Kaherm (an attempt to revitalize old map)

[Voolf]

I was struggling with mountains for past 3 days and this is the best what i could do so far. I thought i will show you a sneak peak before i continue, so i dont have to redo all if i maybe get some useful tips...

Kaherm_mount_v1.jpg

I did:
● Second shade layer to monutains
● Coloured mountains
● Highlights for mountains
● Shade for coastlines

[Llannagh]

I think you're on the right track there. It's all coming along nicely. Good job on the mountains. Believe you me, I know how tedious it can become to paint mountains! But the effect is worth it. Has anyone mentioned that that big river that ends up on the eastern shore is a little unnatural? Rivers rarely split, if ever. Sorry i it was already mentioned, but I'm at work and didn't want to read the whole thread.

[ThomasR]

I like the shading of the coast and the shading of the mountains is great ! A little comment though, I'd reduce the opacity of the color layer for the mountains so that they blend more into the background. Maybe it'll change when the land is colored but at the moment, they pop out a little bit too much for me.

[Eld]

Beautiful mountains!
Concerning rivers: There is a lake in the north with a hut nearby where no river flows in or out. I'd suggest to let some rivers from the nearby mountain range flow into it and if you like one river leading from there to the river south of it, joining it near the small forest.
On the southern coast of the northern land mass there's a valley surrounded by mountains, west of that big forest. Maybe some small river would run there? The map looks good already, keep on the work!

[Ilanthar]

By "pisa effect" (poor joke, sorry ), I meant that some of your icons (like the fortified tower in the north) have a basis that is not parallel to the border of the map. Consequently, they look a bit inclined in my eye (like the Pisa Tower).
I hope to be more clear.

[Voolf]

But the effect is worth it. Has anyone mentioned that that big river that ends up on the eastern shore is a little unnatural? Rivers rarely split, if ever. Sorry i it was already mentioned, but I'm at work and didn't want to read the whole thread.

It was mentioned many times, it's ok, i appreciate any advice. But since there are so many of you talking about that... have you heard of river bifurcation? I agree it is not common, but also not so rare considering it in a large scale. Rivers split almost in every continent in Earth. The rivers may not be big, some of them are also artificial, man-made (this also can be in fantasy world) but there are also natural bifurcations look them up. For me having one or two in one big continent isn't anything unusual.

I'd reduce the opacity of the color layer for the mountains so that they blend more into the background. Maybe it'll change when the land is colored but at the moment, they pop out a little bit too much for me.

Yes you are right, i hope its just because the colour and shade of the land isn't done yet, but i will play with colours and opacities, i am not very good at it yet.

Concerning rivers: There is a lake in the north with a hut nearby where no river flows in or out. I'd suggest to let some rivers from the nearby mountain range flow into it and if you like one river leading from there to the river south of it, joining it near the small forest. On the southern coast of the northern land mass there's a valley surrounded by mountains, west of that big forest. Maybe some small river would run there? The map looks good already, keep on the work!

I think i will try adding them. The north river may be a good idea, there is no land variety over there, river can change that. Thanks

By "pisa effect" (poor joke, sorry), I meant that some of your icons (like the fortified tower in the north) have a basis that is not parallel to the border of the map. Consequently, they look a bit inclined in my eye (like the Pisa Tower). I hope to be more clear.

Yes, thanks. I get you, i see the same problem, i will work on them.

You guys are beeing great help, thank you for all the suggestions so far.

[Mouse]

It's a beautiful work, and I especially like the mountains, but then I always go for a more 'painterly' feel

Just as a note for the curious - rivers can bifurcate, but they also do a whole load of things that most people seem to reject as impossible, yet which are perfectly logical given specific environmental situations. A river can 'braid' when its carrying maximum silt and suddenly hits a flat area that causes it to suddenly slow down and deposit it's load - over which it may then be forced to divide and rejoin multiple times as if it has run into an inland delta. Meltwater rivers can form their own raised dykes by depositing their load along their beds beneath a glacier, or ice sheet. We call these 'eskers', and in parts of the world where the ice has advanced and retreated during the last ice age they form raised veins across the landscape, sometimes parallel ridges that run across lakes. A river can also disappear down a natural sink hole in limestone country - never to reappear again before flowing into the sea through underground caverns. There are many things a river can do that people just don't know about unless they've seen it, or been taught about it at school, so really (and especially in a fantasy setting) we shouldn't be all that surprised at anything the cartographer decides a river should be able to do

[Voolf]

I am glad you like it Mouse, tough i am colouring now and have a little breakdown. I think i have to take a longer break :/

Btw. I totally agree with what you said.

[Mouse]

I hope its nothing too serious, Voolf, but when a map ceases to be enjoyable its always better to take a break and come back to it, rather than destroy it by trying to force it into being - just because you started it already.

I look forward to seeing you return to it at some point in the future

btw - trouble with colours (if choosing them is the problem) is often associated with wanting to use too many different or bright colours together. I learned an important lesson just recently about the wisdom of using a very limited palette, and mixing only between those few relatively muted colours... if that helps in any way? As an experiment you might try sticking to the blue/green/silver-grey theme you already have, and mixing any new colours between them. Just as an experiment, that is

[Voolf]

Hey Mouse, sorry didn't notice you add some more suggestion after your original post.

Yes, choosing colours is a big problem for me. But its more about choosing the right tone of desire colour than to pick a hue. I have an image in my mind and when i pick colour i think 'yes that is the right one', but when i actually paint it, i see it is not what i had in mind. Partially it is because when i look at the canvas i don't see the 'whole picture' yet. The one with some texture, shadows, additinal colour to break the monotony, etc. So in that case it is still ok, i just need to add more. Unfortunately in most cases its just the bad colour.

That is why i am working mostly on normal layers (and sometimes multiply) when it comes to colour. Colours on those layers are super easy to manipulate later on with the Hue/Saturation/Lightness adjustment. It helps me much when i lay down all colours and then i can change them for the forests, ground, lakes separetly to 'match' overall map colour tonal range.
....that beeing said, i am still trying to learn to pick the right one to begin with . Thank you for the suggestion though, working with a limited palette may be indeed a good way to practice that.

Ok, so a little update, add some colour, and shaded couple of forests. What do you think?

Kaherm_colour_v1.jpg

As you probably noticed, the big middle forest is shaded in a little bit different manner than the others. I would like to know which one you like better.