Albaghre - a WIP done in GIMP

[rowlandrose]

Well, I said in my introduction that I wanted to improve my hand-drawn map techniques. But then I watched some tutorials by the zombienirvana guy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO4XZfaSAoA) and I was inspired to make a world map using GIMP.

The fantasy world I'm always world-building for is called Albaghre. This map is what I have so far of that world. I plan on adding roads, cities, and rivers, but I'm not sure how I'm gonna them. I like the look of city "icons" that look like a collection of buildings, giving you an idea of how the city looks. But roads and rivers I'm not sure yet. I'll probably spend some time looking at other maps to see how they did it

If you have any comments / suggestions / questions, please post!

[Ghostman]

Looks like a fine start. I think the mountains would look better with a more grayish color to them, and whiter for the snow caps. Also, - assuming this is supposed to be fairly earth-like planet - it would seem that the equator would be just below that large lake on the great eastern landmass. If so, is there a reason why there are so little forests on these latitudes? One would expect the tropics to be covered by much rainforest.

The best advice I can give you is to make the rivers (at least the most major ones) before placing the cities. Rivers are important because they provide fresh water (any decent-sized city will need a good source of water to sustain it's population), they act as natural barriers (hence often marking borders between kingdoms) but also provide a convenient way of transportation (if navigable, and especially in regions where roads are of poor quality).

The roads should be placed after the cities, since they mostly connect one city to another, or to some other important place (such as mines in the mountaints, an important temple or other holy place, a port-town by the sea shore, etc.)

[Absinth]

What's the scale of this map? Is it the whole world or just a part of a bigger world?

[Jkaen]

By the sounds of it you are aiming for a mpa something like this one

hopefully that will give you inspiriation

[torstan]

I like the start you've made. I've a few comments. Firstly I'm not sure the continental outline needs to be as strong as you've made it. You already have a clear edge from the land/sea boundary so I'm not sure you need to have a thick line as well. It looks a little like the entire continent has a very uniform beach around it. Also, I'm not too sure about the texture you've used for the mountains. There are some pretty extended discussions knocking around on the boards about how best to do mountains on a map like this, but my advice would be to go to google earth and find a mountain range at roughly the same scale as this map. Then try to get an effect in Gimp that gets you a good result.

Otherwise I think the map is good - very clear design and clearly delineated regions. I guess the next step is rivers and lake and then some labelling? I look forward to seeing how this progresses.

[jfrazierjr]

I like the start you've made. I've a few comments. Firstly I'm not sure the continental outline needs to be as strong as you've made it. You already have a clear edge from the land/sea boundary so I'm not sure you need to have a thick line as well. It looks a little like the entire continent has a very uniform beach around it.

I agree. One thing I have been meaning to try on a largish sized map like this is stroking the outline and using the new Brush Dynamics in GIMP 2.6 to vary the size and stuff of the brush, and perhaps even using a Gradient brush. Will have to give that a try tonight to see what I can come up with...

Also, I'm not too sure about the texture you've used for the mountains. There are some pretty extended discussions knocking around on the boards about how best to do mountains on a map like this, but my advice would be to go to google earth and find a mountain range at roughly the same scale as this map. Then try to get an effect in Gimp that gets you a good result.

Well... my approach is best... I just have not figured out how to make it easily repeatable enough to write it down. Plus, while it looks very good... it takes quite a while....

[RobA]

I agree. One thing I have been meaning to try on a largish sized map like this is stroking the outline and using the new Brush Dynamics in GIMP 2.6 to vary the size and stuff of the brush, and perhaps even using a Gradient brush. Will have to give that a try tonight to see what I can come up with...

Or stroke it with the Ink Tool, rather than a paint brush. Just setting up an angled tip with some simulated dynamics will make a stroked outline much less uniform looking.

-Rob A>

[jfrazierjr]

Or stroke it with the Ink Tool, rather than a paint brush. Just setting up an angled tip with some simulated dynamics will make a stroked outline much less uniform looking.

-Rob A>

Great idea Rob (would rep you.. but I had to hunt around to get you over 200 a few days ago... and don't have the time to hunt ATM)

To be honest, I have never used the Ink tool. I assume you are meaning using one of the calligraphy brushes that come with GIMP?

[rowlandrose]

Thanks for the comments everyone

I agree about the uniform beach, it would be cool to change the width of it randomly. Also, I think the mountains need work and I may use a different technique for making them.

And Jkaen, thanks for the example, I like how the political boundaries and mountains were done there. I may have to emulate it somehow.

Absinth, It is supposed to be a part of the world, but a pretty big part. Like a quarter of the planet's surface. It's in the upper hemisphere, so the north is cold and the south is warm. But that's just what I had in mind and it isn't set in stone.

One would expect the tropics to be covered by much rainforest.

I will have to learn how to do that. I made this map with the idea that the equator was basically near the bottom of the map. Thank you Ghostman for the ideas on the progression of the map.

Attached is an update to the map with rivers. I made this before your suggestions, and I plan on changing the mountains and/or the coastline next.