August Entry: Oten-Jo - Ascension

[Ascension]

Playing around, I came up with this...I'm going to be using something like this on a commission (if vgunn likes it, that is). I probably blurred it out too much, but I was just experimenting.

Edit: Decided to put the non-blurred lines back in on top of the blurred ones...gives it a more crisp and technical look but less old-fashioned.

[MysticMagellan]

I really love this map. I don't like to comment too much because I'm still pretty new here, but I had a couple ideas.

Regarding the clean vs dirty version: I like the clean a little better, but only because I think the dirty version looked a little over-rippled. Seeing that you can remove that effect pretty easy, have you tried using a regular "ripple" filter (set around 20-25%) instead of the "ocean ripple"? I think it has a more subtle effect.

On a different note, the trees in the districts NW and N of the canal look like they are missing shadows (they sort of look like piles on the ground rather than tree leaves above it).

Regarding the monotone version: I'm thinking of converting my Oten-jo to a sepia color after this challenge for a more classic antique styled map, so I'm curious about your method. I like it a lot, but is there a reason you blurred it or was that an effect of the process you used for the look? I'd like to see a non-blurred version if possible.

[Coyotemax]

Hot dang, that's cool!

[Ascension]

I'll take a look at those trees...I may have forgotten the shadows. After so much staring at it you can easily get lost and forget something. As for the rippling, I've tried a lot of things and nothing looks right as it usually gets over distorted or whacked out. Just trying to get something that looks hand-drawn without actually hand-drawing it As for the sepia look, I was trying to emulate these maps (posted here at The Guild previously) but with my own style and twists. The method was pretty simple: pattern overlay, color overlay to get the paper look right, select the blacks (which is why I used the heavy stroke around buildings and things) and fill with a dark brown, duplicate the layer and blur it a bit to give the ink some type of fade, stroke the river with a customized gradient of brown and clear, inner glow on the river of teal.

[Steel General]

I'd say you're pretty darn close.

[armoredgear7]

Regarding the monotone version: I'm thinking of converting my Oten-jo to a sepia color after this challenge for a more classic antique styled map, so I'm curious about your method. I like it a lot, but is there a reason you blurred it or was that an effect of the process you used for the look? I'd like to see a non-blurred version if possible.

It's really interesting you mentioned this; I was also considering going sepia! I've been fiddling around with it on and off in my working file, trying to come up with the right mix of adjustment layers. I think it'll have to be a project for another time though.

Ascension - I think I like the most recent experiment the best of the lot!

[Ascension]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Much appreciated. My whole quest has been finding the balance between the technical and the artistic while keeping the flexibility to jump around and make changes with only a few clicks or adjustments...and I think that I'll add this one to my repertoire, as an adjunct to the antique style. Still got some work to do on the hand-drawn style...too rippley. I've got some ideas, but no time.