Arda Quain realms

[Veldrin]

Azélor: Thank you very much for this very constructive criticism; I'll change the river areas you pointed out, and I'll keep it in mind for the rest of the map also. I want to do something realistic, at least for a fantasy world (you know what I mean) so you're highly helpful

Kellerica: **** yeah ! And thank you btw it appears to me that level lines style was the easier to start with using Illustrator. However I really enjoy it because of the possibility of details that I can put in. And also when you (I, at least) draw a map, you think about strategic places, intresting areas and so on, which make the map living; it is much more straightforward to represent such things when you work with big scales.

Llannagh: thanks much for your comment. I know what you guys mean, I also feel that the b&w map especially looks like those old maps from fantasy novels. As I said, I stopped to draw on paper for the moment, I rather try to get skills with graph pad and Illustrator. You pointed out the problems with handmade drawings btw
You also remind me a thread from Meton, with a beautiful and inspiring handmade level lines map: https://www.cartographersguild.com/a...8&d=1534276138
Besides I fully agree with your last post. Cartographers are smart people... :p I would also add that it's very useful to get reviews from professional-like cartographers, so that I (as a beginner) can improve faster and in efficient way.

I'll post an updated version of the little map when all the levels will be done and the rivers corrected.

[Veldrin]

Here is the correction of the rivers. Although it appears more realistic, I feel that something is missing... Maybe I'll add some deltas.
The leveling lining is finished by the way.

ALDORIA_2_190126.jpg

[Kellerica]

If I may, I'd personally keep adding lots of smaller branches to the rivers. I often find that mine look to be lacking something in the early stages too, but when I keep expanding them it always starts to look more and more pleasing the further I go. If you look at the river systems on real maps, you can see how insanely complicated they can be. Not that adding a delta is a bad idea either, but just overall I'd say more is often better when it comes to rivers

[Veldrin]

Ok so.. After almost 2 years (during which I tried many things), here's my best try on this endless map.

190520ALDORIAMAP.png

All the names, pictograms and stuff are not placed yet (not even sea level lines), but it gives an overview of what it looks like. Besides I think I finished to place the rivers, cities and roads within the pink area (which is the realm of Aldoria btw).
@Kellerica & Azelor : I tried to go on with your advice, I think there's enough rivers now but... still, they don't look exactly what I figured out... But I still don't really know what to do lol

I really need to know what you think I can improve to get it more realistic, since it's reaaaaally long to do to me so I wouldn't be satisfied finishing it ugly or unrealistic. The real map format is A1 so I can work with 800% zoom and write in police size between 12 and 5. The idea is to get a final map on which I could put everything I want for different stuff, like commercial routes, conflicts, politics, etc... But guess how long it will be to finish the entire map (see below)

190520FULLMAP.png

Please let me know what you feel and what I can do better or add to get it as realistic as possible !

[Veldrin]

I added the last towns, roads, names, some lines in the sea (which still not finished yet) and some forest areas for this part. I guess it's almost finished.

mapmq.png