Mist Continent

[Vivi]

Well as you can guess from the title this is the Mist Continent from FF9, which is the area you explore for all of CD1 and some of CD2. This game is one of my favourite games, so when deciding on the first map I was going to try and draw I thought lets go with this, how long will it take. Well a month and a half later, and I'm done.

Due to it being a map of a game world, I went with larger icons as if I didn't there wouldn't of been much in it apart from a lot of mountains. The labeling for the map, I decided to try and emulate the map that you see for about 20 seconds while riding the cable car in South Gate.

Well I wasn't going to do more of the continents, then I remembered that on one of them there is a Whale Zombie. How many times do you get to draw a Whale Zombie, so I will be drawing all the continents at some point.

This is done in Photoshop.

Final Fantasy- Mist Continent.jpg

Comments are welcome.

[Carbus]

That's awesome! The drawings, mountains, the simple colors! I envy you, you found a nice style, I'm still trying to find one xD. Great job, hope to see more of this!

[afters]

I'm quite impressed by this. It might get criticized as a bit cartoony, but I'm okay with that. I actually quite like this style for a game map. I might not use it for a serious fantasy novel, but for a lighthearted RPG it's nice. Have some rep

[Cunning Cartographer]

Had another look at it and I think it warrants some feedback as I do really like it.

Firstly I'd lose the grain texture on the wood as I think it it doesn't suit the style (you're drawing style actually remind me of my own illustrations; line work, block colour, single highlight and low light). If you want detail then draw it in the hard way.

Secondly I'd try more variation with the line width on your next piece. A thinner line for the detail would really give the pic a lot more punch eg. mountain and tree detail). Some coastal cliffs on your southern landmass would also be pretty nice given the 3D view (similar to your southern most mountain plateau range) as otherwise it looks like 3d drawings drawn on top of an overhead flat landmass.

But yeh, pretty great

[Cunning Cartographer]

Whilst your choice in game absolutely sucks (FF7 4tw!) the map on the other hand looks really nice. It actually reminds me of something you'd see in Adventure Time. Good job.

[- Max -]

I'm not personnaly a great fan of this naive/cartoony style but it's well done

[Azélor]

I really like your style, it's different from what we see normally.

[Jalyha]

I think it fits the style of the game. Wouldn't that mean it is more suited to its' purpose (to show the lands from the game) than something with more realism would have done? I also think the wood texture is subtle enough not to interfere with anything else.

I do agree (reluctantly) about the line width variation. (I say reluctantly, because I think this map is pretty awesome as-is)

[arsheesh]

Very well done Vivi. I concur with Cunning Cartographer's suggestions, but all in all this is a well executed piece.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Vivi]

Thanks everyone, I'm quite happy how this turned out.

Whilst your choice in game absolutely sucks (FF7 4tw!)

Haha, I actually never got into that FF, I think I only got to the end of CD1. Got the playstation nearer to the end of its cycle, so FFIX was the first FF that I bought.

Firstly I'd lose the grain texture on the wood as I think it it doesn't suit the style

I do agree with you there, I added to it as I had added a paper texture to the middle, so thought I needn't something for the border. But was not 100% happy with it, so will take the texture off the piece.

Secondly I'd try more variation with the line width on your next piece. A thinner line for the detail would really give the pic a lot more punch eg. mountain and tree detail). Some coastal cliffs on your southern landmass would also be pretty nice given the 3D view (similar to your southern most mountain plateau range) as otherwise it looks like 3d drawings drawn on top of an overhead flat landmass.

For the line thickness, was thinking I may need to add variation to it, but had already done all the mountains, and that took so long and was not going to redo all that. Same thing with the coastal cliffs, have started messing around with that on my new piece, but had already finished the line work and colouring on this one. Will try both of these things out on my new map.