[WIP] The Democratic Republic of Vistany

[Prolet]

Somewhere in the South Atlantic lies a nigh forgotten island of misery and strife. Its population has endured countless civil wars, and the country is ruled by an iron fist by John Canton, Chairman of the Democratic Party. The Vistanian Islands were originally settled and claimed by the Dutch, but were later sold to the United Kingdom. However, the islands were gifted to Sweden soon after. Before Vistany's independence, the islands were briefly given back to the UK, but by this time, the most spoken language in Vistany was Finnish - numerous settlers from Sweden's eastern provinces had migrated to Vistany in hope of a better life.



Any and all suggestions to improve the map are welcome. I'm especially at a loss on how to create a proper legend.

[Sapiento]

Fine map. Maybe some different colours for depths in the sea? What kind of information shall the legend show to the reader? Political? Geographical? If you think about this, you maybe get an idea for the legend.

[Prolet]

Fine map. Maybe some different colours for depths in the sea? What kind of information shall the legend show to the reader? Political? Geographical? If you think about this, you maybe get an idea for the legend.

I know pretty well what I want to have in the legend - mostly political information, but I don't really know how to make the legend. Any good tutorials about this for Photoshop?

[Lingon]

Looks really nice! I like this modern style, though I have no idea how to make it myself One suggestion: I'd move the Atlantic Ocean label to sit southeast of Horse Island and curve upwards, and also lower the opacity of it – that'd group the islands together into one focal point, rather than split it into two, and the lower opacity would make it instantly obvious that it's about the sea and not one if the islands.

As to the legend, do you have any ideas for a border around the map? If so, you could just put a white/yellow/anything box in the upper left corner and copy the border to sit around it. Or don't make a cartouche at all – just write directly on the ocean. Maybe put some swirls around the text afterwards, again to group it together.

[EruSilme]

i like it! I never attempted a "modern days" map, i'll give a try sooner or later

about the legend, i think you should evaluate the situation: what do you want to offer to the viewer? Is it already on the map? Considering this, you can work on it.

As it is now, your map gives some visual informations: you used colors for altitude, if i am not wrong, so your legend could offer an explanation (a patch of color with associated the altitude range, maybe?).
You should also indicate the scale of the map.
You could even make some differences in city icons, and then explain that the black dot with a circle around indicates a city of more than 500000 people etc. etc. There are roads? If you trace them, maybe there will be differences between them (double line for highways, single for main routes, dotted for secondary ones?)

It's a good map, hovewer!

[Prolet]

Thanks for the tips! Current progress:

[Wingshaw]

Nice. The one thing I'd suggest is perhaps toning down the...are the red lines districts? provinces? Anyway, the bright red looks a bit off (at least, that's my observation). Maybe a black dotted line, or a lower opacity or something.

But otherwise very nice. I like the simplicity and clarity of it.

[Viking]

Nice work so far! A border would only add to this fine map I quite like your region names by the way!