is what i came up with
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	mapv2.jpg 
Views:	66 
Size:	1.93 MB 
ID:	12646  

  8. #8
    Guild Artisan landorl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Brandon, FL - USA
    Posts
    552

    Default

    As one of our other regulars says all of the time. "Bonk, thou art repped!)

    No body mentioned it, but the river near the bottom left (by the wall of the ancients) has an odd looking fork near its headwaters. The leftmost fork flows almost from the edge of the ocean. It just looks a bit odd.

    And the river by the city of Cape Lofter flows to the sea in two locations, which is usually not possible unless it is a river delta.

    Also, for the national names, you might want to consider a font that is a bit more artistic. The one that you have is fine, but I just like more calligraphy type fonts. (that may just be my personal taste).

    With that said, this is a good map with a great color scheme and overall shape.

    Looking forward to seeing more!

  9. #9

    Default

    thanks very much. i didnt know rivers dont normally split and go to the ocean in two spots... learn something new everyday -- or close

    im workin on a new one now that i followed a really cool tut for, so i think it looks much better than this one ill post it up when im done

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •