My first map!

[Ozdarchangel]

Hi guys, new here but thought that after 4 weeks of drawing I'd post this for all the world to see!

This map represents a lot of firsts for me, but I'm pretty happy with how it all turned out. First map I've ever drawn, first time I've used Photoshop for digital painting (only ever retouched photos in the past), first time I've used a Surface Book with it's funky pen. Apart from a quick hello in the intro forums, it's my first post too

After scouring both this site and FantasticMaps for tutorials, I decided to create an illustrative-styled Regional map for the D&D campaign my friends and I have recently started playing through (myself being the GM). It represents the area we have started the campaign in, but I'll be moving very quickly on to a much larger world map now that I have this one fleshed out. Whilst it is largely derivative from tutorials and others' maps I've looked to for inspiration, each stroke was my own using a Surface Book and digital pen in Photoshop.

In terms of the background to the map itself and the lands it represents a portion of:
The Planeswalkers
Thrust together by an unknown force, our adventurers wake to find themselves transported to the edge of a strange circle of charred grass, where the hair stands up on the nape of your neck and the world just feels "wrong". Far from home and in an unknown land, our adventurers must work together to figure out why they are here, where "here" is, and why they are being harried by a malevolent force veiled in shadow that seems bent on destroying the southern lands in search of something.

Comments and criticism welcome, and would very much be appreciated.

[Aurélien Arkadiusz]

Like the uncluttered impact of your map, Ozdarchangel. Hope that if you add much more detail over time, that this will not lead to you deleting your original map.

[Ozdarchangel]

Like the uncluttered impact of your map, Ozdarchangel. Hope that if you add much more detail over time, that this will not lead to you deleting your original map.

Thank you Aurélien. Definitely won't be deleting it - this is drawn at A3, so if anything I'll be creating a new world map at A1 size, then drawing several more A3 maps like this original to cover other regions of interest.

That way they can refer to a big world map poster for the broad landscape, but mainly use these regional maps for day-to-day navigation.

It'll also ensure everything stays uncluttered, as each map will be drawn only with landmarks relevant to the selected scale.

[arsheesh]

First off, welcome to the Guild! This is a really good first map, you should be proud. Look forward to seeing future works of yours.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[tilt]

looking good - nice colors, and very well drawn, especially for your first map and good luck with your campaign, your players will love this

[Josiah VE]

Excellent job (especially for a first map!!)

Did you draw those city icons yourself as well?

[Tonnichiwa]

I like it! I'm curious too, did you make the icons of the buildings yourself?

[Ozdarchangel]

Hi guys, thank you so much for the positive messages

And yes, the town icons were hand drawn by myself. Having said that, the smallest village icon (used for Skulkwood and similar) was drawn while using a map from Jonik9i as reference, though the tiniest details are much better on his version than mine.

[Greg]

Lovely work here Oz! I particularly love your mountains and your pretty little compass!

[Ozdarchangel]

Huh? Wrong thread I think dude?