Fantasy setting : Nightfall (WIP)

[Ilanthar]

Here's my last production... Sadly, it's at 80% of its original size, but impossible to upload otherwise...

It's unfinished (legend and labels mainly) but I wondered if something could be better done, so, don't hesitate to comment and propose !
That is my first map with my own drawn elements (mountains, forests, etc...).
Nightfall.jpg

A little world about the background : the sun has a different move in the sky, from NNE to NEE and its course is a little as seen in the pole.
As a result, the more you are close from the NE, the more the day lasts and the night is short. And just the opposite in the SO.

Quite an important thing as magic is working at night only, and advanced technology at daylight.

[- Max -]

Pretty nice job Ilanthar! Though I would mute some green colors you used on some forests (that pop up too much on the map for now) and work on the textures you used for some terrains desert, steppes and such), they clash a bit with the hand-drawn elements imho.

[Ilanthar]

Thanks a lot for the feedback Max!

I suppose you are talking about the northern forests? That's quite true, I'll do another test about that.
I agree with you : the textures are clashing a bit with the drawn elements... But I don't have much idea to improve it (and I have already worked on it...). Do you have ideas about it?

[- Max -]

No problem
Yes the northern ones but also the ones around Tharsimm and Samara and the Jungles de Meriss ones. As for the terrains, why not using some brushes instead textures to give the hand drawn feel?

[arsheesh]

Have to agree with Max here, but otherwise looking very nice.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[aquarits]

you got about the forests
just one thing that i saw, honestly dunno if it cares, but for my eyes in other maps not looks great. Your background paper have some irregularities in the border ( ofc coz ia a old Paper) but the drawed map dont have. i believe that when you draw in a cropped paper, the lines will get some curves coz of the irregularities of the paper. That is why i am still not prepared to use this types of borders. Check some " vorropohaiah" maps, he have some with this types of borders fitting very nice.

[jfrazierjr]

Personal preference... But if you are going to the trouble to color the trees, why not add some color to the mountains to help balance the entire map out?

[Ilanthar]

Ok, a new version with less strong colors for forests. I don't see how to "draw" deserts in order to replace the textures, except with dunes, but most of the deserts here, are rocky ones. I'm thinking that a coloring may be enough? What do you think of it?

Nightfall2.jpg

@ aquarits : I am not sure of what you mean exactly, but I'll surely take another look at the vorropohaiah maps.

@ jfrazierjr : interesting remark... In fact, I'm used to do mountains in black or dark colours. But a brown color maybe... I'll give it a try.

Thanks for sharing your views anyway !

[Ilanthar]

A test with only coloring for deserts and steppes. Not convinced by my tests on coloring mountains so far, I'll keep trying though.

NFtest.jpg

[- Max -]

Looks better and more natural Btw what's the font used for the labels?