Black Sails Bay

[Ilanthar]

Nice job, so far. I love the panamean city on the left.

[- JO -]

Nice job, so far. I love the panamean city on the left.

Thanks ! The name of the city is "Cluses"... so, no surprises there !

I was able to work a bit more... There is still work on the mountains to do, and the hills of course, but after that, I think I'll pass to labels... So, the end is not near, but within sight !

### Latest WIP ###

[Mouse]

Hey Jo

I see you've been doing quite a lot of work on the shading and highlights around the coast, in the forests and on the tops of the mountains.

Nice work!

[Josiah VE]

Wow! A lot of progress since I've last seen this!
The shading is very well done, I especially like the southwest mountain range with the forest up against it.
The only thing I would say is that maybe the base of the mountains could be blended a bit more into the ground.
I love the cities, they're excellently drawn, coloured and shaded!

[- JO -]

Hey Jo

I see you've been doing quite a lot of work on the shading and highlights around the coast, in the forests and on the tops of the mountains.

Nice work!

Thanks Mouse ! I'm glad to move ahead with this map, and to see that I'll finish it one day (soon ?). I've just to be careful with the labels, now... Not to ruin the work I've done (the boat on the south is a try to make a label for this pirate's zone) It's not clear in my head how to manage those : I know that for the both main cities, I'll make a shield with the crest of the realms, but for the pirates, it's more complicated. No crests, that's for sure.. I'm aiming for a big sail with the symbol of the pirate's clan on it... if it doesn't work, I might try an old flag... And I'm still thinking wether or not marking the area of influence of each pirate's clan.
Thanks for your support anyway !

Wow! A lot of progress since I've last seen this!
The shading is very well done, I especially like the southwest mountain range with the forest up against it.
The only thing I would say is that maybe the base of the mountains could be blended a bit more into the ground.
I love the cities, they're excellently drawn, coloured and shaded!

Thanks for your comment !
You're right... those mountains bases are on my to do list... as for the bases of the hills (really not pretty now... ) I'll finish the top of the mountains first with some snow, and then try to blend more the base with the ground. I'll have to work on the "finger" tools on PS to smooth it without making it looks too "digital" !
I hope to find some time tomorrow and monday !

[Mouse]

Wouldn't pirates traditionally have a flag? It would seem to make sense for them to have something they can fly on a ship

[- JO -]

Wouldn't pirates traditionally have a flag? It would seem to make sense for them to have something they can fly on a ship

That was my first thought too.. but then, I think I'll have a scale problem, between the flag and the crest of the cities... especially if the flag is "flapping" (?) in the wind (like I like the flag to be), you don't see the whole symbol on the flag...
Before going back to the flag, I think I'll try to make a big sail, and see how it fits the whole picture

[Mouse]

If you do decide to use flags in the end, you could always do them all in a row across the bottom or down the sides, and just name the gangs on the map?

[- JO -]

It sure looked better in my head...

[Mouse]

Maybe if you enclose each symbol in a ring, and give it a sort of badge type bevel, like some of the ones I've seen Diamond do for clan shields on at least one of the maps he drew last year...

I'm being vague... but my broadband is flickering in and out with the storm we've got raging here right now! Mobile broadband! I think the electrical charge in the atmosphere interferes with transmission.

Otherwise I'd go rooting around in his albums to find an example for you. They look like enamelled pieces - like broaches.

EDIT: This is the one I was thinking about. It should really have got an Atlas Award, but he never put it in Finished Maps! Grrrr!