Mapping Middle Earth

[Sarithus]

I did actually think about doing another map in Arda before I did Mordor/Udun maybe for the annual challenge or the ambush lite challenge and the same as ChickPea I was also thinking of Flight to the Ford or the ambush (sort of) at Amon Hen. Very strange that so many people have thought of doing the same thing. All I can say is...HANDS OFF AMAN/VALINOR and doubly hands off Beleriand, because that's what I was closest to doing.

Edit: Actually, before all that I was thinking of mapping the Timeless Halls but there might not be enough there to work with.

[J.Edward]

Max - are you doing the whole ME map or just a specific area?
Sarithus - no worries there. The big ME map is taking all my time, so no chance of me doing Valinor.
I won't say that I won't do Beleriand. As per ChickPea's statement about Silmarillion, I may have to do some of Beleriand.
ChickPea - I'm glad you went for it with the challenge.

[- Max -]

@ J. At the moment, I'm just doing a small area of it. Take a look at Regional/World WIP, I'll open a WIp thread in a few minutes.

[J.Edward]

I just saw it. Glad you're doing a color of the shire.
I'm not sure if I want to wip my ME map. It has non-canonical stuff that I think would just lead to argument/discussion not related to the map.
Might just be better to post when done.
I am glad this whole friendly challenge started.
It is quite a challenge and is already leading to new techniques and styles.

[- Max -]

Sad to hear we won't see the map developing in its progress stages But I'm looking forward to seeing the finished map, pretty sure this will be great

[J.Edward]

Max - I thought about doing this as my yearly challenge but decided against it for a few reasons.
Mainly since it was a friendly challenge I thought it might not be appropriate.
But also due to the nature of how this is going to play out.
It started as one big map. Now it is going to be 4 region maps and one big map - so 5 maps doesn't work for the yearly challenge.
I am going to start a thread sometime soon, though I'm a good ways into it already so progress shots won't be from early stages.

This 'little' friendly challenge has really grown into a big and fun project.
I've just spent several hours trying to track down names of obscure little places in Mordor and surrounding areas.

[J.Edward]

I started a wip for my ME maps. It's going to take a while to finish it all though.
http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...ad.php?t=30712

[ChickPea]

JEdward, I know you've just started a thread, but I hope you (and others) won't be put off sharing your WIP, even if it's not strictly canon. Chick said earlier that LotR/Middle Earth has been done to death, and that's possibly true, but I think that's even more reason to put your own 'slant' on it, and if it doesn't quite match the books, well, so what. Didn't stop Peter Jackson!

I'm really happy to see a few Guilders getting involved with this and I hope some others will too, even if it's just one small area of Middle Earth/Beleriand. (Maximum rep from me to the first Silmarillion map!)

[J.Edward]

Hey ChickPea, do you mean showing the wip in 'this' thread? or in their own wip threads?
I haven't really shown any process yet as Mordor was mostly done and Rhovanion is too.
I suppose I can show more process with Eriador, as it's the least done.
Work may get in the way with it but over the next week or 2 I should work it out.

[ChickPea]

Sorry, I was meaning I didn't want people to be put off of starting their own WIP threads and not worrying if they wanted to diverge a bit from Tolkien's original maps. I would think if someone says straight off that their map is 'inspired by' Tolkien/Middle Earth, instead of a direct recreation, it would be quite petty to nitpick over changes. But there's always one, eh!

I was forgetting you had mostly finished your maps when you posted them in your new thread, but it's good to have the link to them from within this thread.