ESB Overview map [commission]

[- Max -]

My only critique isn't to do with the map itself and that's I think you could maybe tone down the credits. Your signature is massive and you've still got a copyright, a link to your deviant art and cartographers guild.

I kinda agree with that, I noticed many of your works have a (too much?) massive signature/credits.

[Deadshade]

Very nice map - I had always a weakness for realism even in fantasy maps.
I like how the windings of the rivers carve asymetrically the shores (as they do in reality). There is also a great sense of relative scales that is rarely seen in fantasy maps.
The minor criticism is that I am not convinced by the hills on the southern shore which look less realistic and in my eye clash with the rest.

[Sarithus]

I kinda agree with that, I noticed many of your works have a (too much?) massive signature/credits.

When you say 'your works' do you mean mine, or J.Edward?

[J.Edward]

Thanks Max, Bogie, Sarithus and Deadshade.

Regarding the sig issue - yes, this sig is larger than it should be and I'll fix that.
In general though, this is a matter of opinion to some that I do not share, obviously.
Max - I have seen maps from you and I on several sites, with no credit given and no links either.
With your maps all they see is copyright M.Plasse. No way to find you or your work. That is the reason for me including my DA and Guild links on there.
The J logo, well, that's just how I've been doing my sig at the moment. I used to use a very different one but I got bored with it so I changed it.

Sarithus - Max is speaking about me there, about my sig. So no worries.

edit - I altered the sig and re-uploaded.

[Pixie]

Wonderfull - it's just like candy, you can't help being drawn to it.

Really, after some time looking at maps here, one gets accostumed to jagged coastlines, plains and spiky mountains with the odd dwarf mine / elven tower. This is openly "drawn", but originally drawn.
I am awestruck.

If I had to point something for further improvement, it would be that the land is a little too busy with linework. It almost looks like there isn't a single square mile of actual plains. I wonder if plains could be achieved with a little more color variation and less lines in the area... Your expert thoughts?

[tainotim]

Awesome map J.Ed. Everything looks great, through I especially like the Badlands. They are epic.

Cheers,
Tainotim

[J.Edward]

First, thanks so much Pixie and Tainotim.

I thought maybe I should put up the rough sketch I started with. It might help me explain a few things.
Overview Map 01a [sketch].jpg
This is what I pulled into PS when I started drawing it digitally. There were a lot of features I didn't have in the sketch and which were subsequently drawn in situ while I worked.
As you can see, there were no foreground hills, most forests were not present, no "plains" details at all and even the features that were there were pretty rough.

This is the largest map of this sort I have done yet and a lot of this was new territory for me so I had to try a lot of stuff.
Some things got erased. Some stayed. Some, if I were to do it again would be done differently.

Pixie - regarding the plains... well, I tried some different things. To maintain the look and style the plains did get a lot of linework, I will concede that.
It's difficult to convey land shape and contour over such a large area without lines of some sort, especially in this style. If I had been using some sort of texture maybe I could have achieved it without the lines but even then it would be most likely 'bland' compared to all the detail rich areas of mountains, forest and plateaus.
That went into my thinking when I was doing the plains areas - continuity of look. It's all a bunch of new styles and will get more honed over time.

[- Max -]

Max - I have seen maps from you and I on several sites, with no credit given and no links either.
With your maps all they see is copyright M.Plasse. No way to find you or your work. That is the reason for me including my DA and Guild links on there.
The J logo, well, that's just how I've been doing my sig at the moment. I used to use a very different one but I got bored with it so I changed it.

I totally understand the idea of a signature with links, maybe one internet link is enough since your work is displayed on both CG and DA? Of course that's a bit sad when credits/links aren't provided by clients especially when it's requested. Fortunately most of them use to do it. Anyway, without a single link on my maps (which I personnaly prefer but that's a personnal taste) I can be found in a couple of places on the internet. And looking at my e-mail box, looks like it works pretty well

[Chashio]

That is a gorgeous map, J. Love it!

[J.Edward]

Thank you chashio. Means a lot.
I've long been inspired by your maps.

Max - ok. I'm just going to let that rest. Now, back to mapping.