World Map - Unnamed

[Hustle]

So, it's been a long time as I've been caught up in work and life, but I'm getting back into this project slowly but steadily. I've made quite a bit of progress on forests before taking a look at the whole thing and thinking "I'm not sure I like this style at all."

So... now I feel as though I'm back to the drawing board. I have a view of the entire region with the forests I'd created so far and a view without forests and the rivers highlighted.

Inner Sea and Strait - Test.jpg

Inner Sea and Strait - River Test.jpg

My request for feedback/help/criticism is as follows:

1. Do the forests seem to work in your opinion(s) with the map style?
2. Should I try the "pattern" style of drawing four or five individual trees and stamping them?
3. Am I even placing forests in the right areas?! I've started doubting myself.
4. A mountain question: Should I extend the ranges farther out to the east/west where they end?

I feel like I have a lot of questions because I'm at that stage in a project where you start to doubt all kinds of things. Any feedback would be most appreciated.

*NOTE*: The green color and noise is more or less for fun right now and may not make it to the finished product map.

[Kalium]

I like the forests, maybe tint them with a darker green so they stand out? Speaking of which I prefer the darker rivers in the second map. It's hard to see them in the first one especially against the more well defined mountains and forests.

[Mouse]

Hey Hustle!

How the devil are you?

Pleased grin of welcome aside, you wanted some answers?

My request for feedback/help/criticism is as follows:

1. Do the forests seem to work in your opinion(s) with the map style?
2. Should I try the "pattern" style of drawing four or five individual trees and stamping them?
3. Am I even placing forests in the right areas?! I've started doubting myself.
4. A mountain question: Should I extend the ranges farther out to the east/west where they end?

I feel like I have a lot of questions because I'm at that stage in a project where you start to doubt all kinds of things. Any feedback would be most appreciated.

*NOTE*: The green color and noise is more or less for fun right now and may not make it to the finished product map.

Ok. These are only my opinions and not in any way to be taken as "this is what is 'right' or 'wrong'"

1. The forests are beautiful. Please stop worrying so much about them. This is only your first map in this style, and they look waaaaaaay better than anything I could do
2. To replace the forests with anything less, like a rather impersonal set of stamps would be a crime.
3. The forests grow where the forests grow. If you see them there in your imagination, then that's where they are. Honestly I wouldn't change a thing about the forests
4. The mountains are perfect. I would be very happy to have drawn them exactly as they are.

There is only one thing I'm not very keen on, and that is the colouring. It feels too strong and seems to completely ignore the forms described by the underlying linework. I would hide those layers for now and finish the line work and shading first (draw the rivers, roads and settlement markers and such - add all the details till there's nothing left to add but the colour)

[Hustle]

Thanks to both of you on the feedback!

I missed a critical clarification on that first post, it seems. The green coloring on the landmass is just something I added today for some noise because I got so tired of working in B&W. I've yet to actually start coloring anything (water bodies, mountains, hills, forests, fields, etc). There's so much left to do, but I couldn't help myself so I messed around with land noise and some coloration.

I promise, I wouldn't dare leave it like that!

On another note... I'm my own worst enemy, as just this morning, after I posted those pics, I came across something I'd never used in GIMP. A Brush setting that fades grey to transparent. I'm SO tempted to redo ALL my mountains, and I made this mockup to look at them... I'm kicking myself thinking of the amount of work I just added, but they feel so much better.

Inner Sea and Strait - Mountain Test.jpg

Hurry, someone talk me down from this ledge of overthinking...

[Mouse]

Either style is great. And they are both well drawn.

I think I prefer the second version a little more, though

[Hustle]

I'm equal parts excited and saddened to keep this one going. New mountainous look comes with more work! Thanks again, Mouse.

And good speaking with you again, after so long!

[Mouse]

Hey there! Don't be sad!

I like both styles

[Hustle]

I should have started a tally of how many times I'll say the words "tried something new" regarding this project.

Anyway, my new mountain style is cleaner, and I like that. But it clashed with the cliffs. So I changed them both. But then they clashed with the color scheme and noise patterns. So I changed that. And then... You can see where I'm going.

Last night's work, and to make a long story short, I've started once more in a new direction. I am very happy with this feel and can't wait to put an only slightly amended form of forests on this canvas.

2018-02-27 1 Inner Sea and Strait - Large.jpg

OH! I should give credit where credit is due; the background image/canvas style I'm using comes from an article by Jonathan Roberts (http://www.fantasticmaps.com/2012/01...-mapping-tips/).

[Mouse]

But the important thing is that you're getting better and better at this all the time

And you are

[Ilanthar]

I like this last version. It shows a lot of promises. The color palette is also interesting.