Feb/Mar Entry: Jason and the Golden Fleece

[tilt]

So, this is my first map-challenge in here and I'm looking forward to comments on my map

I've choosen the Greek legend/myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece as it is well know to a lot of people - partly because of Hollywood. The map depicts Kaukasus, which is the country in which the actually Golden Fleece was found. Aided by Medea (who had fallen in love with Jason due to the godess Heras involvement) Jason tills the fields with the firebreathing copper bulls of Ares (brutal bulls who are strong and can kill by breath or stomp, gore... you choose)... he sows dragons teeths which "sprouts" warriors. With cunning (by Medea) he makes the warriors fight one another instead of him. Having done this he goes with Medea to the tree to where the Golden Fleece is nailed, around it a dragon lies curled, but Medea soothes it with her magic thus making Jason able to get the Fleece. They hurry to Jasons ship and set sail...

The map is made in Photoshop, everything is handdrawn. I never made custom brushes before - so that was a challenge, so was the drawings - I'm getting a tablet soon I think

So, please tell me what you think

regs
Jesper

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[Ghostman]

Map colors are well enough. The trees and mountains are good but otherwise the symbols look a bit plain and cartoony. The Dragon looks too much like a medieval myth maiden-muncher; ancient Greek Dragons have no feet - they pretty much resemble large snakes. It could also have a beard (you can see it on depictions in ancient vase paintings) and the Golden Fleece itself should of corse be seen hanging from the tree.

Not bad for a first time entry though

[waldronate]

I had been toying with the idea of doing "Jason and the Oregonauts", the tale of a young midwestern boy who travels to the fabled lands of Oregon to score some righteous weed. Good thing I didn't, eh?

Overall it looks good. The little artworks are quite nice. The coastline seems a bit smooth compared to the river, though. THe forsts seems a bit odd, but that's an issue with how Photoshop does its brushes as much as anything.

[tilt]

thanks - just painted the dragon of the top of my head - not really an illustrator so I was actually pretty happy with getting something that actually looked like a dragon on "paper", should have know i "just" had to draw a snake *lol*. When you say "the other symbos" you're referring to the city and the icons? The bull is actually drawn based upon a vase from greece

[tilt]

yeah.. had some problems getting photoshop to NOT show the brush-strokes behind the new brushstrokes - so the artwork multiplies some places... I'll roughen the coastline up a bit, it is of course the correct coastline (basic shape).
And Jason and the Oregonauts.. sounds like a movie waiting to happen

[Ghostman]

When you say "the other symbos" you're referring to the city and the icons? The bull is actually drawn based upon a vase from greece

The cities could certainly use more detail, and attention to scale - while icons have to be of odd proportions by necessity, these cities look more like houses, or very small castles. Having a wide and low wall, with more than two (small) towers per side and a much smaller gate would go a long ways toward giving the appearance of a fortified town. The bull is actually pretty good. The hills are smooth and rounded like snowballs - a more rugged appearance would go better along with the mountains. The field is kind of plain too but works well enough.

[tilt]

thanks for the good advice - hadn't really any ideas how to represent the city, so improvise and adapt *lol*... agree about the hills, I'll change those. For now, this is my latest version, rugging up will come tomorrow
- I'm of to bed now so I can catch some hours of sleep before my 2 year old wakes up ... cause in the weekends - thats early *sigh*

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[tilt]

So morning came - and I had some time to work on my map while the kids are watching Dora the Explorer ... so, I've added some details to the compas - changed the city icons, changed then hills and made a greek dragon with a bigger fleece. Oh, and made some greek inspired waves too... Please enjoy...


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Jason_and_the_gol.jpg

[Ghostman]

Looking much better already. Good job with the waves, they really help setting the feel for the map. Lazi still has the older style icon though, and the fleece is disturbingly human-like.

[tilt]

Lazi still has the older style icon though

Have no idea what that means - sorry ... please explain

and, I'll change the fleece - cause you're absolutely right - maybe its Lord Golden from the Tawny Man Trilogy (just finished book 2).