My first “finished” map

[—FORGE—]

Hey everyone,

I recently finished my first ever map, which details the location of a fantasy story I have been writing! It’s extremely rough, since it was all hand-drawn and I’ve never had any formal lessons in cartography technique. Any advice, critique, and comments you can offer will go a long way in helping me improve in mapmaking! Thanks!

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—FORGE—

[- JO -]

Very well done !
It makes you want to read the novel !

I love especially the difference between west and east Amber ! That's a story to write !

[tilt]

Hi Forge - congrats on your first map - it looks really great. Nice illustrations and exciting landscape. It looks like there is a few rivers that part, and they don't do that, they only flow together. Other hand that I think you've done a great job - keep it up .. Remember, when you make your next map, you can start a WIP thread as you work on it, then you can get critique while you map instead of after

[- JO -]

I thought too that the rivers were parting, but it might be rivers that are joining, don't they ?
I figured that it was just the junction that was odd ?

[tilt]

I thought too that the rivers were parting, but it might be rivers that are joining, don't they ?
I figured that it was just the junction that was odd ?

Agreed, just thought it was to odd to be.. well, not a river mistake

[rdanhenry]

The angles are definitely weird. Normally, rivers join at an acute angle.

Krea and Nightfell do split, but that could represent deltas, but in that case they are unrealistically large (not out of the question in a fantasy map, but worth pointing out) and the cities of Mur and Krea become less likely.

The visual style itself is good, and it has the feel of a book map with crispy black and white and bold features.

[Diamond]

This is pretty cool, actually. I think my favorite thing is the Fortnight Tide - it seems to be an inland sea with big mountain islands poking out of it. Very intriguing.

Have some rep and welcome to the Guild!

[—FORGE—]

Very well done !
It makes you want to read the novel !

I love especially the difference between west and east Amber ! That's a story to write !

Thanks JO!

I know it’ll be a LONG time before I ever get to writing about the complex dynamics between the Ambers, but I’ve worked out the core issues involved. To spare you from any long-winded explainations, I’ll just say this: the last king of Amber was deposed and forced into the peninsula of East Amber by his wife (of all people). They are technically still married, and niether really want to kill their spouse, so the battles and skirmishes fought between the two Ambers generally equate to overscaled marital arguments. The separation of Amber lasts only a decade in the scope of the story, but it’s certainly an interesting (and unusual) side story to explore!

[ThomasR]

Fantastic map, there's a comic book feel to it ! I love this !

[Tyriok Gadsworth]

if that's all hand drawn then color me envious. your mountains are lovely. my only critique is that your cartographers note section is screaming for it's own framing.