Leend - first try

[Ilanthar]

Yep, really good colors! Am I weird if I say that the shape makes me think of a kind of kindjal now ? Anyway, it's quite good now, I'm waiting for labels and other additions.... and your test on the mountains which are a bit too color-based imo.

[Lyrillies]

Haha a Kindjal? You mean like this?
silver-kindjal-dagger-2.jpg
Dunno if it's weird, but it is definitely better than saying it looks like Africa

But I'm definitely not at a point where I can label it yet xD There is still so much to do before that stage…
Anyway, I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean by color based, but I did go and try to enhance their very simple color-layering style. Is it better now?
edit: I'm still talking about the north-eastern mountain range only, the others are obviously not done at all and just waiting till I find the style

leend_v2.2.jpg

Other problems that still need to be addressed:
- the desert looks to plain, it's lacking movement somehow. there needs to be more something.
- the ocean needs more variation, especially more shallow water near the coast.
- cliffs or no cliffs? You can see the cliff experiment best in the very south. Not sure whether that's too comic-y or not.
- of course once I'm set on the style I need to actually paint the other mountain ranges, the islands, etc.
- political borders, towns, trade routes, …
- labels.
- I'm toying with the idea of including a city map of the most important city there, but that's so far off in the future I should probably stop thinking about it. Or start the city map project separately. hm...
Did I forget anything?

And also, of course: thank you very, very much for all of your help and patience with me and this project!

[Ilanthar]

Yep, exactly!

By Lyrillies
Anyway, I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean by color based, but I did go and try to enhance their very simple color-layering style. Is it better now?

Yes, it is! It's kinda hard to get a sense of embossed with a color graduation and a top view... but your bright ridge lines and summits works pretty well.

I agree with you for the desert and the ocean. For the desert, I would think about the lot of differences you could find in a big one like the Sahara : sand dunes, rocky zones, mud regions that welcome a temporary lake/river in a short part of the year, oasis...

I didn't know how to improve the cliff, but right now, it's hard to notice it.