Atoll Dock-town of Nukshan

[Misjay Maps]

I realised today that I have not popped in here for an age... This year has been crazy in many not-mapping time-eating ways.

This is my most recent personal project though, finished a couple months ago.
I really wanted to have a go a drawing a town that is mostly over water, on docks and rafts and old ships, with the land used for crops, plantations and food-forests... and which felt as tropical as possible.

The clouds are perhaps a little too much..... But my favorite thing to do with a map is to create a sense of depth, and without them it really looks so very flat.
The frame is inspired by Tapa-cloth patterning style of the Collingwood Bay area of Papua New Guinea


MJ_Nukshan_Atoll_Free_Poster_Map_2000x2875px.jpg

[SharpPointyStick]

Oh Wow!!! I just absolutely love this!!! This map just sucks you into it. Incredible work.

[Misjay Maps]

Thanks both of you :-)

re the clouds... I thought about adding a hint of some underwater structures for depth and in the end decided not to clutter up the water areas.
I did export a cloudless variation, though to me it feels less alive somehow - the water surface texture is maybe too flat
The clouds are not actually hiding anything... just feels like maybe they are! :-)

[Falconius]

Thanks both of you :-)

re the clouds... I thought about adding a hint of some underwater structures for depth and in the end decided not to clutter up the water areas.
I did export a cloudless variation, though to me it feels less alive somehow - the water surface texture is maybe too flat
The clouds are not actually hiding anything... just feels like maybe they are! :-)

Lol. You're right. Really changes the feel a lot. Hmm...

[Falconius]

Great map!

Though I'm not a fan of the clouds, because it obscures the great map. Perhaps the water could have been used to add the depth you want? Anyways great work!

[Arimel]

Its amazing the effect those clouds have! It looks like a completely new map without them. I really like the details in the map though. However, I would not want to be piloting some of those bigger ships into/out of the atoll - that entrances looks like a close call for some of their lengths to make the turn

[Ilanthar]

Great map! The view from afar and without the clouds make me think of a jaw, somehow.

[Misjay Maps]

same Ilanther! or a skull. or a bearded fellow wearing a peaked hat. or jaws.

Arimel... yeah... they are rather narrow, i agree - but a great way to keep strangers out don't you think?