World of Thra (Dark Crystal): WIP

[Marc]

Are you telling me this is your first digital map ? Damn there's a lot of artistic talent going on here.

It is, Redrobes, thank you for the compliment!


Latest update: Added the vegetation of the Spriton Plains and roughly placed the frames for the POI's.

Thra WIP Day 14.png

[swiss]

I have to say I like the hand-drawn one better. The digital one is coming along nicely so it's not a knock on that version. You're just really, really good at hand-drawing.

[jshoer]

I second that comment - for me, there is a lot more texture and character to the traditional media. I'd love to see that one finished!

[Marc]

I have to say I like the hand-drawn one better. The digital one is coming along nicely so it's not a knock on that version. You're just really, really good at hand-drawing.

I second that comment - for me, there is a lot more texture and character to the traditional media. I'd love to see that one finished!

Thank you very much for your feedback Swiss and Jshoer!
I agree with the both of you.

The process of digital drawing is very different then doing it with more traditional means and I prefer the traditional way of creating a map over digital when it comes to smaller sized maps not based on an existing Lore, but...

This map is so very complex and huge (I needed to do so many overhauls since I started) I am glad I can do it digitally and allow myself to experiment with different styles, layouts and colours without ruining what I allready completed.

Also, my biggest dissapointment when it comes to traditional maps is presenting it online. There is such a big loss in quality and colour when posting a picture I feel it is a letdown to the final product. That being said, I will reddraw the whole map again by hand once I finished the digital one (Will take some time and I'll probably do a few other maps in between )

To me, both traditional and digital are mere mediums to create a product and I will keep practising with both of them

[Kellerica]

While I agree that the traditional version you were working on was insanely beautiful, I'm actually one of those weirdos who prefers digital media over traditional. *hides under the table to escape the angry traditional artists*
I just love the kind of color work you can only produce digitally, where you fill large areas with smooth, undisturbed color surfaces, and are able to tweak the tones as much as you like relatively easily.

Of course I will admit to being heavily biased as someone who has worked exclusively digital for all their adult life...

So I am enjoying the digital version of this too. One thing that I think it could benefit from is heavier texturing, and lots of it (I'm a huge texture slut, mind you, so do take this with a grain of salt - I don't call a map done until it has at least 10 texture layers on it...). What software are you using, just out of curiosity?

[arsheesh]

Man this is looking really good so far. I think this is a really fun idea for a project, and you are doing an admirable job with it. Looking forward to the next stage of development.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Marc]

While I agree that the traditional version you were working on was insanely beautiful, I'm actually one of those weirdos who prefers digital media over traditional. *hides under the table to escape the angry traditional artists*
I just love the kind of color work you can only produce digitally, where you fill large areas with smooth, undisturbed color surfaces, and are able to tweak the tones as much as you like relatively easily.

Of course I will admit to being heavily biased as someone who has worked exclusively digital for all their adult life...

So I am enjoying the digital version of this too. One thing that I think it could benefit from is heavier texturing, and lots of it (I'm a huge texture slut, mind you, so do take this with a grain of salt - I don't call a map done until it has at least 10 texture layers on it...). What software are you using, just out of curiosity?

Thank you for the compliment regarding the handdrawn map Kellerica

I'm currently on 92 layers thusfar and working on the base of the map still...I am planning to apply more textures when I completed the whole map to give it that "traditional handdrawn feeling" but with my current rate that's probably a few weeks away

I am working in GIMP which is still my go to software for about 12-ish years now (Made a few websites and other digital thingamadjingies but this is the first time I use it to draw maps).

Man this is looking really good so far. I think this is a really fun idea for a project, and you are doing an admirable job with it. Looking forward to the next stage of development.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

Thank you so much Arsheesh, all these awsome feedbacks keep filling me with positive energy and joy to keep working on this big project!

[jshoer]

While I agree that the traditional version you were working on was insanely beautiful, I'm actually one of those weirdos who prefers digital media over traditional. *hides under the table to escape the angry traditional artists*

No slight to the digital artists intended - I'm totally in awe of what many of you do here, especially because every time I try to go all-digital I end up with something that looks like a sloppy cartoon!

Marc, you're doing great work with that digital map. I just can't help but feel that I'm going to miss all the beautiful progress you made on the ink version.

[Marc]

No slight to the digital artists intended - I'm totally in awe of what many of you do here, especially because every time I try to go all-digital I end up with something that looks like a sloppy cartoon!

I just looked at both your digital and traditional maps and neither of them look "sloppy" to me.
If you refer to clear lines and bright colours as 'cartoonish' than I guess that is my style and I learned to embrase it with both hands and give it a big hug long ago.
I admire alot of artists here (Misty Beee, Thomas Rey, Iconic, Josh Stolarz to name but a few) in the guild and on other media. I look at what they make but I know I would never be able to addapt to their style and still feel happy while mapping or illustrating while not doing my thing.
So if cartoonish is your style...embrace it!

Marc, you're doing great work with that digital map. I just can't help but feel that I'm going to miss all the beautiful progress you made on the ink version.

There will be other Pen & Ink maps But thank you for the compliment!

[Ilanthar]

To be honest, I also have a preference for the traditional version at this point (it just looks soooo good, and now I'm wondering how it is without being digitalized).
That being said, the digital version is interesting and very nice too...

And you are talking about people who are crazy about maps, so why not doing both versions ?