Continent of Dyrna (WIP)

[HandsomeRob]

I think we really need to see a scale somewhere on this map. Also, I'm having a lot of trouble reading the font. Colors are nice though.

-Rob

[PrismShard]

I like the map a lot. The textures of the terrain, especially the forests and lakes are particularly nice. I also like the overall color scheme. I would recommend doing something different with the text's color, however, since it's hard to make out some of the words. Also, if this is a populated world, I'd like to see some roads, towns, cities, ruins, etc. What program did you use?

[ObsidianBlk]

On the subject of the texts on the map... forgive me for not mentioning it before, but they were simply thrown in there for this WIP to give everyone some general names to go with the map. Those will definitely be given far more attention than the five minutes I gave them before uploading the map here

The Lost Lands are bright, I agree, but only because I actually haven't gotten to painting any of that area yet. That will definitely change.

I can see what you're saying, Pyrandon, about the mountains, but before I completely change their style from the symbolic they are now, I have yet to give them texture, so I'm going to do that before examining how it looks on the map over all... but I will definitely keep the idea of changing their style in mind. (I'm also going to do this because, I'm not familiar with the more natural way of painting mountains )

Roads and towns are on the "to-do" list for this map. Still have some detailing to finish (none of the islands have been detailed yet, and the Lost Lands needs to be attended to)

Sorry for not having a scale. It'll be in the final version, but, for an idea, I'm picturing the continent to be roughly the size of the USA in width.

Last but not least... I'm using Painter IX to draw the map. The original rough sketch was done by hand on a very boring work day, but I scanned that in and drew over the original (adding to it in places) and painted it in Painter. The map above is only 1/7 the size I'm actually painting.

Thank you guys for the great comments! I'll have an update to this map soon

[pyrandon]

Oh--I'm not saying completely change the mountains: just touch them up so they come a bit closer to the painterly style. Richt now they seem plopped on there in all their cut-and-paste glory, and to my eye stick out too much. That's all I meant. No changes (to anything, really) just play, editing, and touch-ups.

[ObsidianBlk]

Oh--I'm not saying completely change the mountains: just touch them up so they come a bit closer to the painterly style. Richt now they seem plopped on there in all their cut-and-paste glory, and to my eye stick out too much. That's all I meant. No changes (to anything, really) just play, editing, and touch-ups.

Yeah, lol, after I posted I reread what you said and realized I misunderstood what you were saying about the mountains. Hehe... don't worry, though. Like I said, they're going to be getting a bit more work to them then a simple, flat color

[ravells]

Ohhhhh you have rivers forking downstream...rivers very rarely, if ever do that. There was a good tutorial posted on doing mountains in painter recently. You might want to have a look at that one - it may give you some ideas. Looking forward to seeing how this one develops. I think painter is a really underused mapping tool here at the guild and I'm glad that we have another 'painter guy' in the house!

[RobA]

Ohhhhh you have rivers forking downstream...rivers very rarely, if ever do that.

C'mon Rav's...you beat me to it!

I took a good look and it seems all your rivers tend to defy what rivers typically to. Think of them as roots of a plant, with the surface of the soil being where the river ends (ocean, large lake). Small rivulets combine into brooks, which combine into streams, which combine into rivers, and so on, with the. They also tend to flow downhill. (This makes me question the river that appears to be flowing from the SE side of the lake in the Dureen plateau). Lastly, the slope of the terrain (and material) determines the river's "feel". it takes a flat, level, area for a river to widen out and meander. Sharply sloped areas will make water channels deeper and straighter.

I do like the artistic look of the map, and especially how you cluster forest growth near water. Looking forward to its evolution! (and how the lost lands are eventually handled...)

-Rob A>