The World of Pern

[GreatWhiteNorth]

I've enjoyed fantasy tales my entire life, but the first real meaty series I dove into as a teenage reader of YA/Adult novels were the stories of Pern by Anne McCaffery. For those who haven't read the series, it takes place on a fictional planet in the real world, in a future where humans have achieved relatively speedy space travel. Settlers arrive on Pern (P.E.R.N.: Parallel Earth, Resources Negligible) and found a colony that winds up regressing technologically over the course of many centuries. While still in possession of their advanced technology though, the colonists genetically engineer small fire breathing lizards to grow to incredible sizes in order to deal with a recurring deadly threat.

The series has some problematic elements and occasionally smacks of Utopian fantasy where the problems are mostly superficial, but for it's a must for any reader who loves sci-fi, fantasy, and especially a synthesis of the two. So, I figured it was about time for me to devote some efforts to making my own Pern map. Enjoy!


©Z. Bodenner, 2019

[Ilanthar]

Nice one, efficient and well done .

[MistyBeee]

Yep, really lovely. I love your colors, North

[Kellerica]

I really like the style you have going on here. I think I see the influence of both M. Plasse and our boy Daniël on here, the latter especially. Nice muted tones and I always enjoy your mountains and forests. One thing I think could maybe benefit from some further work are some of the labels - the ones that are on top of mountains, coastlines and other linework could use a little stronger stroke/glow around them. Right now they get a little lost in the terrain around them, especially the ones marking the mountain ranges.

A really nice tribute to the series! I've read the first book a few years back and generally enjoyed it, but somehow never made it past the first chapters on the second... I'll have to give it another try at some point. Another great piece from you, will rep if I can!

Edit: Nope, no can do, sorry...

[- JO -]

I really like this lineart, very fine, very detail-oriented. It's a relatively simple map, but that's what makes it so elegant! It gives a very beautiful picture!

[Inarius]

I really like the small details like the yellow dragon holding the compass. Maybe you could add a small sea monsters in the top left, for instance, to fill the ocean ?

[GreatWhiteNorth]

I really like the style you have going on here. I think I see the influence of both M. Plasse and our boy Daniël on here, the latter especially. Nice muted tones and I always enjoy your mountains and forests. One thing I think could maybe benefit from some further work are some of the labels - the ones that are on top of mountains, coastlines and other linework could use a little stronger stroke/glow around them. Right now they get a little lost in the terrain around them, especially the ones marking the mountain ranges.

A really nice tribute to the series! I've read the first book a few years back and generally enjoyed it, but somehow never made it past the first chapters on the second... I'll have to give it another try at some point. Another great piece from you, will rep if I can!

Edit: Nope, no can do, sorry...

Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I do think the mountain labels got a little lost. I had the same halo applied to all of the text as an experiment based on a tutorial I had found and I think overall it went well, but I could have separated out the text layers and done the effect twice.

I really like the small details like the yellow dragon holding the compass. Maybe you could add a small sea monsters in the top left, for instance, to fill the ocean ?

Thank you, I too think the dragon came out nicely (better than I expected to be honest). A sea monster wouldn't fit too well as they aren't really present in the novels, but the ocean does get a little empty in places, yes.

[arsheesh]

Very appealing subtle hues and values. The Dragon really stands out, and reminds me of the dragons I've seen on the covers of McCaffery novels. interestingly enough, I was looking at some maps of Pern just the other day, and I have to say, this one is by far the best I've seen. Well done.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Very appealing subtle hues and values. The Dragon really stands out, and reminds me of the dragons I've seen on the covers of McCaffery novels. interestingly enough, I was looking at some maps of Pern just the other day, and I have to say, this one is by far the best I've seen. Well done.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

That's quite the compliment Arsheesh, and I appreciate it.