Solar Map

[The Elderly Cartographer]

Solar Map:
I was inspired by the intricate maps in Bungie's Destiny. I love the geometric and artistic style they put into them. Example (Image).
Drawing the asterisms and constellation depictions was fun and turned out to be easier then I had imagined.


Process - I used a compass, yardstick, and pencil to sketch out the designs. Then went over the lines with Micron pens to strengthen the contrast between the white and the black. Since I used a large sketchpad, I had to take pictures with a camera. Then I touched it up in GIMP, added the dots to the asteroid belts and inverted its color.

Solar Map.jpg

What do you think?

[Azélor]

It's a bit crowded by I really like the style.
The attention to details is great (counter clockwise Triton)

[jshoer]

Cool!

The only thing that spoils the attention to detail for me is Saturn's rings - their inclination is not that high! Also, if you're including named KBOs, Ceres' and Pallas' absence from the main belt is conspicuous. You could also include the Jupiter Trojans and some prominent comets, but that would of course add to all the data you're already including.

Stylistically, the only things that stick out to me are that the "portolan" lines might look better if they were a darker gray, and I think I might like the asteroid and Kuiper belts better if they were represented as more stylized bands than with dots. (Yes, I know, this is an ironic comment given my current project!)

Don't worry, I'm nitpicking this because I like it a lot. It reminds me of the Tabletop Whale solar system map, in a really good way! Thanks for sharing and I'm looking forward to more!

[The Elderly Cartographer]

It's a bit crowded by I really like the style.
The attention to details is great (counter clockwise Triton)

Ah! You noticed. I tried to find out as much as I could about the planets (Prograde, retrograde, inclination, orbit, etc.). It was rather fun research. I always feel humbled and awed when observing the cosmos. God's work is ever an inspiration.

Thank you.

[The Elderly Cartographer]

Cool!

The only thing that spoils the attention to detail for me is Saturn's rings - their inclination is not that high! Also, if you're including named KBOs, Ceres' and Pallas' absence from the main belt is conspicuous. You could also include the Jupiter Trojans and some prominent comets, but that would of course add to all the data you're already including.

Oops. I remember contemplating putting rings around Saturn, but I had already drawn its moons and they would have conflicted. Lol. I was trying to be accurate, then totally skewed Saturn's rings!

I haven't heard of Pallas, but Ceres is in the Asteroid Belt, between Jupiter and Mars.

I considered drawing comet paths but felt the map was too crowded, especially around the inner planets. Those are some good suggestions, though.

Stylistically, the only things that stick out to me are that the "portolan" lines might look better if they were a darker gray, and I think I might like the asteroid and Kuiper belts better if they were represented as more stylized bands than with dots. (Yes, I know, this is an ironic comment given my current project!)

Drat! That would have made the belts look so much better. Concentric circles, each getting finer as it moves out... It is finished now. But I will have to keep that in mind. I am planning on doing a solar map for my world, Irania (from which most of my maps are derived).

Don't worry, I'm nitpicking this because I like it a lot. It reminds me of the Tabletop Whale solar system map, in a really good way! Thanks for sharing and I'm looking forward to more!

That's okay. I like your suggestions. For the record that is the map that prompted me to finally get to this project. Lol.

Thanks for your input!

[Ilanthar]

Very nice & original!

[The Elderly Cartographer]

Thank you!