Kyushu, Japan

[Voolf]

This one is an experiment, that i worked on for some time. Originally i wanted to create something totally different in style, but i could not get desired effect. I started to play around, changed things, throw some new idea and... at some point map started to look worse, a mishmash of styles.

So i decided to finish it at this point. I am so so pleased considering fact that i wanted something different . I learned some new things thanks to this one though and that is probably the most important thing.

Southern Island of Japan, with old prefectures. The Higo prefecture is now called Kumamoto - the place where i live.

Kyushu_Higo_cg.jpg

Ps. Kacey that is the one we talked about

[kacey]

Hey, I get to see you're top secret project sooner then I thought. It's definitely a style I haven't seen, which is refreshing. I really like the compass, did you do the Japanese (I'm assuming it's Japanese) characters by hand?

[Gamerprinter]

Well my only criticism would be that Japan is heavily mountainous, even Kyushu is about 75 - 85% covered in mountains and forest, leaving 15 - 25% arable land for roads, cities, farms etc. Your map seems rather flat with lack of mountains. Otherwise the style is nice.

Regarding the compass points, Japan is more East - West centric, than they are North - South, as we are in the West.

Of course I do some Japanese style mapping myself from typical top down mountains to use of ukiyo-e woodblock print style art for terrain features.

[Straf]

At the top, in the middle, shouldn't the second 131,2 degrees read 131,5?

Otherwise a nice, clean map.

[Voolf]

did you do the Japanese (I'm assuming it's Japanese) characters by hand?

No, i started writing by hand on the compas, but it was hard for me to maintain same size and propotion for all kanji, so i deleted it and just use font with text tool.

Well my only criticism would be that Japan is heavily mountainous, even Kyushu is about 75 - 85% covered in mountains and forest, leaving 15 - 25% arable land for roads, cities, farms etc. Your map seems rather flat with lack of mountains. Otherwise the style is nice.

Well i didn't intend to do atlas style map with true reproduction of the land mass. It is more of an idea of map, like most illustrations out there. Kyushu does not also have swamps i depicted on this map . But you are right, if i would go with more faitful land mapping, almost whole island should be fiiled with mountains, leaving only shores area relatively flat.
Glad you like it.

Regarding the compass points, Japan is more East - West centric, than they are North - South, as we are in the West.

Honestly, don't know what do you mean by this regarding to compass.
I shifted the land a little bit, so i know compass should not point straight up for north. I should rotate it a little, but then again it is just illustration for entertain purposes, not a refference to study from.

At the top, in the middle, shouldn't the second 131,2 degrees read 131,5?

Oh thanks, i uploaded corrected version.

[Straf]

Sorry, I should have noticed this at the same time as the other one, but on the left the the degrees are adding 0.3 but at 33,5 it then goes to 33,7 and then resumes with 0.3.

[Voolf]

.... that is what happen when you work after midnight. Thanks Straf, you dont have to be sorry

[Mouse]

I really like this map, Voolf. Apart from the maths being a bit wonky in places (which I wouldn't have noticed except that Straf pointed it out), I really like the way you have done the ocean, and the colours are also extremely attractive...

[Straf]

I feel like I am standing over Voolf with a red pen! "Once you have done your corrections you can go out to play."

[Mouse]

IMHO its very useful to have someone with an eye for mistakes around the place to help make things more perfect

EDIT: But that doesn't mean we won't be piling in to see what we can find in your next finished map