Map drawing stuff

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[Artimidor Federkiel]

Yeah - very nice, Smee

BTW: Make sure to keep the forests and the houses etc. on seperate layers, so that you still can move/hide them if necessary!

Also I thought we could have some shallow waters around the islands. See e.g. at the Manthrian map in the southeastern part around Ciosa and a bit further up from there (Gopstone Point, Pearl Coastway etc.) There you see some texture shining through out of the waters. If used here and there this could give the impression that the islands come out naturally of the waters.

These things are realized as well by applying a texture (available in the resource file I provided) and the reducing its transparency pretty drastically. I guess the texture used around Manthria is the layer that is called "Ebene 3" in that file (invisible if you load it, so you need to make it visible first). As usual use feather to get smooth edges combined with a special selection you get from the main map - I guess larger feather is best here, because then the sand fades out pretty nicely into the sea.

[Smee]

Well it's been a few hours, thought you might be missing me 


After a productive morning, I've managed to work through all the islands, and I'd say I'm close to finished...

Here we have a small version of it, click for a full size along side the original. 



Unless there's any changes you want to recommend Arti, I'll get to work on the lettering and compass rose etc, before sending you the master for some ripply-goodness in the ocean. 

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Looks pretty cool in general - Two things I'd like to point out however:

1.) The texture around the island is a bit too transparent - could be much stronger, so that the borderlines between sea and land are difficult to see at some places. I guess a stronger visibility is more realistic - especially once the ripples come in there will be more stuff going on around the island and the sand might literally drown in that.

2.) The other thing is that that the sea transitions to the land and the dark parts of the sea don't look overly convincing at the current state of the map. It looks somewhat airbrushed (the size of the airbrush is recognzable here and there), which you should try to avoid. So this looks somewhat inconsistent.

Concerning the lettering - you'll need the font used for the other maps then, have a look at this page. You should download all fonts anyway (last but one link), as you'll view the site then properly.

The maps use the Seagull font. In order to get the filters right I have to upload an example file however first so that you'll hopefully can use the Photoshop text filters as well. This could be a problem however if you use PSP8 - I assume you get the layers correct, but if you get text filters correctly displayed I don't know. Well, I'll upload a small example file with a text layer on it, let's see.

[Smee]

I got all your layers in the Map elements file, so that seems to be working fine at least. All the island textures are in various layers, so making them less transparent is no problem.

I've pretty much ignored the sea since first making the islands rise from the ocean, so I agree they do need some work.

Yep - I got your font pack in my first days of joining.    Anyhoo, I'm off to the cinema now, so I'll catch up with your lettering example in a few hours.

Much thanks.

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Here you go, Smee... Download the PSD version of the Silvermarshes with masses of layers.

For one it features of course text layers with texts of various sizes, so you should get an idea how texts of smaller and larger settlement should look like in terms of font-size etc. Some texts are also curved, so you see the Photoshop function there - those texts that are curved and not entirely straight (moved by 20 degrees or so) are actually rendered, so I also cannot edit them anymore in Photoshop, that is normal. In this case one needs to do the text again in case it doesn't fit for some reason.

I've also given you the Silvermarshes map here, because it was put on a parchment, which is great in order to integrate smaller maps. In your case you could make the parchment even smaller, so that it fits directly into an entry (the Silvermarshes map could be opened in full upon clicking on a small picture in the main entry).

Anyway, here you see how it is done that a map is put on a parchment - if you make the invisible layers visible you should get an idea how you can do the same thing with your map. I've made the map a Photoshop pattern that I then applied on the parchment, but this isn't really necessary. If you find another way how to make it appear like that it's perfectly fine. Just make sure that you put the map eventually under the edges that overlap it in the final picture.

[Smee]

Hmm... I got the scroll, and all the text in seperate layers, but no map part, and no dropshadows on the text. Plus an error message "This PSD contains unsupported content". But the font works, and I can see the text atleast 

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Well, that was to be expected unfortunately. PSP just interprets layers, and cannot do any effects - therefore you also don't see the map itself, because it was used as an effect (a pattern) in the Photoshop map.

Maybe it is better that I finish the map with the texts, as it would look different at any rate if you do it. I'd say just focus on the mentioned things (sand transparency, water etc.) and I'll take over from there to finish it off. This ensures that the map looks exactly as the others on the site.

[Smee]

I did two pieces of text, naming a couple of islands last night. I'll send that to you and you can see what you think. It's not exactly the same, but similar.

I'm at work now though, so that'll have to wait until this evening. 

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Yep, the map has arrived and it looks really good, Smee! Maybe a tiny little bit of airbrush to get some uneven water stuff out of the way, but I could do that as well.

The text looks great, though it isn't a text layer when I open it with Photoshop, but that's also not much of a problem. I'd say: Finish the rest of the texts and then send the final version, and I'll eventually see to it that it ends up in a parchment, so that we can put it on site... - That was really fast and efficient work, Smee - congrats on your very first map, it is really very well done and definitely of great use of the site (especially as there were ideas lately to use the Shoals for an entry or two)!

[Smee]

Ha, awesome. I'm happy the text is similar enough. I'll finish it off gladly later on. 

Might spend some time today making a list of places to name. The only ones I can think of at the moment are the Queen's Harbour and the Teeth, but there might be more lurking.

The text won't be in a text layer, because the drop shadow is an effect and I have to convert the layer before I can apply it. So even to me that text is lost. I would have to redo the text to change it (although of course it can still be moved around a bit)

Anyhoo, I've very happy you like it, and I look forward to a more ambitious map after I've got a few more entries under my belt. Simsy is calling me again 

[Mina]

Well, after looking at Smee's work, I thought I'd try making a map too, since I could use one for Xaramon anyway.  It didn't go very well.  Seems I just can't smudge properly, so I can't get coastlines and mountains right.  Other stuff I've tried so far look mostly alright though, except steppes, which are a little iffy because I'm not sure how they were originally drawn. 

Any tips? 

[Smee]

Just about everything that sticks up on my map is stolen from some part of the Manthrian map. I wouldn't really know where to begin drawing steppes I'm afraid.

As far as smudging goes, for me it was usually followed by an equal part 'softening', which in PSP is just another aspect of the same tool. I think it's basically a blur.

Smudge --> Blur --> Smudge --> Blur

It might help to give tips if we could see a little example of your progress so far.

Viva la Map Revolution ! 

[Mina]

I'm using Photoshop.  I'll see if I can find any examples, but mostly I'm getting either stripes or alternating bands of darker and lighter colours. 

[Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels]

That really looks great, Smee, I will include the sizes soon. Maybe a scale could be added?

I know how much work it is, I tried my hands at Aeruillin once, but the text was always not readable when I shrunk the size, so I gave up after some time..

[Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels]

Could it be you missed the island very far in the south? Or has Gean already forgotten to mention  it? i looked at the normal Santharian map.


Edit:

The archipelago consists of thirteen larger isles and many more smaller banks. Together they form the tops of an undersea mountain range

Maybe it is just a bank, but it would be nice to have the whole white area included, there could be some coral reefs!

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