First map, be gentle.

[Robert Boucher]

No, not the ranges. Himalaya range is also not connected to the Alp range. But if you see a single mountain sitting in the middle of nowhere Inside a range then it should certainly be connected to the surrounding mountains.
Also in your attempts I would reduce the number of lines on the mountains' slopes. As they are all mostly parallel anyway, having so many doesn't add much value. Less but more diverse could be better.





As you are using a semi realistic handdrawn style, the best fitting imho is on page 4 of the tutorial. Anyway just look at the pictures - I tried to represent exhaustively all possible styles and show each with a picture example.

Heh... Would you believe I looked at your tutorials twice and never noticed there was more then one page... Kinda face palming right now and going to read the full thing (With pictures!) lol

[Robert Boucher]

Finally done the first rough pass of this new method. Pretty much I just kept asking myself 'What would be the most difficult mountain arrangement possible' and tried to draw them...

These are the results. lol Don't mind the rivers and such, they are getting fixed after all lines are in.

Bottom right is the most recent/latest version of my mountains. lol

mapadvice11.jpg

[Robert Boucher]

Started doing the 'Epic Canyon of DOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!', its supposed to be a fantasy level deep canyon that jags across the southern end of the map with several bodies of water endlessly pouring water into it. Mwahahaha... Oh sorry..

Anyways, not liking how the corners interject... what am I doing wrong? Anyone got good examples of some insane jagged canyons?

Also, when colored the canyon will be near black within so don't worry about perspective being lost.

mapadvice12.jpg

[- Max -]

Started doing the 'Epic Canyon of DOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!', its supposed to be a fantasy level deep canyon that jags across the southern end of the map with several bodies of water endlessly pouring water into it. Mwahahaha... Oh sorry..

Anyways, not liking how the corners interject... what am I doing wrong? Anyone got good examples of some insane jagged canyons?

Also, when colored the canyon will be near black within so don't worry about perspective being lost.

mapadvice12.jpg

The issue comes probably from the canyon shape, which doesn't looks like very natural. I've drawn a bunch of cliffs and canyons on this map I've recently posted. Here's some samples of the linework stages, maybe you'll find them useful as inspiration :

Cliffs.jpg Cliffs2.jpg Gullet.jpg

[Robert Boucher]

Completed about a third of the canyon and got a bit burned out. Saw some nice forest tutorials here! (Thanks!)

Let me know how it looks. It might look a bit better with some coloring on the ground and on the mountains.

mapadvice14.jpg

[Robert Boucher]

Oh wow! ^_^ Thanks Max, been a huge fan of yours for a while! I'm honored! The look I am going for is 'impossibly large' But maybe my issue is not enough 'outcropping' of the edges?

But seriously thank you for the 'gullet' image. That is exactly the look I was hoping for. I'm going to retry mine now. I was getting discouraged and was about to start coloring. lol Wish me luck.

Oh, how does my forest/names look, anyone?

mapadvice15.jpg

[Robert Boucher]

mapadvice16.jpg

Not sure how it looks... I am not liking the road name style or my road dots... Q_Q

Life is hard.

I hope posting my progress pic's and such isn't against the rules. I am sorta using this forum to document/study the process so... If anyone knows if what I am doing is considered 'spamming' or something, let me know.

[saria]

I'm new here as well, so I can't say this with much certainty, but I feel like the dots would be nicer if they were fully within the road line, not overlapping onto the forests. I think that might be all there is to it.

Also, your linework is awesome - I saw all the progress you made and I really wish I knew how you did it. I can't get my lines to be smooth like that at all, I've really been struggling for the past few days with linework. Very well done!

[Robert Boucher]

I'm new here as well, so I can't say this with much certainty, but I feel like the dots would be nicer if they were fully within the road line, not overlapping onto the forests. I think that might be all there is to it.

Also, your linework is awesome - I saw all the progress you made and I really wish I knew how you did it. I can't get my lines to be smooth like that at all, I've really been struggling for the past few days with linework. Very well done!

My line work? Awesome? /blush

LOL Not likely my skill. I use a tablet if that helps (I started out with a mouse!). I couldn't do anything without it now. Best Christmas gift ever!

Yeah, I think my sloppy road work might be the issue. I really should re-do it.

[Robert Boucher]

mapadvice18.jpg

And this is what it looks like now? I think it looks better, much appreciated Max!