Ethantis

[Cirias]

This is my first attempt at a black & white fantasy map. I wanted to recreate the style seen in many fantasy novels of the 70's/80's. I'm pleased with how it turned out and I hope you guys like it too!

It was created entirely in GIMP and took approx 18 hours in total. I'd love to hear your comments and critiques

Ethantis.jpg

EDIT: Credit to StarRaven for the mountains/treees: Sketchy Cartography Brushes

[Chick]

Cirias, this is really excellent! Two minor suggestions ...

1. Your shore ripples are too big and too wide, make them smaller.
2. Add some outer glow to your labels, so they stand out better from the background trees/hills/etc.

Very nice job, have some rep!

[Eilathen]

I agree with chick, this is already excellent.
I do think that the shore ripples are too strong. They distract from the land itself. Make them smaller and more transparent, maybe?

Is there a story for this map? I mean do you have a history for the place? If so, care to share?

Have some Rep.!

[Formal Abu]

This is a lovely map. Rep.

[Freodin]

I second / third what chick and Eilathen said: excellent map... but the ripples are too strong.

Anything else I think could be improved are very minor details.


Well done!

[- Max -]

I agree that the riples looks too big/strong (and also too digital comparing to the hand-drawn brushes). By the way, you should give credits to the one who made them.

[xpian]

All of the elements blend together really well. It has a pleasing look, overall. The ocean ripples don't bother me that much--that sort of thing seems like a stylistic choice, and I've seen them done very big and very dark. Just look at this:
map_eriador.gif

It's a little hard to read some of the text labels. Instead of only using a diffuse "outer glow" technique, you might consider using a light stroke set to the outside of the text in addition to the glow (I'm not sure what the GIMP equivalent of the photoshop layer styles are, but hopefully that makes sense to you.)

The Plains and Highlands (moors? Downs?) seem to be using a symbol/texture that says "swamp" to me, so that's a little confusing.

The text in Great Lakelands is overlapping some smaller text.

[Cirias]

All of the elements blend together really well. It has a pleasing look, overall. The ocean ripples don't bother me that much--that sort of thing seems like a stylistic choice, and I've seen them done very big and very dark.

The excessive shore ripples actually were a stylistic choice, based on the exact map that xpian linked in fact! I also had the labels more clearly outlined at one point, but then I applied a light grunge layer over the land and I should have probably tinkered with my layers so it applied underneath the text. Oh well, we exist to learn

Thanks to all for the great comments and rep. Your feedback and plaudits are always really appreciated

And as Max pointed out, I forgot to give credit to StarRaven for the mountain/tree and grassland brushes: Sketchy Cartography Brushes

Those really are some brilliant brushes. I hope to make a set of my own sometime soon. I put some mountains together a while back, but I seem to have lost them

[Eilathen]

The problem, in my eyes, is that the map that served as inspiration for you (and that xpian posted above) can handle such big and strong, black ripples, as the scale is much larger (aka much more "zoomed out of the map" or in other words lesser detail of land-interior stuff). In contrast to that, your map is smaller scale and it is overwhelming the rest of the map and distracts from it (your interior stuff needs more focus on it, as it are the details that make your map).

[Cirias]

Eilathen, I think you're right. I may even post up a modified version to correct a couple of things.

I sometimes find I have issues making maps feel larger (i.e. zoomed out) and they always end up being more close in focus. This particular one wasn't intended to feel larger than it is, but it's something I need to work on nonetheless. I want to do a photo-realistic map of Middle-earth next, as a bit of fun, so I guess I will be tested there.