(WIP) Kanji map 'Kazimai'

[Domino44]

I made this map more because I needed to get the idea out of my head but I started it and I liked it. I had the idea to make a map out of actual Japanese kanji.

Every icon is the kanji symbol for what it is representing. The mountains are the kanji for mountain the hills are kanji for hills…etc. The landmass is based off of the kanji for island, even the way the other kanji icons are placed they outline the island kanji.

The only kanji that I really had to mess with was the kanji for river, but I think it turned out okay.

I still need to label everything and I might do a few more things.

kanji.map.mikurin.png

[jbgibson]

Love it! Especially your solution for getting linear features out of "river".

[Jalyha]

Oh this is simply beautiful!

And I was surprised that I could tell what (almost) everything was without checking the key!

I didn't get the "rivers" at first but when I did I giggled.

I can't wait to see how it turns out!

[Gamerprinter]

An interesting idea. Since kanji is based on recognizable iconography, it really does have the appearance of a map symbol.

[Domino44]

Thanks for all the encouraging replies!

The biggest thing I was worried about was the river. Though it's still the kanji symbol for river, but because it's sideways it looks more like the kanji symbol for the number three. I think I might name the rivers something like kawasan: san meaning three, kawa meaning river.

[Jalyha]

It works though... with the 3 lines, it looks like 3 rivers... so either 3 or river would work


The only issue I had, honestly, is that the river is so much lighter that it's difficult to assimilate.

I don't think it matters if you change the name, but saying "shown sideways" in the key might throw off the feel of the thing a bit, so maybe kawasan is a good compromise.... just make sure that doesn't already mean something else

Either way, it's still a beautiful concept, and a beautiful map

[Tracker]

Hello:

In a word, it is beautiful. It is simple; however, it is elegant. I like your solution for river. Again simple; however, it is elegant. The color choice works very well. I have used kanji for directional labeling (north, south, etc.) but this works well. Really well.

Thank you for sharing. It has given me some ideas for an ancient map.

Tracker

[Domino44]

Thanks Tracker!

An update, okay so I know I didn't do much but I did finish my design for my rose compass and also did some labeling.

kanji.map.mikurin-compasrose.png

[- Max -]

The compass looks good though a bit big regarding the map size. Also you should avoid warp effect on labels that create bad font distorsion and which isn't really pleasant to read at and prefer using path tool to create curved labels.

[Domino44]

I can't seem to figure out how to do that with the path tool… :\ I don't know what I'm doing wrong and I got a bit frustrated with it.