Feb / Mar '18 Lite Challenge: The island of Kardonia

[nopkin]

As promised, here's my entry for this challenge...

As usual, posted right before the deadline...

Watercolor and ink on A3 paper.

I'm not very happy with how it turned out, but I'm extremely glad that I learned a ton while doing it. Ever since the beginning of the coloring, when I messed up the water (or at least it didn't turn out as the version in my head), I wanted to give up on it (that's why there were no WIP posts). However, I decided to press on and turned it into some sort of playground for experimenting all kinds of things and techniques and became quite careless with it, to the point of not wanting to post it anymore. But since I was the first one to say that I'm in when Bogie started the thread, here it is...

### Latest WIP ###
Kardonia.jpg

Thanks, Bogie, for this awesome prompt!

Of course, any kind of feedback is welcome, in the hours that are left till the thread gets closed.

[Mouse]

I wouldn't say its such a disaster. Really fresh in a clean way without being too saturated and bright on the eye.

I think its a very attractive map, and if you think this is bad, then I'm very much looking forward to seeing the map you are happy with

[Bogie]

Thanks for joining the challenge and sharing your map Nopkin!
I actually really like the way the water came out.
The one thing I would do different is make the roads a little thinner, they seem to be to bold for the scale of the map.
Overall you have a real nice map there.

[nopkin]

I wouldn't say its such a disaster. Really fresh in a clean way without being too saturated and bright on the eye.

I think its a very attractive map, and if you think this is bad, then I'm very much looking forward to seeing the map you are happy with

Thanks, Mouse! Too kind and encouraging, as always!

Thanks for joining the challenge and sharing your map Nopkin!
I actually really like the way the water came out.
The one thing I would do different is make the roads a little thinner, they seem to be to bold for the scale of the map.
Overall you have a real nice map there.

Thanks for your encouragement and feedback, I appreciate it!

Totally agree on the roads. In fact, that was the plan, but, for some reason, it's so hard to internalize the fact that watercolors need patience. After painting the nice and thin orange lines for the roads, instead of waiting for the paint to fully dry (first mistake), I went on to add the outlines with some water-diluted india ink (second mistake), and the result is what you see And since on paper I don't have the luxury of the almighty Ctrl-Z, I went on and did it for all the roads, hoping (in vain) that it won't look that ugly in the end...

Anyway, as I said, so many lessons were learned with this attempt... Only if I could make all of them click...

[GSEC]

Most excellent rendering. As an amateur water-colorist I'd love to see a tutorial with your tips, tricks, and techniques for this map.

[kacey]

I think it’s charming, The water is very nice. I’d love to have a full page of that water to mix with some background textures, it turned out really well and the little icons are super cute... Great job all around.

[ThomasR]

I really love how you did the waters and you have some great calligraphy skills The map in itself is very good, I was just pointing what stood out in my eyes.

[Tenia]

I like it very much too, very refreshing, the overall style is lovely.

[nopkin]

Most excellent rendering. As an amateur water-colorist I'd love to see a tutorial with your tips, tricks, and techniques for this map.

Thanks, you're too kind! I feel humbled by your request for a tutorial, as I'm nothing but an amateur myself. However, I remember someone saying that in order to truly learn something, you should try teaching it to others, so I'm going to take your suggestion seriously, and might try to do a step-by-step thing on my next attempt.

I think it’s charming, The water is very nice. I’d love to have a full page of that water to mix with some background textures, it turned out really well and the little icons are super cute... Great job all around.

Thanks, Kacey! I could probably do a full page of the water texture, if it helps. Maybe next week.

I really love how you did the waters and you have some great calligraphy skills The map in itself is very good, I was just pointing what stood out in my eyes.

Thanks, Thomas! To be honest, the calligraphy is the part I'm most pleased with, so we're on the same page here...

I like it very much too, very refreshing, the overall style is lovely.

Thank you, Tenia!

[rdanhenry]

Yes, the roads are emphasized. Perfect for a traveler's map of Kardonia. I can see at once that if I want to view the Old Lighthouse, I should hire a boat in Port Moren. The paints may have not come out as intended, but they did not come out badly. I think it is a lovely map.