Wip (2)

[Alex]

Hello forum!

A bit ago I made a thread in the How to section and got some replies. Some said they couldn't help much unless I posted the map, and so here is the WIP of the map for my novel. Most of what takes place happens in the northeast continent. I have finished the novel, though, so here's hoping I can build the world correctly pertaining to what I wrote...

REMOVED; NEW VERSION

If the forests mountains etc etc needs to be laid down first for help, I can draw up a super WIP to show where they were when I made the novel. Lastly, It is small because nothing else has been added to it. If it needs to be larger, please tell me and I will share it.

Looking forward to suggestions, help etc etc,

EDITS, 2012, MARCH 10TH!:

Decided to go for a hand drawn map, or try to at least, since they are my favorite kind of maps. I have Paint SAI Tool, GIMP, Corel, Photoshop CS5, Paint.net, Inkscape and Illustrator, and a Genius Tablet. I am unsure which is the best to make my symbols, mountains, etc etc in, so I'm currently using Paint SAI Tool for its smooth lines and amazing selection of tools. The files can be turned into "renders" by saving as PSDs and opening in CS5.

Alex~

P.S
Books reading (to learn from):
Essentials of Physical Geography by Robert E. Gabler, James F. Petersen, and L. Machael Trapasso, Introducing Physical Geography by Alan H. Strahler and now, finally, the full A Magical Society book.

[Lukc]

So ... you want a bit of collaboration and help? I could rustle some up next year, unless the world ends (haha).

[Alex]

I hope for everyone's sake the world does not end.

Oh, and yes, some help would be very appreciative. I'm in a pickle, you see. I've drawn up the map and went and finished my novel based on their locations and surroundings. Might be some of the higher ups (I am below novice) and masters here can help me dig out of the hole I put myself in.

I'll have an update as soon as possible. Just sat down.

[Alex]

I've decided to make the map "hand drawn", though I guess I shouldn't say that since I'm making it along side digital mediums? Anyways, I have the land masses, lakes etc etc down now, and am working on symbols -- I think that's what you call them -- and wanted to post what I have so far, and hopefully get some suggestions? This is my first time doing this and not sure if they should be done separately, or in clusters. :<



Done in Paint SAI Tool because its the only product I know of that has smoother lines than what I can get in CS5. I heard Illustrator was meant for this sort of thing, but I am unsure and don't won't to install on my PC if its not (don't want anymore programs, will crash PC ).

[Lukc]

Well, mountains they are and like mountains they look . Illustrator is quite different from photoshop since it's a vector program, whereas PS is raster. Pixels vs. curves and all that. Yes - vectors are infinitely smooth, since the computer renders them as needed. But I doubt that's utterly necessary for a map.

[Alex]

Oh! Thanks Lukc!

Hmm, I'll try and install Illustrator on my second PC, see if it that works. I was on my netbook while I was out and decided to try and make a simple mapout of forests, mountains etc etc. This is what I have so far.


Green: Forests
Tan: desert

Recent mountain tries:


*Would be so much easier if I could use my pen, but no...!

[Lukc]

For my 10 cents you're over-thinking it before getting right into doing a map pick a small area and just go step by step:

1) pick an approximate style
2) draw mountains
3) draw rivers
4) draw cities and roads
5) draw country boundaries
6) add labels, cartouche, details

I think you'll learn more and faster when you put all the bits together right off. It will also force you to face some of the classical dilemmas of mapping sooner - how to make labels fit? How to show all that data in a 2D visualization?

[Alex]

Oh? I picked to do the mountains first because I figured if I'm doing it in Paint SAI Tool, it would be best to do mountains first and then forests (since I can save as a PSD afterward to make edits). Practicing my design, I think, should probably come first...I'll keep at it, fun anyways. But I'll relax and try not to over think it.