March 2016 Entry: The Depths

[Frenchie the DM]

This will be my first time entering the competition! I'll be creating a map of an Underdark-esque plane in my homebrew Dungeons and Dragons campaign.

Three major dwarfholds, a Giant city, a Dragon city, Menzoberranzan, a not-cliche chasm and bridge, an Illithid city, a Duergar city - along with plenty of flavor pieces.

Currently in the layout / conceptual phases.

### LATEST WIP ###

TheDepths.png

[Frenchie the DM]

Quick update, trying to figure out how to approach before starting on all the line-art. My biggest challenge for this map is crisp lines and well-developed shadows - along with illustrating the strange environs, some typesetting, and making some wicked (hopefully) map accessories. Tips for better lines on Photoshop?

### LATEST WIP ###

TheDepths.png

[Carnifex]

Quick update, trying to figure out how to approach before starting on all the line-art. My biggest challenge for this map is crisp lines and well-developed shadows - along with illustrating the strange environs, some typesetting, and making some wicked (hopefully) map accessories. Tips for better lines on Photoshop?
TheDepths.png

Usually you should use higher resolution to ger sharper lines.

[Frenchie the DM]

Update: lined most caverns, going to reapproach the main cavern. Critiques on the linework? Going to need drop cave lines everywhere, but it'll turn out well the way I've got them setup already, hopefully. Critiques, suggestions?

Also tried some shading, input? Thanks for the input Carnifex, I've upped resolution.

### LATEST WIP ###

TheDepths.jpg

[Bogie]

Nice work. I agree with Carnifex. Start working with the highest resolution you can, you can always lower it later, but you can't raise it later.

[Lingon]

Looks great, really like the cave wall style!

[Frenchie the DM]

Here we go! A lot of shading and testing. Currently looking to finish and tighten this up - then add in all the goodies.

Top cavern will be a center-of-the-earth style oasis. The upper-right cavern will have a mountain/volcano. Far left cavern will have a massive lake. Bottom-most cavern will have (hopefully, well-drawn) a giant Elder Brain. The cavern in the centre of the chasm is supposed to have various portals to the elemental planes... I'm not sure how to represent it. The right-chasm cavern will be a glowing mushroom forest.

So, a lot of different drawing ideas I'll need to test out multiple times.

TheDepths.jpg

[cinsev]

i feel like this belongs in the planescape setting! but im really enjoying how this is coming along. i have one small critique, the chasm doesnt read 100% as a chasm at first glance (for me at least) yet. is there a way to widen it slightly so as to make the drop offs a bit more readable? or maybe its that the entrance to the bottom path and cave read as a doorway coming out of the wall of the chasm making it appear more like a cliff.....i dunno. everything else is really solid and flows nicely but as WIP goes its dang fine work

[Ilanthar]

Very nice start already! Good choice of colors.