Sketch 1: My dear Arramatapo...

[zhar2]

Looking great, my only critique right now is antialiasing of lines (to reduce pixelated like look) and some sort of colour and filter correction to the rocks

[zhar2]

here is a bit of processing I did to the rock, i mean something like this: Arramatapo sketch 18.JPG

[Mouse]

Thanks zhar2

I will bear this in mind when I continue later today. The image I uploaded was the raw output image without any antialiasing at all

That's a really nice job you did of the rock, and it does look somewhat more realistic, but they are not my images to alter (part of the Bogie's Mapping Objects collection of symbols), and I only put them there just temporarily, while I find my own photographs of stones from a local beach which I just know are going to look a lot better... if only I could remember which folder system I put them in!!! LOL

[kacey]

I like this better then the one you posted in the finished maps section. In all honesty I really didn't like the repeating message in the other one. I think it was a good choice to continue experimenting, plus it's fun to follow the progress you're making. In some cases visual interest trumps accuracy in my opinion, I wouldn't worry too much about the folds you mentioned in an earlier post, plus if things were really that dyer wouldn't it be possible that all he has is charcoal from a fire? It seems like you're putting allot into the story, have you actually written an entire story for this, or is it just what we see here?

[Mouse]

Thanks Kacey

I think I agree with you about the separate maps and the repeating messages

This started as a simple 'can I do this' type of 5 minute experiment one day when I was trying to make a realistic parchment texture with my new software... and ended up becoming something of a community project over on the Profantasy Forum. I think for some strange reason everyone started getting involved just for fun - making up bits of story, arguing (fondly) about whether this or that was plausible or realistic (within the bounds of fantasy), and so on. We also had a few silly moments along the way, and loads of laughs

Maybe its because about 90% of the members over there are Game Masters, and in a way are themselves habitual story tellers, but I've never had quite so much fun in my life when writing a story!

Glenarc (our man trapped in a small nook at the back of Sheleeva's Lair), is an explorer. He keeps a journal, writing daily in it with a quill, and sometimes doing ink wash sketches of the things he sees, with a small brush that is kept along with the journal, quill and ink pot in his carryall - the one he managed to snatch from disaster even as Sheleeva was making a meal of his poor little mule... Minty

Glenarc's eldest son, Arramatapo, to whom this map-letter is addressed, is currently away from home travelling with a camel train to a distant port on business, leaving only his younger brother, 13 yr old Chetamak (Tam), at home with his mother when the message arrives...

And that's the point when the rest of the story suddenly unfurled itself in my head. All I need is a beginning and a workable plot, and the rest just falls into place

Not sure if I will write it before, or after the other novels that I've been in the process of mapping for the last four months.

[ThomasR]

I like the lettering and I like the idea. You definitely have to try the Gimp or Photoshop so that you can draw this kind of maps more freely. Looking forward the perfectionist touch I know you're capable of

[Mouse]

LOL!

Thanks thomrey

I tried but couldn't get on with GIMP, and I can't afford Photoshop, but I appreciate the sentiment - thank you

Do you like my new page curl? Done completely in CC3+ - no other software involved. I've yet to sort out the shadow under the curl itself but that's a relatively minor thing now.

Page curl.jpg

Now I just have to find my stones!

[Mouse]

Its nearly done now.

I'm not completely happy with the page curls, but they're a lot better than the ones I did earlier in Photopaint. Only one of my rocks looked semi ok with the colour scheme because mine are very white (having come from a beach of limestone boulders), so I've got one from Bogie's Mapping Objects, and one of my own, and I've changed the wood texture to something less plastic.

I just needed the tiniest spot of colour that wasn't yellow or cream, and found this in a compass rose, which I've used like a paperweight.

Arramatapo sketch 19.JPG

[Mouse]

I'm finally happy with the page curls, and I've amended the text in a couple of places. I'm also happy that everything else is as perfect as I can possibly make it. Unless anyone can find any glaring errors, I'm calling this map finished

Arramatapo Final CG.JPG

[Mouse]

This is the end of the WIP thread

The Finished Maps thread is here.