@Loopysue I am in LOVE with your expansion symbols. Those desert trees are so good! Do you have any like cool desert rock formations brewing? I am going to be redesigning my world in your symbol set as the master symbol set for sure. I can't believe you're going to beat Herwin Wielink, my favorite lol! Keep up the great work :)))
Sounds good Sue! Did you ever post a list of all of the type of new symbols you will be adding in your annual expansion in November? If you did, I apologize and can't find it lol. If that is too much work to be revealed then no worries ;)
Once I start work in earnest on a new project the list has already been agreed between myself and Profantasy - if there is a need for one.
The list I have for Spectrum Part 2 was made before I started drawing any of it - a combination of requests and preferences from forum and FB Group members. The problem with publishing it, though, is that doing so is like asking for more suggestions when the list is already full, and has already been balanced and agreed upon with Profantasy.
So... no list. Sorry!
If there are lots of requests after Part 2 has been published - that will be the time to make suggestions again ;)
No worries Sue! I guess I'll have to be surprised when I see it! I can't lie, your Spectrum Expansion set is making me super excited!
I did have one last question. You know how you can recolor the same symbols? Like make a pine tree black or blue? Will that be available for your symbols as well? (Apologies on my lack of verbiage, I forgot what those were called :)
Thank you so much for your dedication to this forum/fb group and your hard work on Spectrum!!!
Those are called varicolour symbols, and are generated after the original colour image by the addition of a second png file that denotes the areas that will change colour. If you look through the folders of artwork for the Mike Schley style you will see them. They look like ghost images of the original. These tend to be later additions to a symbol set. The fact that part 1 had varicolour structures was down to Ralf Schemmann generating the necessary files once I handed the set over to him.
I really can't say if there will be time to do more for part 2. That depends a lot on what Ralf has got on his plate in the last fortnight of October ;)
I hope that Ralf can find sometime :P lol. Especially for the vegetation :) I just need blue trees for a magical forest. I guess I can recolor them in PS :)
I've been working long days on all the Sketchup models I will need to do the Structures for part 2, and I've almost finished bar a few details. Here are a few samples for the record.
Arctic structures
Desert structures
Tropical/jungle structures
As you can probably tell the sculpting is a matter of working out the basic outline and the shadows so that I get them right in the final drawing, so some things are more detailed while others are merely blocks.
From here I export 3 sheets from each one - the lines, the shading and the shadows all separate, then import them into Affinity Photo, where I will do the actual painting.
Dang, these just keep looking better and better!! I hope ProFantasy keeps the Sprecrum line going. Definitely my favorite for overland maps right now. City version would be great too!
It's not so much a series as an extended annual issue. Since it's near the end of the year part 2 will likely be the last, unless there are any special arrangements after that.
Farsight, it's not really the done thing to extend a style across two annuals, since this means people have to buy both annuals even if they only want the one style. I wasn't expecting anyone to want more than just parts 1 and 2, so I'm still trying to work out what to do about any additional stuff. My best guess is that once part 2 has been released and the initial rush has calmed down PF will assess the situation again and make some kind of a decision. Whether that decision is "no, there's enough of it now", or something else, is anyone's guess.
Just get it extended to make more symbols (like Schley, only MORE) and have it available as such like a mini SS6. That way, you can add many more structures, vegetation, marine and geographic features. Just ask us for a list - to keep you from sleeping next year. Not that you will, anyway!
Only 21 days to Christmas (oops, I mean November's annual)
I am seriously in massive anticipation of this. I literally can't wait. I am so excited. The vegetation alone gets me excited as well as the desert symbols. This is going to be an epic annual. I may actually be able to do my mmorpg world maps the way I have always envisioned them. I am curious on how Spectrum will blend with other symbol sets such as Herwin Wielink and Derust as well as other fills and textures. Can't wait to mix and match!
It will be ready for download on Nov 1st right? Thank God Ralf 's time is ahead of mine lol
Please don't get too excited about it. I would hate for you to be disappointed. No style is specifically designed to work well with other styles. More often, when things are done in several parts, most of the time is spent trying to make the new symbols work well with the existing stuff ;)
Comments
@Loopysue I am in LOVE with your expansion symbols. Those desert trees are so good! Do you have any like cool desert rock formations brewing? I am going to be redesigning my world in your symbol set as the master symbol set for sure. I can't believe you're going to beat Herwin Wielink, my favorite lol! Keep up the great work :)))
Thank you! :)
I really don't think I'm a patch on HW. He hand drew all his symbols, and mine are about 50% modelled in 3D apps like Blender and ngPlant.
I will be moving on to Structures in the next couple of days. Have to keep the pace steady and do what's on the list, or things get unbalanced ;)
Sounds good Sue! Did you ever post a list of all of the type of new symbols you will be adding in your annual expansion in November? If you did, I apologize and can't find it lol. If that is too much work to be revealed then no worries ;)
There isn't a public list.
Once I start work in earnest on a new project the list has already been agreed between myself and Profantasy - if there is a need for one.
The list I have for Spectrum Part 2 was made before I started drawing any of it - a combination of requests and preferences from forum and FB Group members. The problem with publishing it, though, is that doing so is like asking for more suggestions when the list is already full, and has already been balanced and agreed upon with Profantasy.
So... no list. Sorry!
If there are lots of requests after Part 2 has been published - that will be the time to make suggestions again ;)
No worries Sue! I guess I'll have to be surprised when I see it! I can't lie, your Spectrum Expansion set is making me super excited!
I did have one last question. You know how you can recolor the same symbols? Like make a pine tree black or blue? Will that be available for your symbols as well? (Apologies on my lack of verbiage, I forgot what those were called :)
Thank you so much for your dedication to this forum/fb group and your hard work on Spectrum!!!
Thank you, Farsight :)
Those are called varicolour symbols, and are generated after the original colour image by the addition of a second png file that denotes the areas that will change colour. If you look through the folders of artwork for the Mike Schley style you will see them. They look like ghost images of the original. These tend to be later additions to a symbol set. The fact that part 1 had varicolour structures was down to Ralf Schemmann generating the necessary files once I handed the set over to him.
I really can't say if there will be time to do more for part 2. That depends a lot on what Ralf has got on his plate in the last fortnight of October ;)
I hope that Ralf can find sometime :P lol. Especially for the vegetation :) I just need blue trees for a magical forest. I guess I can recolor them in PS :)
I've been working long days on all the Sketchup models I will need to do the Structures for part 2, and I've almost finished bar a few details. Here are a few samples for the record.
Arctic structures
Desert structures
Tropical/jungle structures
As you can probably tell the sculpting is a matter of working out the basic outline and the shadows so that I get them right in the final drawing, so some things are more detailed while others are merely blocks.
From here I export 3 sheets from each one - the lines, the shading and the shadows all separate, then import them into Affinity Photo, where I will do the actual painting.
These looks cool. Can't wait to see the finished version.
Thanks, Remy :)
The last set were the hardest. All those roof angles! LOL! I think I spent more time on that one than on all the others put together.
Now that you have the 3d models, you can do a roof-shaded overhead view for regular city maps!
This is very true. However, that's a whole other annual :)
@Loopysue wrote:
that's a whole other annual
Yes please.
I will always be working on another annual, Remy. It's my natural state :)
Wahooo ! Those look fantastic !
Thank you, Jim :)
You're welcome.
Dang, these just keep looking better and better!! I hope ProFantasy keeps the Sprecrum line going. Definitely my favorite for overland maps right now. City version would be great too!
Thank you, Argel :)
It's not so much a series as an extended annual issue. Since it's near the end of the year part 2 will likely be the last, unless there are any special arrangements after that.
Well, that's the Arctic structures done for now :)
Nice work Sue. I wish I had your talent for artwork.
Sue your entire annual library is going to be so good ;) Are you planning for an another installment of Spectrum next year?
Thank you, both :)
Farsight, it's not really the done thing to extend a style across two annuals, since this means people have to buy both annuals even if they only want the one style. I wasn't expecting anyone to want more than just parts 1 and 2, so I'm still trying to work out what to do about any additional stuff. My best guess is that once part 2 has been released and the initial rush has calmed down PF will assess the situation again and make some kind of a decision. Whether that decision is "no, there's enough of it now", or something else, is anyone's guess.
Part 3 for the BONUS ANNUAL FOR 2020!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P ;)
Ah, well... the bonus issue is already given over to the part 2 for City Cliffs.
Sorry!
Just get it extended to make more symbols (like Schley, only MORE) and have it available as such like a mini SS6. That way, you can add many more structures, vegetation, marine and geographic features. Just ask us for a list - to keep you from sleeping next year. Not that you will, anyway!
Only 21 days to Christmas (oops, I mean November's annual)
Not my decision, Quenten.
Who knows what will happen? I'm sure nothing will go to waste, even if it does end up missing the deadline a little bit.
I am seriously in massive anticipation of this. I literally can't wait. I am so excited. The vegetation alone gets me excited as well as the desert symbols. This is going to be an epic annual. I may actually be able to do my mmorpg world maps the way I have always envisioned them. I am curious on how Spectrum will blend with other symbol sets such as Herwin Wielink and Derust as well as other fills and textures. Can't wait to mix and match!
It will be ready for download on Nov 1st right? Thank God Ralf 's time is ahead of mine lol
November 1st is a Sunday. You probably have to wait until the 2nd.
Thank you, Farsight :)
Please don't get too excited about it. I would hate for you to be disappointed. No style is specifically designed to work well with other styles. More often, when things are done in several parts, most of the time is spent trying to make the new symbols work well with the existing stuff ;)