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Thread: Makkathran

  1. #1
    Professional Artist Guild Donor Sapiento's Avatar
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    Wip Makkathran

    I'm a great sci-fi fan, and I like especially the books from British sci-fi novelist Peter F. Hamilton. In his latest trilogy (the Void Trilogy) - a masterpiece of sci-fi in my opinion -a great part of the story happens in a city called Makkathran.
    On his website, Mr. Hamilton has a simple map of the city. But I felt this story needs a new and more elaborate map. So I asked Mr. Hamilton's agent a few weeks ago for permission to make a new map. Gladly I received this permission.

    I made the map in style which I think fits the technological stage of its inhabitants which is similar to the Renaissance. Important sites of the story are done as 'hand-drawn' additions.
    The map is mostly completed apart from a scale. I finished the last book nearly a year ago and can't remember exactly how large the city is; at least some kilometers in diameter. So if anyone has an idea I would be thankful. As a last resort I could create a fictional 'Makkathran mile'.

    C&C is welcomed.
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    Last edited by Sapiento; 12-08-2011 at 01:54 AM. Reason: Corrected the name of the city

  2. #2
    Community Leader mearrin69's Avatar
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    Very nice. I love it!
    M

  3. #3
    Community Leader Lukc's Avatar
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    It looks nice, but maybe the map is a bit short on squares and open spaces? Also, I do recall the books quite well but don't recall the size of the city.

    Was it Makkrathan or Makkathran tho'?

  4. #4
    Professional Artist Guild Donor Sapiento's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lukc View Post
    It looks nice, but maybe the map is a bit short on squares and open spaces? Also, I do recall the books quite well but don't recall the size of the city.

    Was it Makkrathan or Makkathran tho'?
    Good point.
    It's Makkathran, yes. This name is too complicated to remember I had to check one of the novels after your question - actually the name on the website is wrong, too.

  5. #5
    Professional Artist Guild Donor Sapiento's Avatar
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    Wip

    I added some forests on the western side of the city and corrected the title.

    Btw, could one of our CLs be so nice to change thread title into Makkathran.
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    Software Dev/Rep Hai-Etlik's Avatar
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    The phrase "Done by" seems a bit vague and crude compared to the rest of the map. Maybe "Prepared by" would work better?

  7. #7
    Guild Adept atpollard's Avatar
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    I think that maps are "Created by the Cartographers' Guild".

    [EDIT: corrected per the grammar nazi.]

    ... but in my defense, the spelling was a typo (old keyboard) and the quotations could be single or double (see Oxford guide to writing) - the ('s) that should have been (s') was 100% my bad ... I should have known better than that.

    ... So it was a one-man guild that draws carts.
    Last edited by atpollard; 12-08-2011 at 12:18 PM.

  8. #8
    Community Leader Lukc's Avatar
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    In that case, to be a grammar nazi, it should be "Created by the Cartographers' Guild" - unless you really mean a guild consisting of just one guy that draws cats.

  9. #9
    Professional Artist Guild Donor Sapiento's Avatar
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    Wip

    I changed the label as suggested.
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  10. #10
    Guild Adept atpollard's Avatar
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    Given your rep (and professional artist status) I am going to be harsher than I normally would, so let me preface my criticisms with an acknowledgment that it is a really good map that I think has the potential to be a great work of art.

    The hatching (diagonal across the buildings and horizontal on the main roads) just doesn't do it for me - the background parchment and base line work seem better than that. Unless you have a specific map that you are copying in mind, the Renaissance is more about art than technical drafting. Yes, there should be the technical line work like the building outlines and compass, but that should be only the starting point. Specifically, I suggest something closer to a watercolor embellishment of the buildings than a simple hatch. Perhaps a transparent Grey (or color tinted layer) as a solid hatch over the buildings - with some sort of cloud texture to create the lighter and darker patches common in watercolor.

    Since the side streets are defined by their light color, the main streets should lose the horizontal hatch completely and just let their slightly darker background define them.

    The city wall should be solid black or a near-black dark Grey.

    The woods dot texture doesn't work - it looks more early 20th century zip-tone than Renaissance. I suggest some small hand drawn texture or some small gaps in the canopy and a light watercolor-like shading.

    Another small nit, but the woods should stop at the inner line of the border, that's what it is there for. Same with the roads and buildings to the top and bottom, and the top and bottom edge of the water/coast hatch.

    As far as the water's edge goes, it is absolutely perfect, don't change it one bit (except to stop it at the border).

    So that's my 2 cents worth ... you did say that C & C was welcome.
    Last edited by atpollard; 12-09-2011 at 09:46 AM.

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