March/April 2015 Lite Challenge Entry: Darrowholm

[ChickPea]

Well, to get the ball rolling on this challenge, I've made a (very) rough mock-up of my village plan in Inkscape. This is spectacularly ugly right now, but it's only for layout purposes. (If I could draw at all, I'd sketch it, but it's easier for me to use the computer instead of tearing holes in paper with the eraser.)

The grey sidebar is where my text will eventually go, but I've no thoughts yet on how I'm going to dress that up. I will likely move some of the map elements around a bit, and the little squares to represent the buildings aren't remotely finalised for size, shape or position. Also, I've included a quarry. I have no clue if I can draw a quarry, so that might mysteriously turn into a field of barley one dark night!

Anyway, is anything in the basic positioning screaming 'WRONG'? If so, do tell, thanks!

### LATEST WIP ###
plan.png

[ChickPea]

Having to stop for the night now, but this is what I've done so far. I'm not 100% decided on the colour tones, but I'll let it sit for a couple of days and see how I feel.

### LATEST WIP ###
village1.jpg

I'm not sure if I've made the trees too small and more suited to a regional map. I'll have to see how it pulls together once I start adding the buildings.

[Abu Lafia]

Hi ChickPea,
That looks nice! I think the colours fit well so far. Did you do the last WIP in Inkscape too?

[ChickPea]

Thanks Abu Lafia.

The latest WIP is a combination of Inkscape and GIMP. Some parts (like the rivers) are exported from Inkscape into GIMP so that I could work on them a little further there. Inkscape doesn't always do well with gradients and roughening edges and the like. I like using the two progams together, because there are some things that are just so much easier to do in Inkscape (like redirecting a river, when you've changed your mind for the fifteenth time!) but of course GIMP is better for putting it all together at the end.

[J.Edward]

I agree ChickPea. The shadowing looks great.
Though it may cause problems if the buildings are top down, as opposed to perspective.
The water became a bit green though. Intentional or no?
Really nice work so far.

[ChickPea]

Thanks J.Edward! With the water colour, I accidentally made it a bit too green, then decided that I rather liked it that way, since it blended well with the rest of the colours. I may yet change it back. I'm one of these people that needs to stare at my work for a day or so before I decide how to proceed next.

[J.Edward]

I often change my water color somewhere between 3-7 times. My first instinct is my favorite but I always change it.
I seem to like some strange combinations, and from experience found that others didn't.

[ChickPea]

I often change my water color somewhere between 3-7 times. My first instinct is my favorite but I always change it.
I seem to like some strange combinations, and from experience found that others didn't.

Ha, yes, your first instinct is often right, but then self-doubt starts to creep in ....

Bogie, thanks!

[Bogie]

Looking good ChickPea.

[ChickPea]

Well I guess I'd better post an update!

My effort's a bit more pedestrian compared to the other entries, but oh well, I do my best.

### LATEST WIP ###
village1.jpg

I still have a load of things to do, including...

1. A few more buildings to be added (if you're wondering why there are roads that stop in the middle of nowhere, that's why. I haven't lost my mind. Yet.)
2. A few bridges to be added
3. Fields with crops and maybe a stone quarry
4. A little ferry/raft thingie to cross the bigger river
5. A few other random bits and pieces

I might crop out some of the forest on the left hand side, because I don't think it's really adding anything. I haven't starting writing any text yet but this would let me make the sidebar bigger if I need the space for the text and legend.

Any thoughts so far?