Continental Map - A Test to my Abilities

[Azhel]

Hello fellow guild members.
After my last map, I figured I'm ambitious enough to go for a World Map.

However, for now at least, I'l stick to making a section of that world to practice my Large Scale Mapping skills. It has one of the biggest sizes I've ever worked with 9000 x 6000 with 300 DPI to make sure I get all the details in

This continent (unnamed for now) is pretty big and goes from a cold climate to a desert climate. The equatorial line goes through it and it's got 6 large countries.
The setting is a dark-ish/not-so-bright medieval fantasy.

So without further ado, here's the map's land mask!

MAP - Land mask(s).jpg

I also made a quick Climate Zone map:

MAP -Climate(s).jpg

[Eilathen]

I dig those landshapes. Looking forward to this. I hope you'll make up some history for this world as well and share it with us in here

[Azhel]

EDIT 1:
So I expanded the land mask and now I have the actual world.

WORLD MAP - Land mask.jpg

And also did some experiment on plate tectonics, even tho I have no idea how it actually works. I tried going over some examples, but for this sketch I just assumed that if land goes towards land, they rise and create mountains. Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

WORLD MAP - Tectonics.jpg

New Edit - Gonna dismiss this world map to make a new one. Larger with one big landmass is my goal.

[ascanius]

Not quite. There are two main processes that create mountains, volcanism (the majority of islands, Etna, Kilimanjaro etc), and the collision of two or more plates, usually continental crust ( Himalayas). There are a few others but for the most part don't pay a major role in the formation of mountain ranges. Hope that helps.

[Azhel]

@ascanius - Yeah that kinda helps. I'l drop the tectonic part for now and educate myself on the subject.

[Azhel]

EDIT 2:
Made a very rudimentary height-map with colors:

C-MAP - Heightmap.jpg

and a more detailed one with more levels:

C-MAP - Heightmap.jpg

[Pixie]

Not that I want to push you into the nearly-bottomless pit that is tectonics. But if you start deciding altitude and then try to make it fit tectonic movements you are just creating yourself a problem. It's better to decide right now than to throw away hours of perfectly good work .

Again, not pushing into working the tectonics out, but would you give me permission to use a part of your land mask to write a little tutorial on the subject? I want to use some virgin (as in without tectonics worked out) world map and I prefer something people are actually creating.

[Azhel]

@Pixie - I'd really love that you have permission to use the mask in any way you want. I can provide the layered PSD if you want (the image I put in has JPEG artifacts). I'l try to make a new tectonic model and i'd appreciate your review
To make sure I do it well, I'l use the real world's tectonics as a base.

[Pixie]

Thanks (obrigado!)

I thought you would let me, so I got started it as soon as I asked... and, as I had a little time available, it's finished and published
The artifacts weren't a problem, but thanks for the offer anyway.

I hope it inspires you.. I'll be here to help if you need.

[Azhel]

Thanks glad my map could be of use
Also thanks for demonstrating G-Plates, that looks super useful!

EDIT 3:
Retried some tectonic plates based on some real world examples. Still not sure it's accurate buuut it's another go at it.

WORLD MAP TECTONIC.jpg