Sketch 1: My dear Arramatapo...

[Mouse]

Thanks Kacey

This part at least isn't destined to change at all. The map is intended to be a rush job by a trapped man making a plea for help, armed with only a personal journal, 4 carrier pigeons, a quill, a brush, and a single pot of organic ink (brown in other words). The problem I was having with it was that I couldn't seem to stop myself 'prettying it up' too much (the influence of seeing so many beautiful maps here on the Guild all the time )

However, I have at last managed to bring my 'Rembrandt Mode' (as one of my lovely cheeky friends over at Pf called it) firmly under control to get the right effect... I hope

I think I've learned more from doing this sketch, and the Gymnopus P map, than I've learned in all the previous 3 months I've been mapping.

Next Instalment: "Map 3: Across the plains of Amparru, where the great green dragon, Ashmar, rides the sky"

(the first map of the sea voyage telling Arramatapo how to get to the mouth of the river Orranar was carried by a pigeon that failed to make land)

[zhar2]

Turning out great!, nice vibrant but rustic colours.

[Mouse]

Thank you Zhar2

This is the first map I've done since the restricted palette maps of the September 2016 Challenge, and I think I've finally learned the importance of taking control of the colours, rather than letting the colours take control of me

[Mouse]

Map 3: Across the plains of Amparru, where the great green dragon, Ashmar, rides the sky



We've been talking about this again back over on the Profantasy Forum.

The latest discussion centres on the point: if you had four carrier pigeons and only enough time to draw one map, would you cut it up and send a piece with each pigeon in the hope that at least one of them got through, or try to chose the pigeon you believed was most likely to survive the journey, and put the entire map on that one bird.

Decisions, decisions

I've opted for the "three out of four is better than none" option, but I may also do a complete ribbon map of the journey as an alternative to this three part set.

[Cartography Dragon]

These are looking great, I think they really give the feel of a desperate call for help. Awesome, keep up the good work!

P. S. Your neighbors sound rather inconsiderate

[Mouse]

Thank you Kartography Dragon

These maps are never going to be a work of art, but that's not the point - as you have already realised

The neighbours? :sigh: They're just young, I suppose! They won't know what its like till they get to be my age, and then they'll be the ones doing the grumbling!!! LOL

[Mouse]

Ok. I think I'm done.

Truth be known, I know I can't do this any better than I have in this last version - not without losing the rough and ready look, and making it look all far too pretty! LOL



Here is the Finished Map thread.

[Mouse]

Ok, I lied (again).

This is not the end of the WIP. I have a whole new version of the same map to consider - the ribbon map, where Glanarc (the man trapped in Sheleeva's lair) has time to draw four identical maps - one for each pigeon.

Creating this, however, is more problematical than it might at first seem. since one of the maps runs down the page, and the other two run up the page.

I made a start on the alternative version last night. Here it is:



I initially trebled the height of the new map background because there were 3 maps. I forgot that I wouldn't need to repeat the instructions three times over, so removing the repeats gave me all that extra space at the top.

I'm not going to trim it off just yet, however, since I may need to nudge the map upwards in several places just to make room for a few more 'in situ' annotations.

I've got a couple of concept problems right now:

1. The number of lateral folds means that folding it vertically would be pretty difficult to achieve, and would in any case reverse the bend of the lateral folds. That's an effect too far for me to master just yet in terms of modifying the texture to suit, so I will probably have to do away with the vertical fold. That means the map really is very tiny - no wider than the length of an index finger to fit in the pigeon's rucksack - which means that some of the other fill effects are off scale. For example the watercolour wash effect now looks wrong when you imagine the map at its new tiny size.

2. Although the route maps drawn by John Ogilby illustrated routes in a direction heading up the page from the bottom (which is why I have done the same), It feels pretty weird having to start at the bottom of a piece of paper and work upwards. This leads to the closing question:

Do you think the map should be entirely the other way up - ie, start at the top and work downwards as you progress on the route... or even sideways from left to right, since that is the easterly direction of the journey?

(NB - the bottom section of the map is partially upside-down right now because I haven't finished turning it through 180 degrees)

[Mouse]

This is close enough to finished on the second version - the ribbon map.

This is one of the four complete maps that Glenarc might have drawn to send with each of his four pigeons if he'd had time.



I've already seen the mistake right at the bottom, but this is only a draft and not the final map

[Mouse]

Reworded the plea at the top of the letter, added some very rubbishy page curls (home made) and a couple of paperweights