Fresco of Ausonia

[Naima]

Hello , I was thinking since some time to try to make something more "artistic" and painted and less "precise" and "realistic" so I thought to take inspiration from the famous Vatican City Maps Gallery and attempt to make a similar map in a sort of Fresco Style mixed with Fantasy art drawing, now I never tried this and I dunno if I will be able to accomplish it or if I have enough talent.
The map I would like ot look like a wallpainting and I will insert in a proper setting ...I am starting over an enlargement base from a previous portion of the World of Thersis, it might take a lot of work but ... It will also help me test and try a new style that I wanted to be a little different from the typical fantasy map drawings... Perhaps it will look less detailed and "nice" or "appealing" ... Anyway here is my first attempt.
For the Sea I did copy the style of the original frescos and then cloned around , I hope this doesn't give a too much "cloned" look .





as for mountains I want to inspire both to the fresco style and the works of another great mapper here "Viking" , hope to make something similar at least but with a fresco style.

Then my idea is to Fill the countorn of Renaissence style figures, sea monsters, ships and the like with also a painted compass , then add some painted cities as well .

Now on the issues :

• I fear it would take ages to make the whole map as I intended as paingint every single hill and tree might become a little too timeconsuming ... tips on that?
  
• I am also not really liking how woods and forests are made in the original frescos so I was trying something different but I can't say I am really a fun of what I did ... ( in the little island enlargement ) ... Tips for that too?
  
• The size is also an issue as I am not really getting what level of detail I should focus for? so sizes of hills , forests, and mountains , especially in comparison with oehter places of the map that might make me risk to loose the proportion focus .Tips for that too?
  

HhKtls5.jpg

So any sugestions or tips from the more ex'pert painters out there is more than welcome .

[damonjynx]

Fine start Naima. I'm not experienced, or good enough to give you any tips but I like where this is going.

[Naima]

Thankyou , I am exploring a new style for map making , I hope to make it look possibly like a realistic wall painting Fresco.
Then I want to put the whole composition in a proper setting possibly.

[Wingshaw]

This is off to a good start, Naima. I've attempted something a bit similar with my map of Ostrom (here), also inspired by Viking's works. Is this the look you're going for, a bit? If it is, I could possibly offer some tips as to how I have worked on this one.

Wingshaw

[Naima]

This is off to a good start, Naima. I've attempted something a bit similar with my map of Ostrom (here), also inspired by Viking's works. Is this the look you're going for, a bit? If it is, I could possibly offer some tips as to how I have worked on this one.

Wingshaw

Thankyou and yes the style is similar, though I will give it perhaps later a more "fresco style look , but I guess is something you notice more on close ups than out , for that I am trying not to use contorun lines but just color grades. And yes I woul dlove tohear tips .

[Deoridhe]

I love the colors and style. In regards to the tree - maybe trying a slightly darker or yellower hue might help? It took me a while to figure out what part wre the trees, and sometimes hue/shade differences can help with that.

I didn't notice a clone effect in the water; could something similar work with the trees? Sketch 5-10 different ones, then layer them? Or do some variation between coniferous and deciduous? You could even have some little weeping-style trees for near lakes and rivers to add variety to the shape.

[Naima]

I love the colors and style. In regards to the tree - maybe trying a slightly darker or yellower hue might help? It took me a while to figure out what part wre the trees, and sometimes hue/shade differences can help with that.

I didn't notice a clone effect in the water; could something similar work with the trees? Sketch 5-10 different ones, then layer them? Or do some variation between coniferous and deciduous? You could even have some little weeping-style trees for near lakes and rivers to add variety to the shape.

Good Idea I will try that .


I was also thinking if also I shold use an ink contourn lines to define better the things like mountains , valleys , hills and trees, but I feat this might give a too much "drawed classic fantasy stlyle" type of look , but ... Icould also use it as a selectable layer to have eventually both and use the ink as guideline?

[Tenia]

Great Naima ! I personally don't think you should add contour lines, or very thin ones and maybe dark green (or black with a lower opacity), mountains in your example seem made with shadowing and lighting... and perhaps elevations with slightly rounded peaks, to distinguish them from the waves (which are superb by the way) ?

[Naima]

Ok to give me a better guideline before painting I decided to first use some contourn lines that after I will follow when painting , I might eventually keep, use or refine later for some more detail map not for the fresco .
I am painting over another height colored map for the region .
What do you think?

446223887155e1737aeb98ed1136abfd-jpg.jpg

[Ilanthar]

haha, funny ! I did quite the same thing recently for a commission. They had a top-down topography color-based and I turned it in a classical fantasy one.
I would follow a logic of valleys more than levels for this, if you know what I mean. Draw the main ranges and get taller mountains in the brown/whites, but not underlying the change of level inside a valley.