The Heart of Asterland

[Edward II of Kenland]

This map shows the immediate surroundings of the capitol of the Kingdom of Kenland. This is a very small slice of a larger map which I am making, but wanted to spend a few hours to see how this would look if made as a stand alone map. This has been completely made in Photoshop PS2.

Dunbold area map.jpg

If you have critiques on how I can improve I am more than willing to listen to them!

[jbgibson]

It's looking awesome, is what!

Only significant change I'd explore is that the rough edge to the key seems odd. The overall map looks like a neatly printed edition; I'd think its proud publisher would lean more toward ornate or geometric borders, instead of the faux-torn look. If you have an in-world reason for that style, it can worrk - doesn't look *bad*, just a little puzzling. My eye wants to make it a coastline every time i stop focusing on the key contents :-).

Can't wait to see the whole thing. Will it be in pages like an atlas, or just one big sheet?

[MPG]

I like it. It has a warm, authentic, appeal, subjectively speaking. Objectively speaking, it does seem very well populated, with the spread of towns etc, a little too even across the face of the canvass. The rivers are very good, with a great feeling of flow, so perhaps the centres of population might be clustered closer to the river courses? Just a thought.

[DanielHasenbos]

Very nice map Edward! I like the look of it. It seems like a place that might very well exist in our own world (:

[Edward II of Kenland]

It's looking awesome, is what!

Only significant change I'd explore is that the rough edge to the key seems odd. The overall map looks like a neatly printed edition; I'd think its proud publisher would lean more toward ornate or geometric borders, instead of the faux-torn look. If you have an in-world reason for that style, it can worrk - doesn't look *bad*, just a little puzzling. My eye wants to make it a coastline every time i stop focusing on the key contents :-).

Can't wait to see the whole thing. Will it be in pages like an atlas, or just one big sheet?

Hey, thanks so much for the critique! The map will all be one huge map, but it's 18333x17817 pixels right now, so it's very difficult to export the map onto the internet since the jpeg file sits at 250ish mbs. You can check out my progress in the Kingdom of Kenland thread in the Regional Mapping Forum. I think you were right about the key! I found a public domain scan of a renaissance manuscript and used that! (the website that put it out said it was public domain but asked if you wanted to give credit you could, so I got it from fromoldbooks)

I like it. It has a warm, authentic, appeal, subjectively speaking. Objectively speaking, it does seem very well populated, with the spread of towns etc, a little too even across the face of the canvass. The rivers are very good, with a great feeling of flow, so perhaps the centres of population might be clustered closer to the river courses? Just a thought.

Thanks so much! I overall agree that the towns are a little to closely populated, and have added some more along the river. I think a reason why I put them roughly evenly spaced throughout is because this is an incredibly fertile area, on the level of the Netherlands or the Isle de France.

Very nice map Edward! I like the look of it. It seems like a place that might very well exist in our own world (:

Thank you! It feels good to know that the style I was going for turned out alright!

Here's the updated version with all of the critiques included! My only hesitation is now that the key border makes everything too red, but maybe I've just been looking at it for too long!
Dunbold area map version with complex border.jpg

[FrancescaBaerald]

Really interesting map!

[MPG]

Here's the updated version with all of the critiques included! My only hesitation is now that the key border makes everything too red, but maybe I've just been looking at it for too long!

Shaping up very nicely indeed - but I agree with you on the key border hesitation - a liitte too much red that draws the eye away from the river etc. How about a dark vellum or leather colour?

[Edward II of Kenland]

Haha, alright, true final version I think. I tried out the leather/brown/vellum color but It didnt turn out well, unfortunately. Instead I found another public domain page border and colored it. I think this certainly gives it a more authentic medieval manuscript page look to it.

Dunbold area map with medieval key border.jpg

Edit: Made a mistake uploading the image, first one should be the correct one.

[Dalanard]

Very nice work. I can see this in any gaming supplement.