Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13

Thread: A work very much in progress

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Guild Novice
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Western Canada
    Posts
    12

    Wip A work very much in progress

    I am currently developing a world for a fully original tabletop RPG that I am creating. I've got hundreds of pages of history, mechanics, and profiles, and these:

    Socio-political Map (PS).jpg Geographical Map (PS).jpg Tarxus World Map 2.jpg

    The first two are extremely early sketches that I drew up just so I could start writing interactive history for the world; needing, of course, a general idea of where each race begins and calls home to do this. I include them only because they were the first maps I drew for this world (as poor and inaccurate as they are). The last map is an artless display of the more-or-less finished coastlines.

    I'll be slowly developing this map and will be posting my progress here for motivation and, if fate smiles on me, advice and critique that will benefit an area of world creation in which I am not yet a master.

  2. #2
    Guild Novice
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Western Canada
    Posts
    12

    Default

    Here's a more attractively presented coastline study, replete with more readable scale (each increment is 1000 km) and Token Sepia Tone. Further movement of continents may occur now that I am moving towards the proper equirectangular format.

    Map Colour.jpg
    Last edited by Corbad; 03-09-2014 at 02:39 PM.

  3. #3
    Guild Novice
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Western Canada
    Posts
    12

    Default

    Is this the right idea? Without previous experience with the airbrush tool, or drawing maps in colour, or cartographical realism (not a real term) in any way, I decided I would experiment and this is the result after a couple of hours. "A sketch" is what I'd call it: "an idea." Please tell me how far I am off the mark so that I may improve.

    Topographical Sketch.jpg

  4. #4
    Guild Artisan madcowchef's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Pacific Northwest USA
    Posts
    680

    Default

    What style of map are you ultimately shooting for? You have the start of a good painted style here, but no sharply defined elements. More contrast with light and deeper shade would help bring out the heights and features such as mountains. The coastlines look good and there is a fair balance of filled and empty space, though I'd leave a bit more ocean around the edges rather than bringing the island chains right up to the border.

  5. #5
    Guild Novice
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Western Canada
    Posts
    12

    Default

    What sort of map am I shooting for? To be honest, I don't know. I was thinking I would eventually try drawing elements on top of this "painted style" backdrop. What I have now would show the idea and general layout of biomes and would be the first of many layers. Later, perhaps, I will try to add more sharply defined elements. I haven't yet because I don't know how. How does "more contrast with light and deeper shade" work?

    Here's the sketchy-coloured eastern continent:

    The East.jpg
    Last edited by - Max -; 03-10-2014 at 08:12 PM.

  6. #6
    Community Leader Guild Sponsor - Max -'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    France
    Posts
    4,220

    Default

    Corbad, I merged you posts. To avoid double posting, you can use the edit button just bottom right on the post screen

  7. #7
    Guild Journeyer Nathan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    France
    Posts
    155

    Default

    Corbad, does the shade of your colour represent topography ?

  8. #8
    Guild Novice
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Western Canada
    Posts
    12

    Default

    (Hesitantly) "Yes."

    The equator passes through the bottom part of the continent and the northern tropic line passes through the middle of the map; the dark green is meant to represent tropical rainforest, the pale yellow-green is meant to represent savanna, the lighter greens and green-browns are meant to represent temperate rainforest-highlands-kind-of-biome, and the grey-brown strips are the underlay to what will later be defined mountain ranges.
    Last edited by Corbad; 03-12-2014 at 03:17 PM.

  9. #9
    Guild Artisan Pixie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Lisbon
    Posts
    939

    Default

    Topography means "mapping height/altitude". From your description this would be a biomes map. Did you decide on the biomes straight out of gut feeling or based in the physical processes (ocean currents, wind patterns, summer/winter temperatures) ?

  10. #10
    Guild Novice
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Western Canada
    Posts
    12

    Default

    I think the jury is still out on labeling "topography" with only one definition, actually. Different sources have varying lists of definitions, and some could apply to physical features beyond just elevation contours.

    In any case, to answer your question, "somewhere in between." I haven't done any detailed current or wind studies, but I've got a general idea of latitude and so forth, so my sketches aren't unfounded.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

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
  •