Now and then: Adria (January Challenge map)

[Kellerica]

I figured I might post this in the Finished maps section as well...

This January, as most of you are aware, we were challenged with re-doing an older map of ours. I felt this was an awesome prompt. Since I am the type that likes to update her work all the time, a part of me wanted to use this challenge as an excuse to draw Syr (chapter 1618.6), finally decided that I wanted to actually challenge myself and not just do something I 100% would eventually end up doing anyway.

So I decided instead to do not just one of my early maps, but perhaps the most early one. This was pretty much my first serious worldbuilding project ever. I wrote stories taking place in parts of this world when I was like 11, maybe 12. At 13, I combined those parts with another story's setting, and thus Adria in this form was born. It was originally the name of that one vaguely star-shaped island, but over time the isle got renamed to something else and Adria became the name of the whole world.

Attachment 120507

This world really started my hobby in full, and it was re-worked and redesigned countless times over the years until there was very little of the original left. I took this challenge as a perfect excuse to go all the way back to the beginning and revisit the world as it looked in those early days.
This particular map was my first ever attempt at making a cool parchement map with Photoshop. I was still years away from finding the Guild, and I think it's obvious I had exactly zero clue what I was doing.

And this is what I cooked up for the challenge!

WIP11.jpg

I wanted to stay as close to the original as possible, only changing little things that I felt like made more sense. Due to having limited time to work on this, I was forced to keep the detail level extremely low. I only included the most iconic key locations from stories over the years here, but honestly now that I look back, I'm not sure there were that many more around. It felt like a somewhat complete setting at the time, but I'm starting to realize it was mostly populated by placeholder names that had very little story behind them.

There are a number of things - that frame in particular - that I'm not really wild about in this one, I really struggled to meet the deadline and was forced to cut a whole lot of corners to get it done in time. If I have the time and energy I might dive back in to polish it a bit further. But that's a big if. There is no denying that this world as it's seen here is mostly dead and buried, and while it was fun and nostalgic to pay it a visit, I don't know if I'll be making another one anytime soon. I'm still glad I took this opportunity. This place was once very important to me, and I can trace my love of worldbuilding back to these little continents. And just from a technical perspective, it was fun to see the difference in what I can do now versus what I could back then.

Well, in any case. Here you can see what a decade of mapping can do for you. Thanks for joining me on this journey, everyone - I would not be where I am now without you guys!

-Kell

Ps. Just for the record, I also am now working on that new Syr map, so that's a thing that's happening and I'm not even sorry, I did not make one for the entirety of 2019 so I need to, don't judge me I don't have a problem I can stop anytime I want to, I swear

[QED42]

Another excellent addition to the collection of dark maps!

[Yrda]

Nice development! I really like the evolved shapes of the land masses. Much more convincing, while still being recognizable, which makes the old version still feel "valid". And I like the colors. Did you create brushes for these mountains?

IF you ever polish it even more, maybe the "cloudy" sea could have a bit less contrast in itself, but after all that's just my taste.

(funny, I remember that old background texture, have also used it years ago and feeling a bit nostalgic now )

[Kellerica]

Did you create brushes for these mountains?

Nah. I've never bothered, I've discovered that with my workflow drawing new mountains is actually faster than using brushes. Besides, I kind of have a long-standing habit of hating my mountains, so creating brushes for them seems all the more futile...

IF you ever polish it even more, maybe the "cloudy" sea could have a bit less contrast in itself, but after all that's just my taste.

Really? Huh. Interesting, since the sea is actually the thing I myself probably like the most about this piece. I guess I just like my strong contrasts?

funny, I remember that old background texture, have also used it years ago and feeling a bit nostalgic now )

Hah, yeah? That's a funny coincidence. As it was so many years ago, I have no idea where I originally found it. These days I always combine so many textures I doubt it's very easy to recognise them at a glance, but back then... well, let's just say I have learned a thing or two since that time.

Thanks for the nice comment!

[Yrda]

*lol* Don't see why you should hate your mountains. I like that style.

And about the sea: I like the overall color, and the "clouds" remind me of water waves, which is pretty cool. Didn't want to say I don't like it.

Ah, unfortunately I don't know either where that old texture came from. Ooooh wait! I still had it with its original file name. Here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/devont...85657/sizes/l/

[Kellerica]

And about the sea: I like the overall color, and the "clouds" remind me of water waves, which is pretty cool. Didn't want to say I don't like it.

Oh, even if you did not like it, it would be a 100% valid piece of critism! Please don't think I was trying to dismiss your point. I just find it funny that while I have a great number of things on this map that I don't like (I'm still a bit amazed that it ended up winning the vote), but the ocean was pretty much the only thing that came out the way I wanted it to And I can totally see where you are coming from, the contrast is very strong.

Ah, unfortunately I don't know either where that old texture came from. Ooooh wait! I still had it with its original file name. Here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/devont...85657/sizes/l/

Well, I'll be damned! That's awesome!

[Arimel]

Really cool! I have a somewhat similar story with a short novel I wrote at the same age. I, sadly, used it for a school project and the deadlines and everything slightly drove me away from creative writing as a fun and entertaining past time (although if that had not happened I would not have branched away from writing into drawing). I have updated the maps several times though and realized just how little I actually know about the world in the process! If I get some free time it would be interesting to take another look...
Back to your map though, there is a huge amount of progress here and this new version is really cool! The mountains look great and the colors are well chosen. I agree about the border not quite fitting. It seems a bit too steampunk compared to the rest of the map but really nice all the same!

[Marc Moureau]

Considering how much you struggled with the deadline, this is definitely a huge success.

I guess it's easier and more stimulating to start a fresh map than to entirely revisit an old one.

Even though you still see these little things you could have done better, It's a beautiful map anyway.

[MistyBeee]

Superb map, Kell ! Among the whole map and style, I love the delicate line for the river, and this lovely light outline for the coastline. Good job !

Always happy to see a new Syr map !

[Ilanthar]

Splendid map, Kell !

You have a top notch contrast/colors combination that just underline the different elements and lineart. Great work.