Sagemound [WIP]

[Lingon]

Very pretty! I hope the steam returns. The stronger green in the latest update is better than the pale green, in my opinion; the map as a whole was too grey before, but now the buildings pop much better. If you increase the contrast in the roofs just a little, I'll like it even more

[Sharpsmile]

J. your map style is so nice to look at, your landscapes have such a distinct, smooth look to them. I was looking at your rooftops and I really like the different stone textures, like on the main tower where the rim is different than the rest of the roof, so I agree with Bogie that some more of that spread throughout should help.

Also, I just wanted to say that I really like your hillsides, in many of your maps I have admired these.

~ Sharpie

[Domino44]

Your skill and talent isn't fair! This looks so fantastic!

[J.Edward]

Thanks Arsheesh. I'm hoping to get an update in the next day or two.
I've been working on the perspective work. It's taking a bit longer than I anticipated.

Thanks Lingon.
Thanks so much Sharpie. I will have to put up a pic that explains that part of the building better.
Domino - Thank you. The skill comes with a cost. You have to realize... I have no personal life. Just work.

[Francissimo]

Your work on shadows is incredible, really a nice piece to see! Are you only working with Photoshop?

[J.Edward]

Thanks Francissimo. Yep, just PS.
With Bourmout I started with a pencil drawing, where I had drawn the shadows first in pencil.
With Sagemound I did it all in PS. Well, I had a quick outline sketch from pencil but all the detail and shadows were conceived and drawn in PS.

I did start on the perspective part, for those who had asked about that.
I am working on the color right now. I'm trying to get an update for tonight or tomorrow.
I'm still trying to decide how I want the final layout to look though.

[J.Edward]

So here's a quick little update for today.
It's still not set on how I'll finalize the look but the perspective will be at the top this time.
Only at the base color stage on the perspective. No shadows yet. Sky color may change.
Probably will add some fluffy clouds. May add some more trees to both the perspective and the top down map.
Anyway, here's a larger crop of the perspective and a full map image. All still a bit rough.
Sagemound 01d_crop.jpg Sagemound 01d.jpg

[Chick]

This may sound strange, but I don't like the side view on top. In your previous one, Bourmout, where it was on the bottom, the flow into the top down view was smooth and came from behind the side view. In this one, it feels like the whole heavy weight of the town is sitting on top of the paper map. It just doesn't feel right or flow right to me somehow. I love the map and drawing themselves, it's just the overall balance. In Bourmout, the side view anchored the map; here it makes it top heavy. Just my humble opinion....

[J.Edward]

Ironically I would agree chick. I was trying it the other way as I had a number of complaints about Bourmout.
Some didn't like the way there was no sky and a few other reasons.
I liked the way Bourmout was grounded with the perspective view.

I'd welcome other opinions. I think it would look better done as Bourmout was done.

[Larb]

I actually prefer it at the top simply because it is more natural because of the sky. What I also think it might be worth doing is scaling down the side view image size so that it matches up with the map 1:1. You'll lose some of the detail but I think it might read better.