My Thracioth map walk-thru (Photoshop)

[ravells]

Brilliant stuff, Don - I see your fine art skills are pretty hot too!

Ravs

[RPMiller]

*sigh* It's stuff like this that makes me want to just give up... :cry:

Simply beautiful! Rob completely took the map to another level. Well done a raucous golf clap for you!

[ravells]

Crumbs! In my usual gormless way I hadn't noticed that the placenames were so meaningful - Ravston - I like it!!

Thank you for the immortality!

Ravs

[pyrandon]

In the interest of full disclosure, I posted the finished map over at EN World's nice forums, and I received the comments below, some of which I thought were quite helpful, others not so much so. I'm paraphrasing them here in case anyone uses the "walk-thru", so they can improve their own results. If I ever decide to go back & play with this image, I may incorporate some of these myself! Enjoy!

1. The map is too small. This was the #1 criticism. Most everyone wanted it to dominate the "image"
2. The dragon needs to be shrunk (perhaps even turned into the compass on the map itself, placed in a corner, or perched on top)
3. The dragon needs more color variations, put in with a small brush.
4. Some of the map is too fuzzy & needs to be traced over (I think they may mean the water lines)
5. The cloud render in the background is too much/too easy/etc.; someone suggested parchment instead
6. The text is not clear/not easy to read; the font is fine, but it needs sharpening

[jfrazierjr]

In the interest of full disclosure, I posted the finished map over at EN World's nice forums, and I received the comments below, some of which I thought were quite helpful, others not so much so. I'm paraphrasing them here in case anyone uses the "walk-thru", so they can improve their own results. If I ever decide to go back & play with this image, I may incorporate some of these myself! Enjoy!

1. The map is too small. This was the #1 criticism. Most everyone wanted it to dominate the "image"
2. The dragon needs to be shrunk (perhaps even turned into the compass on the map itself, placed in a corner, or perched on top)
3. The dragon needs more color variations, put in with a small brush.
4. Some of the map is too fuzzy & needs to be traced over (I think they may mean the water lines)
5. The cloud render in the background is too much/too easy/etc.; someone suggested parchment instead
6. The text is not clear/not easy to read; the font is fine, but it needs sharpening

1. I love this. As a "painting" type effect, this fits in very well.
2. No
3. nah. The only thing I would like to see changed on the dragon is a few head horns (yea, I am one of those types) and outstretched wings. "Perhaps" scales.
4. Posh...
5. I can see that. Or perhaps a canvas background filter.
6. Yea, I see that also.

Superb work.

Joe

[Airith]

This is absolutely amazing, and the mountains/hills/cliffs... They're so... Good... Can't comprehend how you did them so well. Great tutorial, hopefully I can make it work with GIMP too.

[Sigurd]

Hey Don,

I enjoyed the tutorial.

I want to especially thank you for posting the negative comments as well. Its so subjective that there are no 'wrong' viewpoints. It really helps one look at the process when you preserve critical comments as well as the glowing detail.


Thats classy. Thanks.


Sigurd


btw. I recommend users follow the Deviant Art links in Pyranadon's Sig