Re-Do of my Althar Homebrew Setting Map

[Arcane Atlas]

Hey guild!

I'm just wrapping up a complete re-do of the map of my D&D setting, Althar. The last map I drew of this place was in 2021, just as we were about to start a new campaign. That campaign concluded at the start of this year, and I'm gearing up to start the next one in the next few months - so I thought a new and updated map was in order!

Placing the old and new maps side by side, it's really affirming to see the improvement in my work. I'm really pleased with this new map - but like any personal project I work on, I find it really hard to decide when to call it finished, so as always, I'm open to critiques and suggestions. Please let me know what you think!

Althar Map 2024 Parchment (Smaller).jpg

[- JO -]

Nice job ! I really like the tones and the general atmosphere, as well as the detail of the line. The border is in total harmony with the card (something I find difficult to achieve)... A great success, this map! Well done!

[Turambar]

This is very nice. I especially love the city icons. Your linework is excellent.

[Diamond]

Really great work - I have to remember this for the Atlas Awards next year! As Turambar said, outstanding linework, and I particularly love the subtle use of color.

Top notch.

[Kellerica]

Ah, yes. Endlessly remaking your personal maps - this is a road I know very well.

It is a great map, and definitely improves on the original. Not that I think the first version you posted was bad either, but your skills definitely have improved. I especially enjoy how the coastline has gotten a lot more lively, and how much more grand the new icons make the major cities seem. The title scroll and the compass are both gorgeous!

If I had to nitpick on something, I'd say the labels could maybe do with a bit of tweaking. For one, I think you have a few too many different fonts here, and some of them that don't quite go together. Mainly I think the fraktur style font for the region names (as beautiful as it is, and I love the effect you have on the text that makes it blend into the texture) conflicts a bit with the rest of the labels, in my opinion. There's also a few of the city names that have way, way tighter kerning than the others, and that makes them a bit messy. I appreciate the intent probably was to make the label match the size of the city illustration on top of it, but I personally would have prioritised readability and just accepted that the name is wider than the illustration. Anyway, that really is nitpicking (I also do graphic design and typography is very close to my heart), the map overall looks lovely.

Looking forward to seeing the next version!

[Ink_alpinist]

Great map, Arcane. Indeed a improvement, your coastlines are much more organic, the mountains perspective/scale make the place seen much bigger (which is a thing that I like), the main city icons, also the darker colours, the top right corner and the sword in the legend box made it damn cool!

*I just didn't liked the label for the forest of era very much... but that is me.

[Arcane Atlas]

I think you have a few too many different fonts here, and some of them that don't quite go together. Mainly I think the fraktur style font for the region names (as beautiful as it is, and I love the effect you have on the text that makes it blend into the texture) conflicts a bit with the rest of the labels, in my opinion.

Thanks so much for the feedback! This kind of perspective is really helpful - typography & font pairings is still something I'm trying to get my head around. I'm really partial to that fraktur style font as I like the mood it conveys (that gothic-fantasy edge is super fitting to my setting) - would you possibly have any reccomendations for nice readable fonts that could pair well with it to replace the ones I've used for the towns & forests?

There's also a few of the city names that have way, way tighter kerning than the others, and that makes them a bit messy. I appreciate the intent probably was to make the label match the size of the city illustration on top of it, but I personally would have prioritised readability and just accepted that the name is wider than the illustration.

On a second glance I 100% agree - I've adjusted the kerning and I think it looks perfectly fine with the text just being wider than the illustrations!

[Arcane Atlas]

Thank you for the kind words!

*I just didn't liked the label for the forest of era very much... but that is me.

I agree with you here, that label has been bothering me - in hindsight I just think it's way too big. I've been telling myself it's fine to avoid having to go back and draw more trees, but now that you mention it... I think I'm going to go back and draw more trees!

[Greason Wolfe]

Hrm.... What to say about this map.....

thinking...

thinking...

thinking...

Outstanding! Will echo what others have already said and add that pretty much everything works for me on this one. Others have already me toned the font issues, so I won't harp on that. Great work.

[Arcane Atlas]

Little update on this one! I've narrowed everything down to two fonts, which I definitely think is a little more coherent. I've kept the fraktur style font for the regions, and opted for Antiquarian for all other labels, which I hope works!

Althar Map 2024 Parchment 2.jpg