I love the previous version, with the strong highlights. Doesn't look like blotches to me at all, just excellently captures highlights. The two tweaked versions are nice too, but the mountains feel a lot more flat there. If you ask me, go with your first instinct!
By the way, is the sea finished? That color worked perfectly in the Hyranden-inspired color scheme, but to me it looks off together with the new land colors (which I like better! Great job on that!). I'd suggest something a little bit more vibrant, I think…
It has been a while, but since i'm on break now, I have time.
Which tree style looks better? (Mind you this is very zoomed in though.)
0858b9b4fcbbcb6c750d9d1bf2cb7bfe.png
or
a6d0ade882e8afd218e64a1014183ce3.png
The second one, with the faint outlines. Definitely (in my opinion).
Nice map, by the way.
THW
Formerly TheHoarseWhisperer
Yep, I agree. Second one. Is there a reason why you posted so zoomed-in an image though? We might be able to give you a better opinion at normal scale.
Are you intending on the rivers ending at the lakes? Only in extremely rare instances is that, in reality, the case. Lakes are just places where the river pools up in an area before 'overflowing' at a choke point, where the river then continues down the elevation. Very beautifully detailed map, though. I am struggling with the forests on my first-ever map, love how you handle yours.
I probably think number 2 as well, seems to fit better with the other elements, but the super-zoom makes it a little hard to tell for sure
It's been a while, I just switched computers and am getting back to it, next up will be a new tablet!
I decided to go with the outlines, I think they added alot more depth to the trees (Obviously i'm not done with all of them) I'm thinking next of putting shading lines behind for just a tiny bit more depth and detail, after this are city icons (Which will be isometric), which will hopefully be my first successful set, some more small details around the cities and land, the sea and maybe a cartouche, and then the trade routes, and maybe another alternate version showing the location of goods.
Irenar Trade Map.jpg