[WIP] The Shores of Evandyr - fantasy map

[- Max -]

It's been a looong time since I shared a work in progress. I'm fixing this with this map, not a big project, rather a simple personal work. I'll try to keep this short, aiming for a quick work less than 10 stages WIP.

So, let's start with the 1st stage : tracing landmass outline on an A3 file size.

Map WIP1.jpg

[Facubaci]

Max, what software are you using for this map?

Greetings.

[- Max -]

Facubaci, I'm using Photoshop with a graphic tablet.

[SteffenBrand]

Very nice, I'd love to see your process =)

[- Max -]

Thanks Steffen, here we go with the 2nd stage : adding a frame (which also works as the basic texture) for the map. I used a parchment I did for The Hunt, a challenge map and just tweaked the overall hue/stauration a bit. For the making process of a parchment background, you can check here (post #55). Though the parchment is different, the process is basically the same.

Map WIP2.jpg

[foremost]

Looks nice so far... glad to see that you are getting a refresher with a small personal project.

If you accomplish that 10-stage goal you set for yourself, this thread might be a good learning experience for some of us less-experienced cartographers. An opportunity to see how each stage progresses to the next.

One thing I did note is that some areas of you coastline appear to be rather angular. I really like the overall shape, though.

Best of luck with this one. I'll be following along.
foremost

[- Max -]

Thank you Foremost

One thing I did note is that some areas of you coastline appear to be rather angular. I really like the overall shape, though.

Yea, I noticed I tend to do that a lot lately.

Ok, 3rd stage is going deeper on the texturing. Here I used a combination of several textures layers with different blending modes, added some colors and texture details with some brush work and tweaked the overall stuff with some adjustments color/saturation layers to reach the "feeling I want to aim. This is an important stage here, since the texture thing will be overlaid on a simple and quick coloring work of the map elements. I tried to keep dark on (large) areas on the edges of the parchment, keeping lighter ones on the inside, this should help to focus the attention on the map rather than on the frame.

Map WIP3.jpg

[fabio p]

I’m not a fan of heavy/dark texturing and I would lighten the whole thing; anyway, I don’t know what your final aim is, so maybe I should wait your final steps to express an opinion on the matter.

Anyway I’m always eager to see how you work (and I’m not the only one I guess), so thanks a lot for this wip thread.

[SteffenBrand]

I'm surprised you went that dark, too. It makes me wonder how you want to finish this.
Highlighting the main area works btw very well in this case, focus is really on the land (my eyes just wandered once to the edges of the paper). =)

[- Max -]

My pleasure Fabio My final aim is some some soft paint feel mixed with a dark and gritty ambience...Sort of...