Reply With QuoteImpressive as your work always is! I'd maybe have used the shade from the map parchmenent rather than white when doing the outline on the labels, but that's a nitpick. I always admire your patience for these handdrawn pieces.
Barovia - homebrew map
This is English version of Barovia Map. I hope you enjoy it.
Technique: ink (hand-drawn), photoshop (typography).
Background:
Cartographer - in the world of the game - is Belizario Zoppoda, a member of the Guvners Faction in Sigil.
He blindly adheres to the principle that says: "All are governed by laws, many of them hidden. Learn the laws of the Multi-World and you will rule it".
Zoppoda is absolutely certain that he is able to discover the laws governing the Ravenloft semi-plan, so that his faction can subjugate this world. He started his research with Barovia. He had travelled across this county, taking notes and drawing sketches, which he later used to create the map.
And he created it not in a perfectly equipped workshop, but in the field - in peasant homesteads, dirty inns, at a glade in the forest, on top of a mountain.
Hence, there would be a few blobs, some spots of dried blood, rushed notes, bizarre symbols, etc.
Now Belizario is almost certain that he has discovered the pattern on which the powerful spell that transferred the Barovia to the Ravenloft was based. He thinks that just a few more weeks of research is enough to break the power of this spell and take absolute control of this land.
After all, infinite knowledge gives infinite power.
Or maybe it is all the delusion of a madman who was trapped by Dark Powers on the Semi-Plan of Dread mocking his pride?
I will not answer this question. Answer it yourself.
And the heroes who are traversing the Barovia may meet Zoppoda on their way, or find his map.
Maybe they will want to help him, or they will want to stop him.
Impressive as your work always is! I'd maybe have used the shade from the map parchmenent rather than white when doing the outline on the labels, but that's a nitpick. I always admire your patience for these handdrawn pieces.
Thank you!
Yes, I am not satisfied with the labels either. They are not perfect, but they are good enough.
I did not really know how to prepare multilingual maps (here is Polish version).
Next time he will try to caligraphy on tracing paper and then combine two scans.
Last edited by Impractical Cartographer; 10-16-2020 at 08:18 AM.
Love your style!
The style is a bit peculiar, but I like the whole thing. We have this impression of having a lot of details which makes all the strength of this map... the global rendering is really very fascinating.
Originally Posted by Narwen
Thank you!
Aaah, such a pleasure to come back (again) and find a new map by you here ! Splendid as always ! It's a pure pleasure to see you exploring new styles !
I suggest a special award for the Most Patient Map Maker : those forests deserve it !!
I accept the award, especially since I have drawn this map four times.
- The first map was completed in 70% when my 92 years old grandmother poured a cup of hot tea on it.
- The second map was 99% completed when I poured a bottle of black ink on it (I was very tired and stressed at the time)
- On the fourth map completed in 95% my cat dropped a shelf with paints, solvents and inks.
- The fourth map I managed to finish happily. And I drew it for nine days, 15 hours a day to finish it for the Polish premiere of "Curse of Strahd"
Despite everything I managed to keep a good mood.
Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.
Holy Cow! That award is definitely worth it then! How you managed to restart even a third time... That is just crazy bad luck!
Looks lovely - I was going to mention about the white stroke around the labels, Kellerica beat me to it
