![Quote](images/cartographer/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
Caenwyr
Hi Robert, this is looking very promising, especially for a first map! I'll go over some of the features that catch my eye, and I promise I won't (!) be going easy on you. You deserve some real feedback, without being harsh of course!
First off: the background. Not a big fan of that. That's no problem though, it can easily be fixed! Try googling "parchment textures" or "old paper", and you'll surely find something you like.
Next: the rivers. They do look a bit too straight IMO. Also, I'd try to have them originate somewhere in/near the mountains instead of just in the middle of the plain. Try drawing them from the source down, thin at first and wider the further you go downstream. Drawing them this way helps get a feel of the land - you'll find yourself looking for the next suitable spot for the river to flow to, resulting in more natural curves.
The mountains: now these are awesome! They must have cost you a helluva lotta time! Just a tiny remark, if I HAVE to: some seem a bit far from one another, making then look as though they're sitting there all by themselves, but I'm sure that's just temporary, and will be fixed once you start shadowing them. All in all they look amazing, really!
And the castle: wow. Absolutely gorgeous. I wouldn't scale it down, however: it would cause the linework to look too thin... But if you want it to be smaller, you could try scaling it down, and retrace it on another layer with the same brush width you used for the mountains (afterwards you delete the scaled down version of course). Sure, you'll lose some detail, but you'll win bigtime in terms of consistency. You can always use the original castle(s) in a separate box detailing the layout.
All in all a great looking WIP, especially for a first try!