[WIP] Vestraad - Single Continent from Homebrew D&D World Map

[RidleyofZebes]

Well, Here we are. My first map done completely in PhotoShop. (Okay, well, it began as a sketch on a cardboard box lid that I lost, but whatever.)

This is Vestraad, the base for a homebrew D&D Campaign I'm putting together as well as a small collection of short stories and lore.

I've developed a pretty neat style of doing this using PhotoShop's blending options, which I had ignored up to this point. Part of the land shaping was done using a nifty little tutorial I found on Youtube.

I like where it's headed, but I'm still pretty fuzzy on a lot of things like where to place cities and roads organically without making a massive spiderweb, and where to put certain types of terrain like deserts, swamps, and other, more interesting things. All the features on the map right now I felt were safe, as in there's more I want to do with it but am slightly scared to. I'm going to be getting into more of it as time goes on, but I have enough of a base to get things started for my players at this point.

I know for sure there should probably be some more cities in the Viridian Planes area because, you know, farmland and stuff. Again though, there's that spiderweb of roads that I'm trying to avoid.

Also, this is the northeastern continent of the 3 I have planned. This is kind of like a more fertile Russia, I guess.

EDIT: After some much appreciated feedback, I've rendered a sort of 2.0 version of the map. Here it is, with changes:

Vestraad_latest.png

Thank you guys! I want to ask again if anyone is still watching this thread, what could be made better about the landmass? The way rivers flow, the positions of mountains, deserts, and forests? Even the way the towns, cities, and roads are arranged? I'm looking to make this map better in any way I can manage, especially since this was done by the seat of my pants and there's no way I got it all right the first time. Constructive criticism is welcome! I am loving this community!

[Ilgoth]

I like it in general! My only grudge is the forest style. Are you using Photoshop's own layer effect 'Level and emboss' for it?

[RidleyofZebes]

I like it in general! My only grudge is the forest style. Are you using Photoshop's own layer effect 'Level and emboss' for it?

Yes, Level and Emboss seemed to give it the look that made it stand out while preserving that leafy feel I was looking for. Is there a different style you would recommend?

[Matthew VE]

Looks very nice! I like the mountains and the simplicity of the map. I'm also a big fan of the compass and the title.
However I the texture of the sea is quite pixelated and the waves on the coastline are too noisy in my opinion.
Keep up the good work! I look forward to the finished version.

[DanielHasenbos]

The map is very cool and has a nice, somewhat cartoonish style. I agree with Ilgoth though, the forests don't really fit in and seem to clash with the rest of the style. Perhaps you can draw the forests as well?

-Dan

[RidleyofZebes]

Looks very nice! I like the mountains and the simplicity of the map. I'm also a big fan of the compass and the title.
However I the texture of the sea is quite pixelated and the waves on the coastline are too noisy in my opinion.
Keep up the good work! I look forward to the finished version.

Thank you for the kind words. You were absolutely right, In my focusing on other details, I had left the waves and coastline very much incomplete. FOund a cool way to make them look better, and it is now reflected in the new version.

The map is very cool and has a nice, somewhat cartoonish style. I agree with Ilgoth though, the forests don't really fit in and seem to clash with the rest of the style. Perhaps you can draw the forests as well?

My original forests were very lazy indeed; just a blob with some layer styles applied. I took time, went through and hand-drew them in. I'm pretty proud of it, actually. It is now much closer to my pen and paper style.

Here's the new version:
Vestraad_latest.png

Thank you guys! I want to ask again if anyone is still watching this thread, what could be made better about the landmass? The way rivers flow, the positions of mountains, deserts, and forests? Even the way the towns, cities, and roads are arranged? I'm looking to make this map better in any way I can manage, especially since this was done by the seat of my pants and there's no way I got it all right the first time. Constructive criticism is welcome! I am loving this community!

[Vanoitran]

Praise: I love how you named things, very telling and easy -- not too complicated or fantasy-y. Just right. Also I love your style, easy-going, but still serious.

Criticism: On a macro-scale I don't know anything about Vestraad from the map. Nations? Fortifications? Are they peaceful? Maybe for D&D this is fine because you can build the story as you go, but from singularly a map perspective it lacks traits.