Calisdania

[Chick]

I see what you mean, and yes you are right about the trees overlap. I'll have to think what to do about that, since I made them into a brush, and the stupid photoshop brushes always have that transparency. Maybe solid black trees ....?

So are you suggesting that labels on top of trees and mountains should have a solid surrounding white to eliminate anything showing through from below? I haven't tried that -- I will, thanks.

[- Max -]

Actually the brushes in PS are tricky to make forests. If you use them, prefere sparse forests. For overlapping trees, use the stamp tool instead with black outlined trees filled with blanc colors. use these stamps (always from top to bottom) to create the proper overlapping. I once put some mini tutorial about how doing it n some of my WIPs but I can't remember exactly.
As for the white stroke, yes I suggest it on black and white maps, this is the most efficient way (unless you prefer to erase the elements "behind" the labels) to keep inforamtions legible, which is what you're awaiting from a map after all.

[Deadshade]

Rivers do not take the "shortest way to the sea". .

This is extremely right.
Actually even if it varies, there is a conjecture that the ratio "length of a river/distance from source to mouth" is Pi. It has not been proven mathematically (yet) but it is approximately true.
So if the length of your river is less than 3x distance source - mouth then it is not a (statistically) realistic river.
Of course this doesn't apply as well on very small resolutions (say river width = 1 pixel) but it is still a good rule of the thumb.

[Larb]

Rivers do not take the "shortest way to the sea".

Just a little trivia on this regarding the river I live by that I think people might find interesting. The Severn river is about 200 miles long but the source is only about 12 miles from the sea!

[eldritchdawn]

It looks very good. Also I like these runic letters.

[Chick]

Nice map, chick. One thought that came to mind when looking at the book version... if you lighten the title, cartouche, and border stuff to a similar value-range as the rest of the map it might give it just a little more togetherness ...

This is an interesting subject to me ... I lightened a lot of the map elements to grey mostly because I see a lot of maps which do that. I have no idea why.

Is there a reason why so many parts of black and white maps are made grey and white? I can understand if it is necessary to distinguish similar looking elements with different shades of greys (since color is not available), but if all the black is lightened to a similar value range, then why not keep it black?

[- Max -]

IThis is because those map elements are thicker than the others and so appear "heavy" . Lighten them in gray or dark grey will help to balance the overall black levels on the map.