Feb / Mar '18 Lite Challenge: Sabre-Bone's Island

[Arimel]

This will be my first challenge since joining the guild. I am hoping to use it as a slight excuse to put more time into physically mapping rather than planning my larger world. Since this is my first challenge please dont hesitate to correct me should I be doing something wrong!

For the challenge I will be drawing a pirate's treasure map. I got the idea from the stereotypical bone shape the island reminded me of. We will see how long/far I will follow this idea for though.

This is my first draft of my map done entirely in pencil. I realize that it is not a perfect replica of the actual map but my paper would not stay still while I traced over my screen . The only intentional difference is the island in the North-east corner. I added this to help fit my theme but should the change be too much I can still take it away.
### Latest WIP ###
First draft Sabre-Bone's Island.JPG
(Also, sorry for the terrible quality but because I have been writing so lightly a scanner could not pick up my lines.)(Also sorry for the handwriting)

[Falconius]

Welcome to the challenge. The little island meshes right in, I wouldn't have noticed it as an addition without being told.

[Arimel]

Welcome to the challenge. The little island meshes right in, I wouldn't have noticed it as an addition without being told.

Thanks! I'll take that as a go ahead then.

Also, here is a continued draft of the map. As my details are becoming more final they are a little darker but still in pencil, waiting to the gone over in pen. I am still missing a few points, debating what I should put on top of them. Again, the image is rather blurry but I should fix this with pen versions of the map shortly.

### Latest WIP ###
2nd Draft Sabre-Bone's Island.JPG

[Falconius]

I assume you are taking a photo of this as it lays on a desk? When you are far enough along that you want better photos, I suggest taping it to a wall (using tape that won't damage the paper) and shining a couple of floor lights at it, or wait for day time (but don't put it in direct sunlight, the diffuse light should be enough). I assume you are using a phone, but if you have the option of a more complete camera with an optical zoom you should take the photo from farther away and zoom in on the paper which will help flatten everything out.

[Bogie]

Welcome to the Challenge Arimel ! I agree, the little island fits in well.

[Arimel]

I assume you are taking a photo of this as it lays on a desk? When you are far enough along that you want better photos, I suggest taping it to a wall (using tape that won't damage the paper) and shining a couple of floor lights at it, or wait for day time (but don't put it in direct sunlight, the diffuse light should be enough). I assume you are using a phone, but if you have the option of a more complete camera with an optical zoom you should take the photo from farther away and zoom in on the paper which will help flatten everything out.

Thanks for the advice Falconius. I have been taking the image with the map on my desk but I will certainly try the wall next time. Sadly though, My best camera is on my Ipad so I dont think there is a way to get a really nice image. The first 'nice' version will be when I scan the pen-drawn map.

Welcome to the Challenge Arimel ! I agree, the little island fits in well.

Thanks Bogie! I am glad the island works and am enjoying the challenge so far.

[Arimel]

So here is the next draft. I have started to work in pen, inking several of the labels and symbols. I am not entirely satisfied with all of the work in this draft. I tried using a Pigma Micron Brush-pen on a few of the labels to help give it a fancier swirl but on that scale the tip is too thick. I will need a higher quality pen to achieve the look I want for that...

In regard to the first pencil drafts, I left my original pencil lines in, not wanting to accidentally erase the coastlines (and then need to go recopy them) so that slightly confuses the more precise lines I made. I may have these erased by the next post.

### Latest WIP ###
3rd draft sabre-bone's island.JPG

Also, Falconius, thanks again for the tips. The image looks a lot better without my shadow on it .

[Arimel]

Yet another update. I have inked in almost all of the pencil lines. This includes almost the entire coast (leaving out a section that I am unsure of what I will do as of yet), the different icons, the words, and the mountain ridge. I had basically completed the inking when I went back to double check the initial challenge's post to see if I had missed any of the dots. Sadly, I had, and that is the reason for the tiny town right in the middle of the mountain range's name "Sacred Heights".

I probably wont post another image again until I have access to a scanner. A scanner can now pick up the details. Also, the picture I took makes my handwriting here look a lot worse than it actually is (except for the cursive bits, which dont look that great anyways. Experimenting with a brush pen...).

### Latest WIP ###
4th Draft Sabre-Bone's Island.JPG

[Falconius]

Yeah ink, for something so seemingly simply, can be surprisingly difficult. It's looking promising, those town icons look good. Are you planning on using colour at all?

[Arimel]

Yeah ink, for something so seemingly simply, can be surprisingly difficult. It's looking promising, those town icons look good. Are you planning on using colour at all?

Well... I cant say that it did not cross my mind, but it is probably something that I wont have time to do before the challenge is due. I might have time though to stain the paper a faded yellow/something though and I might try doing that after running a few tests on other pages to ensure there is no ink bleeding as a result. Again though, I have not tried to do this before so we will see...