Here's the map I'm currently working on as the region in which my new fantasy novel will take place. As yet, I don't have a name I like for it so my "placeholder" name for it is Teyemanon (try spelling that backwards).
The region shown in this map is roughly the size of the Anatolian peninsula (possibly a little larger) with a similar overall geography of very rough terrain with limited arable land. The southern landmass is on a plate that is colliding northwards so in another few million years the narrow sea/waterway will gradually be closed off to become a series of lakes and eventually dry land. At present it remains navigable to the brave, though the currents and riptides are fairly hazardous.
So far I have layers completed are:
- the overall shape land/water
- the sea and sea textures
- the coastline (though I'm not 100% happy with the shading so I might go back and rework it
- there are a pair of lake in the north (with connecting waterway) and another pair in the south that are only placeholders and will get their own separate layer later
- the greenish layer will act as a background for the various land layers I'll be working on next
Still on my to-do list...
- additional layers to suggest the limited regions of arable land, larger swaths of Mediterranean-like grassland, and large areas of steppelands
- exposing dirt/scrubland/rock upper elevations (perhaps including alpine glaciers in the deep north-east interior)
- major rivers
- the aforementioned proper treatment for the lakes and connecting waterways
- and then once all that it done, start adding human settlements, limited "roads", etc.
- then go through the torturous task of naming everything that needs a name (and getting the names to look pretty)
- and then finally to add illustrative components (scale, compass rose, etc.)
Any comments/criticisms are welcome!