This is beautiful. The showpiece trees are wonderful, and the border/title work is meticulous. Your work is inspiring and just really really delightful to look at, we're lucky to have you here!
Cheers,
Meshon
I tried posting this earlier today to DA, and it just wouldn't work.
But, here's hoping it works ok here on the Guild.
I tried writing up more info for my post, but I seem to be a bit blocked at the moment.
I have a good bit of backstory data, but can't seem to get it flowing into useful story. Or even good description.
You'll just have to suffer through the lame attempt I made last night and this morning. ;P
Oh, this relates to the Skenara map, as well as Haldeshar, Alknoar, Trolnarm, Midgeon, and a few other maps and images.
All are set in the world of Nhyn setting, which can be seen together over on DA.
The isle of Ynes has long been considered a revered island, as it is believed to be the place
where the earliest pre-Ylan peoples landed when they arrived at the lands of Skenara.
For almost the last thousand years, Ynes had been the home of the Order of Ysk;
monks and teachers, servants and guides of the Deeper Way -
the great knowledge and magical skill of the Ylan peoples, particularly as it relates to the natural world.
The Order of Ysk was originally established as a center of learning and of the arts of healing and preservation.
They held records of great antiquity, and also preserved natural samples of many natives species of flora and fauna.
It was here on Ynes that the original seeds of destruction were created that would one day overrun nearly all of Skenara.
That one is a dark tale of hubris and humus; a twisted and tangled tendril of a tale from long ago
that snagged and dragged down a brilliant son of the House of Gyr and made of him a horrid hollow husk, empty yet ever seeking to devour.
I'm still working on that story.
I started this map back in 2016, just a little while after making the Skenara map.
The design and sketch came along quickly, but the linework took a long time.
Partly due to a lot of starting and stopping and just generally letting it sit on the back burner for too long.
I didn't get back into it until maybe a month or two ago. Maybe June? or July even.
It's great to have it completed though.
It's available as a print over on my INPRNT store - https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/j.ste.../isle-of-ynes/
I'm trying to upload more maps and images soon. I have some good architectural ones and landscape scenes to add too.
Anyways, here it is, after way too long a time.
Isle of Ynes by jstevenson.jpg
Artstation - | - Buy Me a Kofi
This is beautiful. The showpiece trees are wonderful, and the border/title work is meticulous. Your work is inspiring and just really really delightful to look at, we're lucky to have you here!
Cheers,
Meshon
Meshon's Cobblestone Streets tutorial
DeviantArt page: https://meshon.deviantart.com/
Follow me on Twitter! @meshonlive https://twitter.com/meshonlive
Wow, amazing! Love the colors, the details, and the frame that becomes the title. Really wonderful work!
Gorgeous as usual, J. The frame and the leaf decorations are beyond beautiful. I always love the organic green hues you use!
Splendid map ! Great work ! Espcially on those mountains ! And what to say about this border ??? amazing seems a poor choice of words !
Saw this on FB, but couldn't comment on it :O
Gorgeous again, John.... and the map, of course
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This is splendid work John! Reminds me a bit of the Island of the Sleepy Dragon too.
Thanks Meshon I really appreciate that.
Thank you Diego
Thank you Kell
That frame kind of got a little crazy and ran away with itself. ;P
Thanks JO
I spent a long time, in the past, working on trees.
Now I'm focused a lot on rocks and mountains.
Hehehe, I didn't even think about how it was all of those things
Thanks Ilanthar I'm glad this orphan finally got completed.
There are so many maps still waiting in line. ;p
Thanks you Mouse
I've encountered a few things on FB that I can't comment on either.
A few times it was one of my own that I shared to a group.
That was sort of frustrating, and counter-productive.
Thanks Tonquani
It is definitely of the same style. Sleepy Dragon was actually done after a large part of Isle of Ynes was already drawn out.
And it shares some other traits with Skenara and Ynes - similar paper and color scheme/technique.
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I was absolutely sure the Islands of the Sleepy Dragon would remain my favorite map of the year, and... this ?! Such a serious challenger, and now I have to edit my letter to Santa ^_^
It's a marvel, J. Or another one. I love absolutely everything, from the colors to the details, from the laughting sea serpent, to the graphic trees. And this stunning border, of course !