February 2021 Challenge: Morlea

[Dhelian]

Hello! I'm pretty new around these parts, but I noticed that this challenge was happening and since I was already planning on remaking a map from two years ago this month, it just seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally sign up and get started here in the guild. I made the original back in 2019 as a gift to a friend, but since then I've gotten a lot better and my style has changes quite a lot so I figured that a remake was in order. Both the original and the new one will be drawn in Photoshop.

Here's the original, I'll post a WIP soon as well
Morlea.jpg

[Dhelian]

Here's the first post with the WIP!

### Latest WIP ###
Ny-Morlea.jpg

[Greason Wolfe]

Welcome to the challenge Dhelian. The original is a good, workable piece. Could.easily see it as a player handout. Looking forward to seeing the updated version.

[Adfor]

Welcome to the guild, and challenge. You're style certainly has changed, I like the gradient you did for the oceans, nice touch.

IR

[ChickPea]

Welcome to the challenge!

Got to admit, I rather like the original map, so I'm interested to see where you go with the new version. I like the subtler colours you've chosen.

[Dhelian]

Thank you to all for the comments and welcomes! I'm kind of surprised about people liking the original here, when I've been showing off WIPs to the writers and worldbuilders who I regularly talk to they all consider my recent stuff a great improvement compared to what I did back in 2019.

The colours are still very much a work in progress and I'll add more depth to the sea in the future, possibly by the next time I show off a WIP. There's still shading for the mountains and hills to do and I need to fill the empty spaces on the map. Here's where I left off today, as you can see there are some settlements that also need names, but those will be up for my friend whose world this is to come up with.

### Latest WIP ###
Ny-Morlea.jpg

[ChickPea]

Looking good!

I appreciate colours aren't finished, so this comment might be irrelevant, but I'm wondering if you'll be tweaking the label colours? Right now, they get a little lost against the background colour. When you're zoomed out, it's quite hard to spot them.

Minor nitpicks aside, this is shaping up to be a great map.

[Kisachik the Wanderer]

Hi Dhelian, welcome to the guild.

I like how you drew those forests. Although most of the pine trees have disappeared mysteriously.

[Dhelian]

Looking good!

I appreciate colours aren't finished, so this comment might be irrelevant, but I'm wondering if you'll be tweaking the label colours? Right now, they get a little lost against the background colour. When you're zoomed out, it's quite hard to spot them.

Minor nitpicks aside, this is shaping up to be a great map.

Thanks! My labels tend to stand out a lot better once the ground has been coloured, but yes otherwise in the WIP they certainly blend into the background but that problem should solve itself hopefully once I'm done.

[Dhelian]

Hi Dhelian, welcome to the guild.

I like how you drew those forests. Although most of the pine trees have disappeared mysteriously.

Thank you for the welcome! I am aware of my lack of pointy trees. Making those clusters of round trees is just a lot more relaxing, and I haven't quite gotten the hang of the pine clusters yet. It's definitely something I need to work on a bit more.