Color Scheme

[bigbluepaw]

Hey folks. Hope you are doing well.

I'm develop a set of six battle maps for a crystal cave region of the underdark for an Out of the Abyss campaign.

I wanted to get some feedback on the map style, but more importantly, which color scheme I should use for them. Here are the three approaches, which basically break down as...

1.) Lighter colors inside the cavern, darker in the rocks.

2.) Darker colors inside the cavern, lighter in the rocks.

I figured there would be a good set of experienced map-makers on this forum. I would value your feedback. Thanks!

[Mouse]

Hi bigbluepaw

I'd say lighter inside

EDIT: I'd also suggest that you try to make sure that the darkest part of the cave floor is no darker than the lightest part of the solid rock, or its a bit difficult telling the two apart

[bigbluepaw]

Made modifications. So something more like this?

Do you think the contrast between inside the cavern and the rocks is too muc?

[Dumont]

I feel like this latest approach is off because the crystals, which look like they are emitting light, are far darker than the floor.

Of the images you originally posted, your 2nd image is probably my favorite, though I would do more to give the crystals a glow and tweak the colors in their vicinity to reflect how they're illuminating the area.

[Mouse]

Hmmn... yes, I agree with Dumont about the crystals needing to be lighter than the floor, but maybe they don't need to be all that much lighter than they already are (just a bit in other words), if you tone down the floor just a bit - half way between where it is an the solid rock, maybe?

[wdmartin]

I'd go with a dark floor and lighter surrounding rocks, just because the eye tends to read darker colors as "deeper". The cave walls are logically higher up than the cave floor, so having them lighter helps create an illusion of depth.