Gaxmoor of Skelkor

[Naima]

This is the final stage of the fantasy map of the Region of Skelcor on Forgotten Realms Setting Adding the City of Gaxmor.
Map Commissioned by Forum Community Leader Bogie for the Cartographers Guild February 2019 challenge.




I am curious about opinions of this new style of mine I tried for first time, full painterly style with saturated colors for a more gamey look , I am particularly interested in feedback on the possible mistakes and things to fix or correct as a style. The map took 94 hours for completition so its quite a lot of work and If I need to imrpove it I guess I have to know where and how ...

Here the WIP thread

My objectives with this map were :



1) Test a new paint style and a more vibrant and "gamey" color tone.
2) Test a new woodland technique.
3) Test a new mountain style.
4) Test a new hills style.
5) Test new city icons.



Btw could a mod please fix the title from Gaxmor of Skelcor to Gaxmoor of Skelkor?
Thankyou

[JonathanCR]

I think this is really beautiful. The mountains in particular are wonderfully craggy - everything really pops out.

[Jaxilon]

I think this is really wonderful. I hope you will do more of them.

Since I know you want criticism and how it can help us improve I'll dig deep...

If I had one thing that maybe bothers me I would say the mountains but then everyone is saying how much they love them so my thought may not be worth much. They match the map but they kind of look like large rocks to me. Up to a point I do like what you have here but then it just needs to take another step for the big mountains. Art tastes are subjective so I wouldn't worry to much about it because I'm sure many won't agree with me. It could be my issue with them is they look impossible to traverse except through the assigned passes and that's one of those things that always irked me back in the early days of computer games because they wanted to control your movement. Maybe I have unresolved issues with that

For clarity, I'm not put off by them and you totally nailed the "gamey" look. I can imagine this popping out of the box of a new game and being completely happy.
I'm still working on my own painting of mountains but it always seems like I'm not quite there yet.

But that's about the only thing I could come up with. There are so many great things like the folds in your land, the water falls and forests, the dragon on the sword - outstanding.

Have some REP.

[Naima]

I think this is really wonderful. I hope you will do more of them.

Since I know you want criticism and how it can help us improve I'll dig deep...

If I had one thing that maybe bothers me I would say the mountains but then everyone is saying how much they love them so my thought may not be worth much. They match the map but they kind of look like large rocks to me. Up to a point I do like what you have here but then it just needs to take another step for the big mountains. Art tastes are subjective so I wouldn't worry to much about it because I'm sure many won't agree with me. It could be my issue with them is they look impossible to traverse except through the assigned passes and that's one of those things that always irked me back in the early days of computer games because they wanted to control your movement. Maybe I have unresolved issues with that

For clarity, I'm not put off by them and you totally nailed the "gamey" look. I can imagine this popping out of the box of a new game and being completely happy.
I'm still working on my own painting of mountains but it always seems like I'm not quite there yet.

But that's about the only thing I could come up with. There are so many great things like the folds in your land, the water falls and forests, the dragon on the sword - outstanding.

Have some REP.

Thankyou , Indeed the Mountains are rocky , I wanted on purpouse them like that for a specific look inspired both by Chineese Guilin mountains and here
And a Game I loved to play when little called Zargos Lords ... that had those monolith ranges mountains ... SO I wanted to try something different from the usual pointy mountains usually seen around.

What I am most proud though are forests ... I was not liking them for mst part of the drawing process untill I finally found a way that fitted with the rest I think ...

The hill shading is similar to what I am doing for Ausonia map . and now I want to find a way to transfer this experience in that map too.

Painting like that takes a lot of time... If I had time and more freedom on the concept I would spend many more hours detailing more the region with little stuff like ruins, castles, caves, monsters etc...
TO my taste the style is a little too saturated and gamey , but this was done on purpouse , I personally prefer more realistic colors and look , I wanted to do something divergent by my usual taste.
I would like also to try in future a more light style that can allow me to make faster maps as this is really long process and if ever commissioned would cost a lot lol ...
Your mountains look great , and they get closer to my other Ausionia Style I would say , more realistic shapes...

[Naima]

I think this is really beautiful. The mountains in particular are wonderfully craggy - everything really pops out.

Thankyou .

I think this is really wonderful. I hope you will do more of them.

Since I know you want criticism and how it can help us improve I'll dig deep...

If I had one thing that maybe bothers me I would say the mountains but then everyone is saying how much they love them so my thought may not be worth much. They match the map but they kind of look like large rocks to me. Up to a point I do like what you have here but then it just needs to take another step for the big mountains. Art tastes are subjective so I wouldn't worry to much about it because I'm sure many won't agree with me. It could be my issue with them is they look impossible to traverse except through the assigned passes and that's one of those things that always irked me back in the early days of computer games because they wanted to control your movement. Maybe I have unresolved issues with that

For clarity, I'm not put off by them and you totally nailed the "gamey" look. I can imagine this popping out of the box of a new game and being completely happy.
I'm still working on my own painting of mountains but it always seems like I'm not quite there yet.

But that's about the only thing I could come up with. There are so many great things like the folds in your land, the water falls and forests, the dragon on the sword - outstanding.

Have some REP.

Thankyou , Indeed the Mountains are rocky , I wanted on purpouse them like that for a specific look inspired both by Chineese Guilin mountains and here
And a Game I loved to play when little called Zargos Lords ... that had those monolith ranges mountains ... SO I wanted to try something different from the usual pointy mountains usually seen around.

What I am most proud though are forests ... I was not liking them for mst part of the drawing process untill I finally found a way that fitted with the rest I think ...

The hill shading is similar to what I am doing for Ausonia map . and now I want to find a way to transfer this experience in that map too.

Painting like that takes a lot of time... If I had time and more freedom on the concept I would spend many more hours detailing more the region with little stuff like ruins, castles, caves, monsters etc...
TO my taste the style is a little too saturated and gamey , but this was done on purpouse , I personally prefer more realistic colors and look , I wanted to do something divergent by my usual taste.
I would like also to try in future a more light style that can allow me to make faster maps as this is really long process and if ever commissioned would cost a lot lol ...
Your mountains look great , and they get closer to my other Ausionia Style I would say , more realistic shapes...

[Jaxilon]

Thankyou , Indeed the Mountains are rocky , I wanted on purpouse them like that for a specific look inspired both by Chineese Guilin mountains and here
And a Game I loved to play when little called Zargos Lords ... that had those monolith ranges mountains ... SO I wanted to try something different from the usual pointy mountains usually seen around.

What I am most proud though are forests ... I was not liking them for mst part of the drawing process untill I finally found a way that fitted with the rest I think ...

The hill shading is similar to what I am doing for Ausonia map . and now I want to find a way to transfer this experience in that map too.

Painting like that takes a lot of time... If I had time and more freedom on the concept I would spend many more hours detailing more the region with little stuff like ruins, castles, caves, monsters etc...
TO my taste the style is a little too saturated and gamey , but this was done on purpouse , I personally prefer more realistic colors and look , I wanted to do something divergent by my usual taste.
I would like also to try in future a more light style that can allow me to make faster maps as this is really long process and if ever commissioned would cost a lot lol ...
Your mountains look great , and they get closer to my other Ausionia Style I would say , more realistic shapes...

I see what you did then. I think you pulled that off quite well and much better than your childhood game. Trying new things is the biggest benefit of the challenges I think. Sometimes they work, sometimes not, but you always learn something. I know there are aspects of my current one that I'm not particularly in love with but other parts I am happy with. So it goes.

The amount of time...I know right? How can anyone afford the hours it takes? Not at my rates. Oh well, it's still fun once in a while and I keep finding ways to do stuff faster. Maybe one day I'll be quick enough to make it viable.

[Ilanthar]

An original and pleasant style! I really like the general look of the map, the contrast between those lushy forests and the mountains is particularly excellent. Not so fond of the frame, even if you improved it (it seems not enough "detailed" or "painterly" compared to the map, I suppose).

[Naima]

Thankyou , I get what u mean , I actually did paint the frame but with straight lines and geometric aid then I cloned most of it, Perhaps I should have added some more details on it or do it free hand without rulers aid.

[Voolf]

Very original and nice map. As others i like the mountains here. They are very unique. The dragon compass is also a great addition to the map.

[Naima]

Thankyou @Voolf .