Large map of the Principality of Ulek

[the-golem]

Using the quickie-not-so-random-coastline method I stumbled on for PDN, I was able to develop a more realistic coastline, building off of the Darelene map a few posts up.

I'm really proud of the coastline result, much more than any of my other previous efforts. Unfortunately, I find myself rather stumped. The idea is to create a "fantasy novel" type map, similar to the tweaking Syt did to my first approach...

*shrug*

The image is actually A3 size, reduced to 25% for ease of viewing.

[the-golem]

I'm just a mapping fiend! Okay not really ...

Anyhow, earlier this week, I stopped by University Art for kicks, and they had on sale some awesome waterpaint paper, normally $6, but marked down as $1.50. The sheet is approx 22"x30", and is made from (as I understand it) cold-press cotton rag, acid-free and archival. It's very similar in comparison to Arches Coldpress Watercolor Paper Unlike Arches' papers, this sheet doesn't have the manufacturer embossed in the paper, so I really have no idea who made it.

Anyway, so far I've gotten the shore and riverlines done on the paper, using a 1.0mm wide Copic Multiliner (similar to Micron Pens)

[Sharpe]

Wow, Golem, this map has come a looong way since you started! Keep it up, man!

[the-golem]

Right. I worked on this map alot last night. For the most part, I really enjoyed it, and I like the overall turn-out. However, some parts I don't like. I'm not too pleased with the hills; the rivers are far too large. I should have just inked them in rather narrow and solid. The mountains though, I like rather alot. I tried to make the distances pretty accurate between cities. The distance between Gryrax and Havenhill is just over one day of travel by horse -- roughly 30 miles. I used that distance to guestimate the distance to Rittersmarche, which is said to be three days of rather rapid travel. The collection of towns around Rittersmarche I grabbed from the Patriots of Ulek adventure module itself, so the placement of them are fairly accurate, although the scale might be a bit off.

The map itself is just about complete. I'm not sure if I'm going to draw provincial lines or not. I kinda would like to do something with the empty areas on either side of the Lortmil hills. I'm also probably going to throw in a legend of somesort below the compass/north arrow.

I took this foto at around 9PM, so without natural sunlight, the paper color is a bit off.
Well, uh, ... tadah, I guess.

[the-golem]

Just another update. This past week(end), I've been working on the digital edition of the map. Here's what I have so far, although I'm not sure if I'm too enthused on how the mountains turned out. The forest is simply a copy of my hand-drawn version, with contrast tweaked to make everything true black and white.

[Ascension]

Coming together now, lookin good. I don't have any critiques just a tidbit that you can use or not - put a white stroke around your text so that the black doesn't all run together. The compass looks a lil like Star Trek but I'm cool with dat.

[rdanhenry]

I had the same thought about the compass. It would look great on a Federation or other sci-fi map. It seems a bit out of place for Greyhawk, but if you like it, it works.

Things I like: the forests, your font choices.

Problems: The mountains (and in just a couple of places, the hills) have overlap that doesn't make sense. You see through the mountain to more mountain behind it. This can be cleaned up with the eraser and I think you'll be pleased with the results if you do so. Another option is to redo the mountains and space the symbols out a bit more. After all, when you're repeating the same symbol over and over, you aren't showing individual mountains, just marking the region generally as "here there be mountains", so the spacing is arbitrary.

[the-golem]

You're quite right. I kinda like how the mountains ended up looking, but yeah, it does overlap in places. Part of the problem of not having a solid brush. Also, I think they're far too dark. I should have done them in a lighter tone -- a medium to dark grey perhaps -- or I need to find another brush thats more "sketchy" and less "inky" ... I didn't really want to repeat the same symbol .. it just happened to be the only one I have in my current set of brushes that I liked. Im looking for more brushes as I write this -- okay not literally, but I will once I hit 'submit'

[the-golem]

Not to beat a dead horse, but, heh, I'm still working on this.

I've finally got the mountains in a style I like, and I think the same can be said for the rivers.
Attaching a preview sample. The real image is gigantic 22x30 inches at 300ppi. (Works out to 9000px by 6600px)

[torstan]

Looking good. I like your forests. Is this going to be a black and white image, or are you planning to colour it?