Need help Scheying my map

[Gnarl]

Hi guys,

As a huge fan of Mike Schley, I'm trying to mimic his style but I'm having a very hard time figuring out how he does his grass. Simply put, his looks much nicer than mine and I'm not sure why. I think his highlights and shadings are better, and the background paper he uses has more texture.

This is my first map so I'm still lacking techniques. I would really appreciate a more experienced cartographer's help figuring out how to improve my map!

You can get a HD Version here

This is the map:



Thanks guys!

[Midgardsormr]

Mike's pen work is very relaxed and spontaneous. It's a difficult thing to emulate exactly, and it will probably take a lot of practice.

His textural lines are usually black rather than green, and he usually has some splotchy watercolor variation in the grass color. You have fairly well-defined boundaries between grass and path, but if you look at, for instance, this one:
http://www.cartographersguild.com/at...5&d=1355594497
you will see that there is some blending between the colors, giving a more naturalistic feel.

You're doing a marvelous job emulating Mike's style. I'm truly impressed!

[Gnarl]

Mike's pen work is very relaxed and spontaneous. It's a difficult thing to emulate exactly, and it will probably take a lot of practice.

His textural lines are usually black rather than green, and he usually has some splotchy watercolor variation in the grass color. You have fairly well-defined boundaries between grass and path, but if you look at, for instance, this one:
http://www.cartographersguild.com/at...5&d=1355594497
you will see that there is some blending between the colors, giving a more naturalistic feel.

You're doing a marvelous job emulating Mike's style. I'm truly impressed!

Very good point about the blending. I even noticed it but I forgot to do it!

I think you might be right about the watercolor variation. How would you do it then? Some kind of wet edge brush with a low opacity to give it an irregular grass/dirt mix feel?

Thanks for your help Midgard!

[Josiah VE]

I'm not familiar with Mike Schley, but this look really great! Good job!

[J.Edward]

It is very impressive.
I don't really encourage emulating one's style so exactly, but I suppose Mike is pretty much an icon of fantasy mapping.
Many may have grown up with his maps from DnD and other places.

[Gnarl]

It is very impressive.
I don't really encourage emulating one's style so exactly, but I suppose Mike is pretty much an icon of fantasy mapping.
Many may have grown up with his maps from DnD and other places.

I'm not sure any other style would feel like a Forgotten Realms map!

I give Mr Schley all the credit so maybe it's ok to mimic his style. Plus this is my first map. I need to learn how to copy the master before I surpass him!

[J.Edward]

I'm not sure any other style would feel like a Forgotten Realms map!

I give Mr Schley all the credit so maybe it's ok to mimic his style. Plus this is my first map. I need to learn how to copy the master before I surpass him!

Well, you've got fire and spirit - I'll give ya that

[Falconius]

That map of yours is a beaut, and I can see why you'd want to emulate that style, I think you are doing a pretty bang up job of it.

[jpstod]

I use his Art pack for CC3

[arsheesh]

It definitely looks like a Mike Schley map, which is to your credit: it's always a good sign when you can imitate a master in his/her craft.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh