Gar Trade City & Environs

[srt]

Hey what's up everyone? First "real" post here. Looking forward to talking about maps with y'all.

Just a first draft of a map I'm working on. I'm planning on making a series of maps in this perspective, showcasing different parts of the same kingdom with the "focus" on certain important cities like this. Apologies for the terrible photo. Eventually I'm going to scan this and mess around with it digitally. Or maybe scan the next version. I'm not totally happy with the constellations and some other details, like the roads and the buildings in town.

gar_trade_w.jpg

Please let me know what you think! I'd appreciate any constructive criticism or other comments.

[nothingbutblue]

Oooh, this is a neat idea. Would look cool with a simplified graphic design approach.

This reminds me... I've been meaning to do a constellation map for ages and still haven't gotten to it. Must re-shuffle my to-do list now.. again..

[srt]

Thanks! Yeah, I actually think it looked way better before I added all of the text. Shoulda just scanned it then, I guess! (I have no idea how to use our scanner, my partner is the photographer) Next draft.

"Simplified graphic design" was definitely something I was thinking about. I want it to sort of have infographic information about the kingdom; how many days it takes to travel between different towns, primary imports/exports of different regions, things like that.

[snodsy]

Really like this a lot, the composition is really nice. You might want to look up "Khuan-Ktron" they do some really nice Graphic style maps like what your proposing. Nice start look forward to seeing the series.

[srt]

Hey! Thank you snodsy for your kind words! Even though I've only been here for a little while, I've already encountered a couple of your maps "in the wild" on the forums and I'm really inspired. I was actually showing your "Hannibal's March" map to my girlfriend the other day. Really great stuff. Everyone's familiar with Hannibal's antics in the Alps but you told that old story in a beautiful new way. I'm also just a sucker for historical maps in fantasy style. And, I love those Minard vibes. I studied Russian History in college, and I remember when our professor showed us Minard's map of Napoleon's invasion of Russia, most people in my class had their eyes glaze over. Meanwhile, I was in the back fuming to myself. "This is one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of graphic design you charlatans!!!" hahaha.

I looked up Khuan-Ktron. Their work is familiar to me, it seems. I feel like I saw some of it years ago, or something like that. Anyway, it's cool how they make maps, advertisements, album covers... I daresay they might be a bit professionally inspiring as well as artistically.