Aelwydi

[KMAlexander]

I think it needs more definition. I'd try upping the opacity.

[QED42]

I think it needs more definition. I'd try upping the opacity.

Thanks for the feedback, I ended up reworking things a bit. Does this look a bit better?

aelwydi10.png

Update comes with bonus labels!

[ThomasR]

Love the map but I’m not convinced by the clear color of the country labels. As you have a pretty fair set of colors for the map itself, you can maybe go dark for the labels to play the contrast card all the way.

[QED42]

Love the map but I’m not convinced by the clear color of the country labels. As you have a pretty fair set of colors for the map itself, you can maybe go dark for the labels to play the contrast card all the way.

You are 100% right, thanks for pointing that out.

Brace yourselves, update incoming!

aelwydi11.jpg

This is half scale so don't worry too much if the text isn't readable but what do you all think of the decorations I've added? The top corners are kind of open space that need something in them too, not sure what I'm going to put in there.

[QED42]

Two updates in a row. I hope no one liked the yellow/gold colour on the decorations because that got chucked out the window fairly fast.

aelwydi14.jpg

The current questions for where to progress are as follows:

1. Do I go and label all the seas on the main map? Probably.
2. Do the bottom two maps of the Elvish names for the oceans and continents need to be labelled to make it clear what they are?
3. Do the top corners need something in them?

For part 3 originally I was leaning to masks as they are connected to the creator god but in lore he is kind of forgotten/secretive so I am not sure whoever was making this map in universe would use his iconography. I do think this is an in universe map as it is kind of limited on the details for some regions, especially Haulilwar where some of the things shown as countries are only really countries in the eyes of outsiders. Maybe a coats of arms in the top corners for whoever commissioned and made the map would work best.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[QED42]

I think finally, finally we might be closing in on this one being done. So no is the time to speak up with any suggestions or things I can improve!

aelwydi14.jpg

[Mouse]

Oh I think you made the right decision with the yellow decorations

This is looking good.

I agree with Thomas and KMAlexander, Make the drawing less transparent (if it's full opacity and the pale brown is because you have used an overlay blend mode, try a grain merge instead or duplicate the overlay layers to make it darker) - maybe set the labels layer to full opacity and grain merge so that they are the darkest thing in the map?

It's difficult to say without knowing how each layer is set up.

[QED42]

Oh I think you made the right decision with the yellow decorations

This is looking good.

I agree with Thomas and KMAlexander, Make the drawing less transparent (if it's full opacity and the pale brown is because you have used an overlay blend mode, try a grain merge instead or duplicate the overlay layers to make it darker) - maybe set the labels layer to full opacity and grain merge so that they are the darkest thing in the map?

It's difficult to say without knowing how each layer is set up.

Yay more Mouse feedback!

I have put another level of overlay on the labels, I hope they show up dark enough now. The labels for the different seas have been added in now too but I'm not sure I like them or not. Do you think darker or lighter on them? My feeling was they should be lighter but I'm not sure they are light enough, they draw the attention a bit too much in this mode?

I'm also not sure which drawings you think should be less transparent? I'm worried that making the decorations, coats of arms etc darker will draw attention away from the map in the middle.

Here is the update.
aelwydi15.jpg

[Mouse]

The labels are better this time, but still very pale.

I think all the linework and shading should be darker than it is. How you do this is guesswork from here because I can't see how its constructed at all. If you have drawn everything in a pale orange brown and that's as dark as it goes, save the whole file under a new name and just experiment with the colour controls on each layer to make them all a whole lot darker than they are (not the paper - leave the paper pale).

You may have to fuss around darkening different layers more or less than others, but once you've darkened them all (except the paper) you might see how pale the original is and understand why I am suggesting this move.

[QED42]

Thanks for explaining, I've gone back and messed about with a bunch of the colours to darken various parts. I think for the most part it is black lines set as overlay or soft light but there might be the odd item that has snuck in there as naturally brown or orange.

A couple of options here.

aelwydi16.jpg

aelwydi16a.jpg

I darkened a lot more lines on the second one.