Kahael (hand-drawn, experimental)

[Vanoitran]

Here is the land of Kahael,

I made this maybe a year ago, but I wanted to use it as my first post here just to kind of test the waters, I think my skills have improved since then but maybe not as much as I want. I have been going through old maps I made to pinpoint things I liked and didn't like about them in order to improve the new ones I am making.

Things I was experimenting on:

1. Using color pens instead of typical black -- I feel like the effect makes it more immature and fanciful
2. Using different vegetation as an indicator of climate
3. Using language meshes to illustrate world building (I used Arabic-Maori)

Any and all criticism is welcome! Thanks!
(also this is my first content post, pls be gentle)
(I also posted this in the WIP discussion area accidentally and can't figure out how to delete the threads if any mods are on my case)

[Mouse]

Hi Vanoitran

Hey we're nice people! *Mouse hastily hides the blaster behind her back*

That's a very interesting map you have there, and pretty nice work considering the materials you have used

Have you thought of using fine liners instead of felt pens? I can't really tell from the image you have uploaded, since I think it is massively compressed? I may just be looking at compression artefacts, but I think I can see a certain furriness about the line work. If I am, then that's what I would call 'bleed' where the felt pen ink is bleeding into the surrounding paper. Maybe a slightly better quality paper and pen set would make the maps you draw considerably clearer and sharper.

I'm not keen on the scratchy marks in the open ground, but you seem to be building a good repertoire of your own symbols.

Overall - nice work

...

As for the 'mods' - we call them Community Leaders around here, and they're a really great bunch of people - running not just one but two monthly challenges, and doing a whole ton of stuff behind the scenes that most people never even really think about needing to be done. All you have to do if you started a thread in the wrong place is just ask nicely on the thread where the problem is and wait patiently for attention (they're busy people).

[Vanoitran]

Thanks so much for the response!

I am using a better paper now with more touth (if thats how its spelled). I agree that basic printer paper is kind of a poor material.

The pens I was using were Prismacolor Premier Fine Line Markers; fantastic pens, don't bleed. So if there is fuzziness its either shoddy erasing job or the compression. However, all I did was put the paper onto my scanner and uploaded it. Have any tips on how to deliver a crisper image?

Thanks for all the feedback! I was wondering how the lines would come across, I was hoping they would illustrate a plains feel, but I was worried about the clutter.

[Mouse]

Cartridge paper is best - the sort you get in a reasonable quality artists sketch pad. It will take the punishment of repeated erasing much better than that scrappy copier stuff!

If you were using fine liners anyway, then that must be compression artefacts I'm looking at. Since I know nothing about scanners, other than you put the artwork down on the glass and press 'go', I'm not the best person to try and help you sort that one out.

If it was my scanner I'd simply increase the dpi (dots per inch) resolution of the scan, which is a control thing on the control panel that comes up on the computer screen when I use it, but again - I've no idea how yours works. If you can do that the only thing you have to remember is that the higher the resolution the larger the image, and also the bigger the file. Ideally I would scan it at about 300 dpi. Other people might have better suggestions.

What kind of scanner is it?

EDIT: got carried away with the materials! There are many ways to show plains. Some people just leave them blank in a line drawn map, while others have a certain symbol (usually some kind of a level-ish line with a very tiny squiggle in the middle). Deserts are usually differentiated from plains by some kind of a simple dune symbol, which again is different from a hill symbol. A while back I saw a chart of line symbols. I'll see if I can find it for you.

[Chashio]

That is actually quite a nice map. The symbols are clearly defined and readable without a need for explanation, the elements have nice spacing and variation across the landscape, and the drawing style and color is really nice... simple and effective in a comfortable/cozy/pleasant, cherished old story kind of way. I even like how it's positioned on the paper... made me curious what's off the page around the bottom body of water. It all worked well to pull me in and I enjoyed exploring all the details.

[Mouse]

Here we go - this comment by Azelor contains a link to a sort of line symbol chart that might be of some use for ideas?

[Creativetides]

I love the variation of the markers, and the coastlines look beautiful as well as your handwriting, just one thing though I personally don't think that it you should color in the lakes black it doesn't go with the rest of the bodies of water near and around it

[Vanoitran]

Cartridge paper is best - the sort you get in a reasonable quality artists sketch pad. It will take the punishment of repeated erasing much better than that scrappy copier stuff!

If you were using fine liners anyway, then that must be compression artefacts I'm looking at. Since I know nothing about scanners, other than you put the artwork down on the glass and press 'go', I'm not the best person to try and help you sort that one out.

If it was my scanner I'd simply increase the dpi (dots per inch) resolution of the scan, which is a control thing on the control panel that comes up on the computer screen when I use it, but again - I've no idea how yours works. If you can do that the only thing you have to remember is that the higher the resolution the larger the image, and also the bigger the file. Ideally I would scan it at about 300 dpi. Other people might have better suggestions.

What kind of scanner is it?

EDIT: got carried away with the materials! There are many ways to show plains. Some people just leave them blank in a line drawn map, while others have a certain symbol (usually some kind of a level-ish line with a very tiny squiggle in the middle). Deserts are usually differentiated from plains by some kind of a simple dune symbol, which again is different from a hill symbol. A while back I saw a chart of line symbols. I'll see if I can find it for you.

I'll go to the store tomorrow to see about some better paper.

The scanner is an HP Photosmart C3100 series. I don't really know anything about it. It is my girlfriend's and I am with her in Europe, so I don't know what is different (if anything) between European models and whatnot.

Anyways I saved Azelor's chart, that was really helpful! I'll experiment with some other maps I will make after finding that paper. Thanks a ton for the feedback. I'll be posting some more of my older maps in the next few days before I finish anything new, so don't be dissapointed in me for not incorporating any of your tips until later.

[Vanoitran]

That is actually quite a nice map. The symbols are clearly defined and readable without a need for explanation, the elements have nice spacing and variation across the landscape, and the drawing style and color is really nice... simple and effective in a comfortable/cozy/pleasant, cherished old story kind of way. I even like how it's positioned on the paper... made me curious what's off the page around the bottom body of water. It all worked well to pull me in and I enjoyed exploring all the details.

This made my week, thanks a lot for the compliments! I was going for a cozy/pleasant vibe when I made it so I am glad it came off that way.

[Vanoitran]

I love the variation of the markers, and the coastlines look beautiful as well as your handwriting, just one thing though I personally don't think that it you should color in the lakes black it doesn't go with the rest of the bodies of water near and around it

On second glance I totally agree, the filling in the lakes doesn't compliment the rest of the style. The coastline style was borrowed from the original Middle Earth maps I believe. I thought it was a little ugly at first, but now I see it is uniquely artistic. Anyways thanks for the feedback creativetides, hope we can keep building each other up here.