Vaniya - WIP

[Ascension]

Holy moly that's a lot of trees but the labor looks like it was worth it as this looks really nice.

[Sirith]

You have a great thread going, interesting to see the different experiments on your map. While the first WIPs with textures were nice experiments, I like the hand drawn style you're working on now much better. The mountain ranges really flow through the landscape, and the forests do too.

I do have a nitpick: you might want to smoothen (is that a proper English word? :/) the border between mountains and forests a bit, especially where the forests are south of the mountains. The stark black of the mountains contrasts quite a bit with the forests, and it doesn't look as flowing and natural as other parts of the both the forests and mountains.

Keep up the good work, it's great to see where you're going with this

[Karro]

This is beginning to look very nice. I especially like the wall overseeing the northern wildlands.

A small question: what letter does the elongated character with the reverse-facing serifs represent? It looks like it might be an archaic lower-case "s" (the form that looks like an "f") or possibly a lower-case "f" without a crossbar.

Assuming it's an "s", is there a particular reason you're using a font with an archaic glyph like this?

[Ramah]

Yes, it is an "s" that looks like an "f". The font is based on Shakespeare's script. The S is a little too stylised I guess but it is annoying because apart from that I love the font.

[Karro]

Yes, it is an "s" that looks like an "f". The font is based on Shakespeare's script. The S is a little too stylised I guess but it is annoying because apart from that I love the font.

Alright then. I was just a little confused because at first I was reading it as an "l" (because it looks kind of like an elongated italic "l" as well) and then I realized that was wrong. Unfortunately, I have no immediate suggestions with any alternative fonts with similar styles that don't have this quirk.

[Ramah]

Another small update. Sorry if I'm posting too regularly with not enough progress between them, but it's like some kind of psychological milestone - it's slow going but when I make a new post it's like I've passed another step on the way.

Anyway, for this update I've widened the map a little, moving the border away from the two places it was touching the southern lands, which had always been annoying to me, this makes it feel a little less cluttered I think. I've got most of the trees in now - I'm sure I'll add some more in places, especially the central area once I've gotten all the hills sorted. I've also added a layer of temporary hills so I can sort positioning of them out - these will be more varied once I get down to it.
Some of the text that is in will be even more hidden by the backgrounds but I plan on changing this next when I add a lot more places to the map.

Vaniya8.jpg

[Gandwarf]

Another small update. Sorry if I'm posting too regularly with not enough progress between them, but it's like some kind of psychological milestone - it's slow going but when I make a new post it's like I've passed another step on the way.

I know the feeling. Been there, done that. I don't think anyone minds.

Love the progress so far. It's turning into a beautiful map. It has a great fantasy feel to it.

[Naeddyr]

Now this is looking very excellentish!

[Steel General]

We are always encouraging people to post early and often - so no problems.

[Ramah]

Ok, a little more progress made so time for an update. I've added quite a few more rivers and spent some time fixing some of the ones that were already in. I still have a few more to add but I've almost done with them now I think. Finally.

I haven't really added more trees in yet, but I deleted and moved some due to new rivers. Again, I'm quite near the end as far as trees are concerned but there are some more clumps to add in a few places. Nothing major.

The hills are still only temporary. I'll probably try and tart them up when all the labels are in.

I've added quite a few new labels. Like I said in the last post, I've made no real effort to make the labels more legible other than basic positioning. Where they become difficult to read due to scenery behind them I will edit them at the end - will probably be one of the last things I do. The only real consent I've made to legibility at the moment are the two white labels over the mountains. When it's more complete I'll toy with changing them to the normal font colour and remove background so they are visible. I've left the two labels in the north "The Ruhks" and the companion label on a different font as I was testing some changes in case I decided that the "s" on the Shakespeare font was too much of a hindrance. I've kind of fudged a workaround though - for anyone interested check the label "Vosstern" in the NE quadrant.

I also fudged up a compass rose. It's not amazing but I kinda like it. Without a graphics tablet I have little chance of drawing anything better so it will probably stay will little or no change.

Umm.. think that's about it. I'm hoping to get it all finished or as near as dammit by the weekend so I can finally get back down to doing some writing. Phew.

Vaniya9.jpg

2nd Edit: Ok, re-uploaded the image with the fixed trees. Ignore what I said before if anyone saw it.